After two consecutive days of diatribes,
I've decided to dig myself (and you) out
of my political pit. As you know we're
in the midst of a transformation here at
the Passion Pit. For months an army of
experts have been slowly reworking our
landscape to create a private paradise.
Theres little left of the "before" save for
some weeds, random patches of grass,
trees, and lilacs. In it's place is a sea of
dirt which depending on the weather
can be a quagmire of muck. And trust
me my friends... that ain't pretty.
At times I'll admit that we've wondered
whether this has been worth all of the
time, cash, and hassle. However time
and time again the end result has more
than merited the time and money spent.
Owning a home is beyond a daunting
endeavor. One hesitates to continue to
push on with projects far beyond the
limit of potential return on investment.
However we long ago surpassed any
semblance of strategic restraint. As
this house is if nothing else a labor
of love that far surpasses all reason.
Here in central Montana we've recently
been blessed with a liberal dousing of
moisture. Hence the surrounding land
and mountains are greener than usual.
Earlier this week over two inches of
rain fell within twenty four hours. And
suddenly we discovered a new indoor
pool in our basement. Given that until
we started digging outside we'd never
seen a drop, it's safe to assume such a
deluge was the result of our landscape
transformation. Whatever caused it, the
resulting tsunami was overwhelming.
Home ownership has never exactly been
my forte. Maintaining a house and all of
it's surrounding terrain is a commitment.
It requires your patience, fortitude, elbow
grease, and cash. What nobody tells you
until after you've moved in is that it's a
lifetime responsibility in perpetuity. All
because everything has it's expiration
date. Therefore when you least expect it,
something is about to break. Depending
on what that is, invariably might include
the homeowner! Whose challenge is to
keep ahead of the pack against all odds!
The good news is that our basement
puddle has dissipated. Removing it
with a wet shop vac literally sucked.
As did our lesson to never, ever leave
anything of value on a basement floor.
Our challenge now is to pray that it
doesn't rain until after the sidewalks,
grass, and foundation plantings are
in. However that's just the start of
a plethora of projects. You see, as
I said... it never ends. For example
our hip Kohler kitchen faucet leaks.
Oh... and our fridge isn't working...
Given neither of us are "handy", we must
rely on a bevy of skillful experts to keep
things running. The problem is that here
in Lewistown, the best of the best are often
fully booked for weeks on end. Therefore
when confronted by any issues that aren't
dire in nature, one must get in line. Add
that we are geographically challenged and
said purgatory often includes the time it
takes to order and get parts from there...
to here. And so we must wait. Which can
mean that depending on the temperature
on may wilt (at least our lettuce has.)
Has all of this been worth it? YES!
After decades of living in hi-rise
condominiums theres nothing as
decadent as one's private domain.
While we may miss the convenience
of having maintenance on call 24/7,
we are happily adjusting to our new
surroundings. Soon all work will be
completed. As the result sits behind
us, we'll likely consider what our
next home project should be. My
answer? Routine maintenance. It's
time to stop and smell the roses!