Deal me in.

Watching a skilled craftsman work is, in our case, both thrilling and terrifying.  Our contractor friend is a mix of spider, gazelle and dancer among the rafters and ladders, boards and shingles.  He thinks nothing of stepping backwards to the edge, stopping just short of toppling over to the ground, to measure, to nail, to double and triple check.  He has caused many an intake of breath over the last few weeks, as we stand around in awe watching him confidently scurry from one end of the house to the other. Is he that agile, that fearless or is he just plain nuts?

I have to say, I’m leaning towards nuts.  I thought the tree guys were crazy, but, this guy,  I am just not sure he wasn’t born into the circus and has chosen not to share the story of his dark and checkered childhood or something.

Work on the house continues at a fast pace, his expert advice and dedication to perfection and quality is not lost on us.  He is there to guide and instruct hubs along the way and that has proven to be invaluable, too.  We are very grateful for his friendship as well as his professionalism, his personal and work ethic and just darn good work.

So! We are bleeding money as you might guess.  Hubs, who is Mr. Conservative in all areas of life, is freaking out and I am beginning to get a little nervous.  I have put the new sectional on the back burner for the time being as a decision we made last week, to switch to all hardwood flooring instead of carpet, and to replace our existing hardwood in the rest of the space at the same time, created a bit of an uptick in the budget but also opens up furniture placement.  Now I need to live with the space to know for sure what to do, which is almost as exciting for me as actually getting new furniture pieces.  I love figuring it out.

I feel like those folks on HGTV at times saying “Well, if we increase the spending there, we have to find room in the budget” ~ always playing the good cop bad cop game with hubs.  I have a spreadsheet and make new entries and correct entries every day, as it seems like there is a new wrinkle every day.  Sometimes not a bad wrinkle, as it may have pointed out an error in our plan, but a wrinkle just the same.  I don’t know that we could have ever built a house together, but, this is our third “big” remodeling project and we’ve done okay.  There was one little yelling session the other day, which was followed by a fairly long silent treatment, but overall it’s good.

After this many years, it will be 39 years of wedded bliss in October, I am somewhat surprised by the silent treatment card still being in the deck.  Both played to me and by me, the silent treatment does still work a bit.  If forces me not to say any more, thank you.  I can push it and I know it.  It also allows me to walk away and not have to hear any more, what is usually frugal, logical and sometimes even *gulp* right thinking.

   

That aside, I do find that hubs has become very resilient to the silent treatment.  He may even relish it.  What does work at this stage of life is the no cooking treatment.  I can go days with eating just cereal or rice and skip big meals for days - but not so much hubs.  He needs to eat.  So, if he walks through the kitchen and sees meat out for dinner, a salad being cut up perhaps or potatoes being scrubbed or peeled, he knows not to start trouble.  Not a good time to find fault with a decision I’ve made or discuss a new plan that may change the budget, or alter the design, like paint color.  You better just love that paint color buddy, unless I nod some acquiescence that it is an open topic, or risk not knowing where your next meal will come from.

Now, today, this week, we are in safety zone mode.  We’ve made all our big decisions, unscathed and fed, and are left with just a few, basically minor, items we need to both consider and agree.  For example, I have voiced my opinion about the size of the new television, and he wants a bit bigger.  But, I know this bigger television decision will require a new piece of furniture and I have had my eye on something that I had no real place for, until this new television was added to the ante.  Now I know where to make that next adjustment to the budget.