Living in chaos

My dining room; if you look hard, you can see a table

This morning I was reluctant to get out of bed. After my sleep marathon on Sunday, I’ve noticed I’m slow to get out of bed and anxious to return to it. So of course my mind leapt to the extreme conclusion: I’m depressed. Isn’t that what they say about people who spend their days and nights in bed? In truth, I’d get impatient lying abed if I weren’t so darn tired.

I lay there and thought about it and decided that of course I want to avoid the world—specifically the house—I’m living in, because it’s chaos.

Jordan and I have three challenges—downsizing, hail damage, and a weekend garage sale. She does the lion’s share of the work but goes home at night to a relatively organized home and goes to work. She’s not with this mess 24/7. When that realization came to me, I got out of bed and went about my day, but it was a hectic day.

Lewis, the contractor, came to look at the claims adjustor’s report; the restoration company delivered 47 cartons (the inventory says 37) of supposedly salvaged books—we will have to examine all of them. Jordan said she’d do it tomorrow, and I hooted. It will take weeks! I made appointments with AT&T—the U-Verse box is out due to water damage—and with an exterminator because the claims adjustor said we have rat (live, not dead) the size of a small dog in the attic. My day was full of busy stuff like that.

Last night Jordan went through lots of cupboards pulling out things for the garage sale, so they are now on every available surface in the house. Plus things from her house are scattered all over, in bags, in the dining room, my bedroom. And then there are those cartons of books in my dining room. It’s a freakin’ disaster.

My guest room; no, the antique trike is not for sale

 

Using my cane, I wend my way through boxes and piles. This afternoon I sorted two bags of books and determined that most can go to Saturday’s garage sale. That’s another thing—I hate garage sales and hide in the house during them. This is a project for Jordan and neighbor Jay—I suspect Christian is fervently hoping that Jacob has a Sat. morning baseball game.

And remodeling speculation and anticipation goes on. Lewis delivered an estimate yesterday and it is high, as I expected, but we found some places where we could cut corners. He’s waiting for an okay from all my children before he spends the money for a city permit.

Lesson I’ve learned from this: when I was 40 and 50 I served dinner to 20, more or less, every Sunday night; in my sixties, I entertained frequently, with elaborate dinners like coquilles St. Jacques; I’m now in my late 70s and I can’t do it anymore and shouldn’t beat myself up for not doing it. Nor should I nurture my guilt over feeling tired. I am tired. Chaos wears you out. I’m going to bed early, with the sure knowledge I got a lot done today.

Oh frabjulous day!

In honor of National Puppy Day, here's my almost five-year-old
She's still a puppy at heart

This morning I thought I would be home alone all day. I’d miss the sociability, but I had a load of work on my desk and it would be okay. My home-alone day turned into one of sociability. Lewis, my contractor, came by, and then Greg, who does my yard. Both like to chat, and I enjoy their company immensely. Lewis brought the painter to survey the hail damage, and Greg mowed, promises to trim, weed, cut out dead stuff next week. He’s going to remove a large youpon in front of the house, and I’m ready for him to do it. He says I have a pretty house, and the youpon hides it. On the other hand, he doesn’t like artificially trimmed trees and bushes, so this one is growing wild and bushy. I asked him to take out the houseplants for their summer vacation, but he said not until next week. It was 29 degrees last Monday. When he does take them out I’ll have to get in the habit of watering again.

Jacob has taken on chores around the house—he empties garbage and takes the carts down to the street, walks Sophie who now goes ballistic every time she sees him because she thinks she’s going for a walk. When spring finally is here I imagine he’ll inherit the chore of watering too.

This afternoon, a dear friend came for happy hour. Jordan and Jacob were gone to a play date. Jeannie’s husband is in frail health and naps every day from 4:30 to 6:30, so we were free to visit. And it was way overdue. We caught up on grandchildren and restaurants and all kinds of stuff, and we sat on the deck so Sophie could run in the yard. The temperature was in the low 80s or high 70s, with a pretty stiff breeze occasionally—the kind of spring day that makes you ask, “Isn’t this wonderful!”

Nothing lasts. Jordan just called to tell me to get a flashlight. Apparently there’s a lot of lightning at their house which is two-to-three miles away. I only saw one flash here, but I am dutifully carrying the flashlight around. I don’t navigate at all well in the dark.

She was at the neighbor’s directly behind me this afternoon, sitting on their deck, and photographed all kinds of damage to the back side of the cottage roof. Maybe we need to rethink re-roofing until remodeling is complete. Hail possible tonight. So far, the cottage has been intact, and ‘d love for it to stay that way. I don’t need any more damage.

Oops. I hear thunder. Went to let Sophie in and discovered it’s raining fairly hard. Spring in North Texas.

Taking baby steps

Sunroom awash

Wet books

My neighbor mopping the sunroom

Pleased to report progress today. The restoration company has taken up the wood floor and half the tile floor underneath it. The tile floor is really difficult and stubborn. About three this afternoon I asked if they would like to quit at four and they said yes—result was I got a nice nap. Tomorrow they will take up the other half of the floor and take out the ceiling—they tell me the latter won’t take long. Meanwhile they have put up all their de-humidifying equipment, which makes an awful roar. It won’t bother me tonight because I can take my hearing aids out.

But I worry about my daughter-in-law who is sensitive to noise when she sleeps. Colin and his family and their friends-eight people total counting children—are due any minute (it’s ten o’clock) to spend the night on their way back from skiing in Colorado. There’s precious little room at the inn, but it will work out.

The restoration people have also taken away cartons and cartons of wet books and have more to come get tomorrow. They were sending a driver this afternoon—which would have cut right into the time I had carved out for a nap, so I asked them to wait until tomorrow. Also my Oriental rug guy picked up the wet rugs. Tomorrow I hope to put the house back in some semblance of order, including washing all the towels used in the cleanup.

Both last night and tonight we ended these dreary, frustrating days on a happy note. Last night we had brinner (breakfast for dinner) with our neighborhood group to celebrate Jordan’s birthday and that of Jay, later in the month—a warm, wonderful gathering. Tonight, Jordan and Christian hosted a happy hour at the Wine Haus down the street—lovely space, good wine, lots of hugs from Jordan’s friends. Afterward some of the same group from last night went next door to a Lebanese/Italian restaurant. I could hear much better and enjoyed the fellowship. Brought home enough spaghetti for at least two meals.

Mom was right—God works in mysterious ways. Since all that work has to be done back there anyway, Jordan is using the opportunity to paint the walls a warmer color than the stark white there now and to take out a couple of shelves so she can put stackable washer and dryer in.

Jacob and his parents went to the Apple store today, and he is busy sending his first emails. Such fun to watch his excitement. Yes, life goes on and we will get over this hail-induced hiccup.