Funny what the small circles of our existence reap over time. Today is the sixth anniversary of our time here in this quaint little house of ours. It's an old hunting lodge that's been architecturally redesigned, added onto and then added onto again. It's a cute little sucker, but sometimes I just feel like it's a big old house of pain!When we first moved in, I told everyone it was like little house on the unprairie...we lost heat almost instantly, one of our faucets exploded, and then we had no water at all. How did we buy this place we wondered? Were we really such big fat suckers? There's a trout up there on top of that cupola, but it might as well have been a mackerel, the symbol of our early existence here.
We moved cross town to a one level home to accomodate my husband's progressive neurological illness. He'd just gotten his wheels, and we knew it wouldn't be long before he would not make it up our old colonial style home's stairs. So, we packed up tearfully, said good-bye to our beautiful pool, and made this quaint little place our home. It even had a cottage for writing, so we all felt that the karma was there for us all.
Now, six years later, we've had a whopper of a snowstorm, a second snowstorm really, this season. First storm...eighteen inches. I shoveled and cleared the walkways and the decks. No sweatski. This one? JEESH. It's a pain in the buttinsky. Thirty back-breaking inches of snow. I saw on twitter someone said it was like a gigantic 'snow-barf'...well, disgusting, but really? We got clocked. Just before Christmas, the gigunda screen on my gigantic fireplace decided to let go of whatever is it was that it was hanging onto in them there stones. So...I can't even have a cozy fire. And now...I'm hearing the incessant 'drip, drip, drip,' a stream of water sliding down my daughter's bedroom wall. But today, a friend from a circle of long ago came and lent me a hand. He knew. He's a roofer, and right now has over two hundred calls on his machine. In fact, he's now posted a message that he's not taking any work...at all. But he came here with four of his guys and altogether they shoveled, raked and filled the gutters with calcium chloride. He promised to come back this Thursday after the pending storm and then over the weekend too.
And right now, I'm inside, I've shoveled and upon his recomendation, shoveled to make little shelves to keep the snow off the path. I even went out and shoveled the cellar door...so God forbid, anything happens with the workings of this crazy house, I can lift that lid and do what I need to do to just get by another day! Life is good, homeownership...even at its worst, is a huge blessing. And a mighty lesson has been learned by me once more...ask, and I always receive!
So, how about those Jets, anyway?
6 comments:
We're struggling with the same leaking water issues too but I've never heard of anyone suggesting calcium chloride in the gutters. Great idea. I'll give it a try. Hang in there. Can spring be far behind?
And, now, we've hit a deep freeze in Minnesota. Good luck with the snow. Take rests. Don't hurt your back. Think of all the calories you're burning. Blah, blah, blah. Have some wine and whine or read and write. Whatever coping skill you need.
When temperature goes down under nine or eight degree Celsius, our existence looks threatened, here in Kolkata. Now, reading your post, I have certainly come to this understanding that we may endure a little bit more.
Imagine, three comments from Connecticut, Minnesota, and Kolkata! And we're all braving the weather. As I look out my window today, the gutters are dripping lots of water, but this time on the outside of the house, thank God! I went out again last night and shoveled for a long time, getting ready for the snow, sleet and rain. It is a great work-out, Mary! And Dibakar, you're so right, my friend...there's no limit to what the human spirit can endure. George...the answer is spring--and June too, in that order!
Let's add a Maine comment! I am with you in spirit! You are an amazing woman, missy.
Love to hear from my favorite sculptor in Maine! You'd be sculpting snow if you were living down here, that's for sure. In fact, hop on down here, we miss you!!
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