Last Summer I caught the fever. I got it in my head that I needed to build a house. Meanwhile most people are running from the housing market, as prices continue to rise and the rate of foreclosures continues to grow. But I made the decision then partnered with a good friend and general contractor who really made the whole thing possible. We came up with a plan that would be affordable and functional. It took a few months before a lot was found that would work. Then on March 10, 2010 we broke ground. Would moved into the house in late June of 2010 and I’ve learned that there is a whole other level of being tired.
Throughout the build process I was excited and spent most of my free time working on it where I could. The hard part of all of this was balancing my excitement for this new project, with all the other things in my life. I managed to fulfill the obligations of my career. My wife took on the responsibility of packing up our old house in preparation for moving. But there were many other things that just got put on hold. That was okay for the few months of intense building, but after we moved in June there were a lot of things that needed my attention. Unfortunately the list of things to do around the house was stretching onto the second page. So I had to accept that the landscaping and fencing would be slowly completed over the next year.
So here I am in April of 2011, and we still don’t have grass. Slow progress on Saturdays has been a source of joy and confidence building as I put in the effort and figure out how things need to be installed. I have learned about
- installing dishwashers, washers and dryers
- Installing Baseboards, and Crown Molding
- installing door frames and doors,
- hardwood flooring installation,
- landscaping drainage,
- irrigation,
- tree planting,
- soil composition, and
- when to sod versus seed.
When the rain slows down I’ll learn how to paint my fence (150 feet long).
Straven 