Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Hanging Up The Hammer

We're pulling the plug. Giving up the ghost. Throwing in the towel. We're tired and need a rest period. Time to make some changes.

As much as I desperately want to get the living room finished, there's still too much to do. One hundred and twenty-five mile trips (one way) to the big city for supplies on icy roads and working outside just isn't fun or safe this time of year. Time to make some changes.

We've been doing the power saw cutting in the garage because it's either been too cold or wet to set up and do it safely outside. This has made a terrible mess with sawdust in every nook and cranny of the garage and everything stored in there. It will take a major clean up job to get it back to less than the despicable state it is now. Plus with all the tools set up in the garage, there's no way to get a vehicle in there for inclement weather protection. Time to make some changes.

Papa Pea and I have been losing brain cells from too much pushing. We're both getting a little flaky and unable to make intelligent decisions or even remember where we stashed important materials and hardware or that special bottle of liquid libation purchased for the holidays. (Now THAT'S serious!) Time to make some changes.

I now has this fantastic, beautiful kitchen but because of our continued push to finish the rest of the house, I haven't even had the time to cook or bake the way I want in it yet. (Well, phfffft! That's downright silly, isn't it?) Time to make some changes.

So . . . we've made the decision to shut down on the remodeling for about three months. Until milder weather arrives. We're taking the pressure we've put on ourselves off and are going to spend the rest of the winter months recharging our leaky batteries. (As our daughter would say, "Sounds like a personal problem to me.")

It will also give us a chance to coax the old checkbook balance back into a healthier state. Along with our bodies and brain cells, finances have been taking a pummeling in the last year we've been seriously working on the house. They say money can't buy happiness, but it can buy building supplies!

The kitchen is completely done except for the new exhaust fan over the cooking stove. That's going to involve punching a hole either through the roof or out a wall so we'll tackle that in the spring.

The living room has all the paneling up on the walls and the trim work is done around all the windows and doors except for the pocket door that will close off the stairway up to Papa Pea's office. The permanent stairs are installed and the stairway is enclosed. The ceiling is still the joists upon which the office rests. The floor is plywood. But we've temporarily installed the wood stove in there with fireproof Duroc on the floor and walls behind it and will use the old furniture we have in a (halfway) comfortable arrangement. I can't tell you how nice it is to have a soft chair to plop into after having nowhere to sit other than at the kitchen table for months.

At any rate, this decision we've made to stop the remodeling push for a couple of months seems like a really good one to both of us.

No early alarms in the morning.

No waking with the feeling there are things we MUST get done that day.

No staying up late at night to catch up on the "everyday" things after a full day of remodeling work.

Days with no lists.

Good food without sawdust in it.

Lying under a quilt snoozing in the afternoon.

Time in front of the open fire reading.

Time in my quilt studio.

Evenings watching a DVD with a big bowl of popcorn.

A snowshoe hike. Assuming we eventually get snow, that is.

Doing all of the above until we're re-energized and ready, really ready, to pick up hammer and saw and brush again. Sounds good to me, so bring it on!

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you have earned a good rest, Mama Pea. How lovely to enjoy a stress-free Christmas. Sleep well tonight! :o)

dr momi said...

That is so good to hear! I could tell you guys were beat. I remember how I felt when we built the house (well WE didn't build it)...that was tiring. Lots of lost sleep. Glad you're taking a break.

Jennifer Jo said...

Sounds like a wise decision!

Erin said...

I'm glad to hear you are taking a break. You deserve to kick back and enjoy that kitchen and have more time with a book in front of a wood stove this time of year. I really do hope you get enough snow for a snowshoe hike, the beauty and quiet will do so much to recharge you. The kitchen will still be waiting for you during mud season so why not enjoy one of the best times of year?! :)

Carolyn said...

There's nothing wrong with having to take a break. Enjoy your new kitchen and sit and watch some boobtoob, drink a cocktail, eat some popcorn & save the work for a little bit later. It'll still be there!

Judy T said...

Good for you. V is still in the final stages of tiny finishing touches on the kitchen and bath but we're also taking a remodeling break. Time without juggling work, construction and garden is quite nice. It's great having time to do what I want -within reason ;)
Enjoy your peaceful hiatus.
Judy

Tombstone Livestock said...

Taking a break sounds like a sensible idea, couple months the days will be longer and warmer. Trips to the building supply store safer too is another good reason. Relax, enjoy what you have finished. Hope you find that bottle in time to break it open for the holidays, and that you are enjoying cinnamon in your coffee.

Anonymous said...

You both certainly deserve the break! Enjoy it!

Mama Pea said...

Mooberry Farmwife - This was our "last" push day, so I think I WILL sleep well tonight!

dr momi - Yeah, I've found myself waking in the middle of the night and making lists of what needs to be done. Ridiculous!

JJ - Thank you!

Erin - Winter has always been our favorite time of year up here so this year we're going to try to take 2-3 months of it for more enjoyment!

Carolyn Renee - I LIKE all your suggestions!

Judy - Do we ever have time to do all we want?? ;o}

Tombstone Livestock - I think you really got me hooked on something. I keep adding just a little more, just a little more cinnamon to my coffee every morning!

Staphanie - Getting my hubby to stick to the "time off" will be my biggest challenge!

Sparkless said...

Oh goodness that sounds like a good idea. Unfortunately for me the kids are home and I'm trying to keep them entertained so that means more work for me until they are back in school.
Now you still have time to enjoy the Holiday.

Sue said...

Sometimes it's the best thing--pull the plug. Does this mean another "no-garden" year?
Enjoy the winter (what winter??). You'll feel better able to tackle it after backing away from it for a bit. Might even change some of your ideas as you live with it awhile. Merry Merry Christmas to you (and Papa Pea too!)

Jenyfer Matthews said...

Yes, how will the garden fare next year if your building project runs over into spring?

Otherwise, what a marvelous plan - to take some time to do the things you enjoy. Everyone needs some downtime once in a while :)

judy said...

I don't have much time to comment but its about time,enjoy!

Trailshome said...

Congratulations on a very smart decision. We all wish you peace, contentment, healing and joy as this year changes to the next....and snow too!

LindaCO said...

Hope you enjoy your well-deserved break. :-)

Karen L. said...

It was great to read this post this morning. It seemed like you guys were wearing thin. DIYing can get old fairly quickly and you have been going at it for quite some time. So, rest a bit then get into that sewing room and quilt until you drop .... well, quilt until you need to rest from that too. I am going to start checking your other blog soon and if there isn't any new postings, I may have to come there and push you in that room and lock the door.

Susan said...

Thank goodness! One less worry on our parts - and, believe you me, we were worrying about the Pea family. Winter has always been a time to recharge, so you have made a wise decision. Best to take a looong step back. Or, as my mother so un-helpfully puts it, it's not going anywhere so it will be there when you get back.

Jane @ Hard Work Homestead said...

I know you feel that there is still so much of a mountain left to climb, but what you have gotten done is a whole range of mountains. You deserve a good rest with popcorn, DVD, and what ever else you please. May I suggest a glass of fermented fruit juice? Tis the season.

Mama Pea said...

Sparkless - Don't mean to be poking my nose where it doesn't belong, but why is it up to you to entertain your kids? I know you would never neglect or ignore them, but why not just give them some suggestions of things they might do and let them go from there? You need to have some time for yourself!

Sue - Two VERY good points. We'll do better when we hit it fresh and it's so true that when you "live with it" you almost always make some changes in plans.

No garden next year? NO WAY! I will be back out there with my permanently dirt stained fingers for sure!!

Jen - Don't know how far into spring (summer?) we'll have to go to get the living room finished, but no matter. I HAVE to garden this coming year just to replenish our supplies!

judy - Thank you, Friend!

Trailshome - How kind and sweet you are!!

LindaCO - We plan to enjoy it . . . while catching up on sleep! I think that's what I need most. And a lessening of the stress level! Thanks much.

Karen L. - My other blog? Gosh, I have another blog? I feel so badly about letting that go "empty" for so long . . . sure hope that will change soon. Thanks for you encouragement . . . even if it might involve physical force if I'm not good!

Susan - Yup. The Pea Family was starting to get a little shriveled and dried out!

I full well know "it will be there waiting when we get back!" Dang.

Jane - Aw, Jane, your words are so heartening! As far as the fermented fruit juice goes . . . I'll drink to that!