marathon Friday

Well now, this day reminded me of the years when I had a full time job, moonlighted at a restaurant, cooked dinners for the fam, ran the PTA, transported daughters to activities, and tended the yard. In other words, did all that working parents do on a daily basis. When they are younger. Decades younger!

To me, today felt like a whirl. Choreographed to the n'th degree. Every minute accounted for. It all could have toppled, but it didn't. It went smoothly, albeit at a pace that left me panting. Literally! Or, was that the dust I inhaled while furiously sleeping out a garage floor?

You really get to appreciate your slower pace, when you jump into craziness for a little bit once more. I mean, there was a time when I thrived on juggling. I felt some pride in maintaining cheerfulness at the end of a crazy day. And it wasn't fake -- I was genuinely happy to pack it in. Busy was good! These days, I'm less inclined to fill every waking hour with stuff to do. I like it when I can take a break. When I can think. When I can write. But, every once in a while, out of necessity, I get back on the fast-paced treadmill. Perhaps to prove to myself that I still can! Today I did just that.

First though, let me note that it is extremely beautiful out here, in south central Wisconsin. The weather is just about perfect -- sunny, with a light breeze, less humid than yesterday or the day before. I suppose I have some regrets that I spend so little of it outside, but still, even during the morning walk, I am so happy to feel the warmth of this glorious weather. June 14th delivered us a fine one!

(the meadows are looking better every day!)

Breakfast, with Ed, on the porch. Also with cats, but they didn't join us until later.

(hi, Ed...)

And now it begins. And it all surrounds Steffi's House. It's a project I embarked on a few months back when I agreed to help with the purchase of a new house. Steffi is not here to do this, so I offered to go through the sale -- all of it, the inspection, the walk through, the closing. And then, of course, I also offered to help a young Polish couple with the move-in today. Because they are so pregnant and so in need of a place to stay, right now!

Does the house look ready to you?

Of course it doesn't! The landscaping is just starting, the stairs aren't done. Still, inside, peace prevails. I meet the builders and we do a walk through. And it's lovely, really lovely! 

I've worked with these builders (Encore Construction) and with the awesome realtor before (Liz Lauer -- she is, simply put, the best in town). My condo (where I lived before moving to the farmette) was built by them. They are thorough, and they stand behind their work. But I have never been involved in the purchase of a brand new free standing home. I had no idea there would be 33 separate subcontractors involved, each with their set of instructions, promises and warranties! Everything from roofers to kitchen countertops. There are post-construction check lists, warranty registrations, inspections. My head is reeling!

One interesting sub-project is the landscaping: yes, there will be shrubs, small trees and such, but the house, which has almost no land with it (it's called "the new urbanism"), will have, because of its somewhat sloped location, raised flower beds facing the road. And guess who volunteered to plant those?!

I probably wont get to it until in the spring. Nonetheless, I have suddenly just added two big-ish flower beds to my list of gardening projects.

After the building walk-through (which lasted nearly two hours!), I dash to the closing, and from there, I come back to the house (well, to Tati's coffee shop next door), to meet with the person who is going to oversee the renting of this house until the owner is ready to move in. And then it's a dash back to the house, where the guy is about to install window coverings. 

By 3, all is in place and our Polish friends can come in and set up shop. We pulled together pieces of furniture that they could use in the short time they are in the house. I had to laugh: it felt very much like moving college-aged kids into their first digs outside the family home. Old but still usable stuff, barely counting as furniture. (These folks are older, but they are "in transit" and so everything here is very temporary.)

Ed was about to drive up with his pickup to unload all the stuff we accumulated for them, when the landscaping guys decide to blow away the dusty driveway and nearby bike path, covered with dirt from their loading of topsoil around the house. This is when everything suddenly disappears in a cloud of horrible dust. Ed quickly drives the pickup away from the dust storm, while I am left with a broom to clean out the garage which is now covered with dirt. I'm still coughing from that little exercise!
 

And now the Polish people are in and delighted with their space. Steffi's House is up and running. I did my work. I can sit back and exhale. With a cough, because of the dust! But mainly with a smile. All is good with our little corner here, just south of Madison. I am grateful, and happy. But for dinner, Ed picks up a pizza. No way do I want to cook tonight!