Keep Calm & Make it Work...



This is my personal mantra these days.  My other one is:  I cannot control what life hands me (or shoves in my face), I can only control how I respond to it.

Without going into details (less so my stomach doesn't tie in knots than to be secretive or purposely vague), our old home needs some work.  And when I say "some work," what I mean is this summer we have a huge, somewhat overwhelming house project coming out that we can't avoid.

It's one of those projects that has to be done and is not a choice-- such as remodeling one's kitchen or choosing to put in new floors.  Nope, this is something if we don't do, we cannot live here.

And along with this large project, comes a large price tag.  It's more than I paid for grad school. I feel as if I'm putting my house through college having to pay for this and then giving it a trip to Europe to boot.  

So much of this week has been about trying to remain grateful and not falling apart (falling apart is so 2001).  

And if ever I start to feel sorry for myself, I remind myself that I did not experience what the people in Joplin, Missouri did.  And while this is a pain in my well-rounded caboose, it's not life or death, it's not a tornado landing on my roof.

And that's the scoop, Rupe.  My life minus the poetry part, the things I balance along with writing and art.  It's creativity for the wallet.  I'm trying my best -- Wait, I'm not trying my best, but I'm trying.  As I know this too shall pass.

And right now, at this very moment, the house smells like cinnamon and all the people I love still have heartbeats.   

Keep calm, make it work...

Comments

  1. Yik! Home ownership is so overrated.

    This summer I'm doing a little DIY on my living room, but no major fixes so far this year.

    Hang in there. Deep breaths. It will all be OK.

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  2. Thank you, Jan! I am SO with you on the home ownership is overrated! Thanks for your kind and calming words! xo

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  3. I spent my undergrad and grad school years longing for my own house, and the years since doing what feels like endless repair. I won't take up valuable real estate here regaling you with tales of woe (like the house we were renovating that had a plumbing disaster--one of many--and water cascaded from the upstairs in a lovely, horrifying waterfall down the stairs or same house, we discovered why aluminum sheathed wiring had stopped being manufactured--fire in the walls!).

    It's all fixable! Houses are remarkably sturdy things.

    But I understand the nausea from the high price and from seeing the innards of your house (I've always been amazed that the floor joists can hold us all up).

    If you ever need words of hope or exchanges of horror stories that we survived nonetheless, I'm your gal.

    As you say, your loved ones still have heartbeats and you still have your house. And this repair work is probably tax deductible! (just trying to point out bright spots that might be eluding you right now).

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  4. Thanks, Kristin! (Have you ever seen that movie "Money Pit?") ;-0 OMG, the water cascading ...we had a similar event (though not as big) caused by me, a shower, and forgotten plugged sink...

    And I love "It's all fixable!" Good words. "Tax deductible" - also good to hear too!

    I will keep my best horror stories for you and we will exchange. IF you were closer, we could watch The Money Pit together and laugh until we cry...or cry until we laugh. ;-)

    Thanks so much for your note! xo

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  5. Check out my blog sandiedoreus.blogspot.com

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