The Waiting is the Hardest Part

I think I'm a pretty smart person. I've read a lot of books and spent way too many years in school (OK, most of them as a teacher, but still). And yet I have discovered a brand new set of concepts over the last few months that I never even knew existed before. I can discuss the merits of double-paned windows and why you want a "low-e" (but don't ask me to define that please). I can explain what a "green" plan is (but not why the city of Los Angeles keeps it a secret until the day they ask you why isn't it in your original set of plans). I can eyeball a brick wall and tell you how much you could get if you sold the bricks to someone who knows the worth of such things (about $3 per brick for our 1940 editions!).

Go ahead, quiz me!

I always thought I'd be the kind of lady who lets other people do things like demolishing swing sets or unscrewing rusty screws from a bookshelf. But lo and behold I'm not that kind of lady at all! (Please keep all rude comments to yourself.) There is a great satisfaction in looking at an empty room devoid of all doors, hinges, and bookshelves, and knowing you had a hand in it. OK, Darryl did most of it I'll admit, but I was there.

Thanks for the memories

Today we also said goodbye to our old swing set. We acquired it almost 10 years ago when Julia had just turned 4. It has spent the last 9 summers entertaining all the children who have spent time in our backyard. As recently as 2 months ago it played host to a gaggle of soon-to-be 8th graders, who tossed aside their cool factor and played like the little girls they so recently were. It was hard to say goodbye, but it made us all realize that this is actually happening. Tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. (because contractors are always on time, no?) we begin. It feels like we have waited so long for this, and now all of a sudden it's here. Are we ready? I guess we'll have to be!