By Vicki Scott
The process of remodeling our house presents unforeseen issues when someone other than my handy husband Alan is involved.
At our lake house, there are windows exposing a beautiful lake view as well as a view of construction workers building a porch. We’ve been planning this project for many years, and it looks like the porch is going to happen. We’ve been so excited and telling everyone who would listen.
Then the building started.
The workers arrived promptly at our house to start work at 7:30 a.m. every day. At first, it was easy to get up and dressed before they got there. We made ourselves scarce as soon as they arrived to get out of their way and returned later in the day about the time, we thought they were leaving.
We miscalculated the timing. The workers were still at the house when we returned and would stay until at least 5 p.m. We did not want to make them uncomfortable by watching them work, so we stayed inside the house. We would try to sit in an area of the house where the workers could not see us relaxing, because we felt guilty.
Last Saturday came around and we thought we could sleep late, but the workers still arrived at 7:30! Luckily, one cannot see into our bedroom and bathroom, and I had to take a shower. When I finished and was dressed, I came out into the living room and was shocked to see one of the workers looking like an acrobat while nailing the underside of the roof of our proposed porch.
It’s been a week since the construction began, and the porch is almost ready to paint. We’re exhausted! Everywhere we turned, people were working. It eventually would get quiet, and I would go to the driveway side door to see if their truck was still there. Ninety-nine percent of the time, it was. The other one percent a worker was going somewhere to pick up something.
Do not let me forget to mention the noise. It was like I was getting a tooth drilled all day. The rails were not just cut and nailed in; each one was sanded first. Were they trying to give me a headache?
Alan could not go out there, either. If he did, the contractor would have another brilliant idea that could not refused. It looks like we are going to need to get them to construct an apartment to live in, because the contractor keeps coming up with ideas and we’ve loved every one of them.
Alan wants this guy to build a workshop to hold all his motorcycles, but that will have to wait, since the contractor is building a treehouse for our grandchildren. I’m so excited that they’re almost finished with the porch, but I’ll miss the acrobatics in our window.
Thank you, guys, for all your hard work. Because of y’all, we have a beautiful porch done correctly and done fast. I cannot imagine what the treehouse will look like. I guess we’ll see when y’all are finished with it. Stay safe, y’all!
Contact Vicki Scott at lily200383@yahoo.com.