Construction Update #3

I climb up and down a ladder moving it across the room as I place lights,  connect and then secure wires.  The smell of paint wafts up the stair case from below, where Adam is staining pine tongue and groove boards for the soffit.

The roof is dried in, but not yet roofed. The windows and doors are in. 

In spite of reservations and the looming lists of things yet to be done, we commit to our annual river trip. "The kids would never forgive us", we say to each other after bed time. Sylvan paddles his kayak,  Ivory rides with a friend, Adam pushes a canoe with all our gear and I stand a top my new paddle board as we move down river to our over night camping spot. 

photo credit:  Joe Nickell

I leave my phone in the car. I allow myself the space to not think about anything at all.  I still need to wash towels, and pack away our life jackets and camping things. 

The plumbing and wiring is almost complete.  I am waiting on the phone call letting me know that my insulation has arrived.  Everything feels slow and yet time is going by fast and I am dreading the coming of the cold weather.  I anxiously consider the non-existent walls and just hope the drywall can be hung before it actually gets cold.  

The stained and tattered work plan I drew up has so many boxes that still need to be checked off.

Purchase deck decking (done). 

Have it delivered (not done). 

Get flashing for deck (not done). 

Siding (not done).

Sand the old cast iron tub (mostly done).

Pick paint for tub (not done). 

Paint tub (not done). 

Rough in plumbing (mostly done). 

Rough in electric (almost done). 

The peaches are falling off the tree.  We have eaten most of them.  I don't have time (or space) to deal with the rest of them.  The paths at my community garden plot are neglected.  Someone else is picking most of my ripe tomatoes and peppers in the garden beds at my work.  "They must need them", I think and we pull carrots to take home.

Sylvan pulls one of the Lego boxes out of the attic of our wood shop, and when I walk into our converted school bus, there is a Lego explosion covering every inch of the sofa and table.

We cook dinner outside and eat at our picnic table.  I'm grateful that at this time of the year chopping is the largest component of dinner prep: tomato basil salad, a medley of Dixon Melons and hot dogs are perfectly acceptable.   

I am back inside the house as soon as my plate is cleared, trying to make the most of the remaining daylight. Adam hollers at me to look out the window and see the sky.

Adam climbs into the loft to help me for the last little bit.  It is dark and we don't want to pound away too late into the night.  I didn't finish as much as I hoped over the weekend.  But then, do I ever? There are a few more wires left to pull, a few more light fixtures to mount, a switch to add here and there.  We did have fun:  I danced on the Higgins Street Bridge,  the kids wandered Sunday Streets Missoula, we got ice cream and I sneaked into the studio while Adam played the last Missoula Outdoor Cinema movie and the kids sold popcorn and candy bars.  While the kids slept I managed to carve designs onto 6 mugs and 6 cups... and 18 more are waiting, stashed in protected spots on the bus.  

I curl into bed and try, not to think about where I could have been more productive.

It is what it is.