Remodeling and Relaxation

Hasn’t the weather been beautiful and don’t we feel sorry for those poor folks in the “frozen nawth” to steal a note from Smiley Anders.

An old disc jockey on WYNK (Danny Church) used to say this kind of weather “makes you feel like going bear hunting with a stick.” It’s the time of year to begin remodeling projects that you will wonder why you started when the temperature hits 102 and 100% humidity. But that too will pass and about the time the weather cools off you’ll likely be finished and sitting back and bragging to everyone about the great job you did on the new kitchen, bathroom or deck. We soon forget how hard it was and before long we’re ready to quit relaxing and remodel again.

Once upon a time when I was about as half as old as I am now, my wife and I moved with our four children into a house on four beautiful acres of land that fronted on a three-and-one-half acre pond. We knew we were facing some serious remodeling but it was the spring of our lives when nothing was impossible.

We commenced what turned out to be an eighteen year long do it yourself project that took our home from 2100 square feet to 5000 square feet, heated and cooled. We went from two-and-one-half baths to four-and-one-half baths. We even built a 30’ x 30’ barn on a concrete slab. We paved a circular driveway around the oak tree in the middle of the front yard and replaced the steel drain pipe for the pond with a proper grass cutter dam and modern drainage system that allowed us to grow more and bigger fish because we could accurately control the water level.

Along the way we learned the difference between a toggle bolt and a toggle switch; between a basin wrench and a crescent wrench; and how to properly maintain and install a septic tank and water well.

Of course our four kids were with us every step of the way. The winter we tore the west side of the house off to add the new family room, storage room and garage—was the coldest in fifty years but we survived. More important there’s so much to do, no one had time to get into trouble, and they learned a lot about teamwork and their ability to do just about anything they set their mind to.

Today I look at the projects my kids are tackling and just shake my head. But they start a new business or knock out a wall and never look back.

Mom and I sold the big place ten years ago for eight times what we paid for it and moved back to town. We still do a little remodeling from time to time and I maintain a small victory garden, but the big projects are behind us.

But this time of year you get to remembering what it was like when you had to be sure to rinse the sheetrock dust off your plate before each meal, and then you begin to look for a project. See if I could just get the kids to give me a hand, I sure would like to turn the attic into an office. Now they’re way too busy, but you know the grandkids are getting the same age as them…maybe, just maybe…