SAWDUST FOR EVERYONE!

Dusty shoes, dusty brain, new tile

I didn't do a Thanksgiving post; I was too preoccupied hanging out with family and eating mashed potatoes to the point of sickness to open my computer. No regrets about that. Thanksgiving is my favorite, and I'd still be reveling in it if time didn't move so darn fast.

But I was thinking last night about this little blog and what it has meant to me, and I am so thankful.

One week from today, an inspector will come to assess our home's value so we can consolidate our mortgage and home equity loan under a lower interest rate. The deadline is looming large, and it's clear that we just won't be able to tackle every project still on the To Do List before the inspector arrives. We'll do everything we can and hope for the best. Fortunately, if the assessment does not go well, it's not the end of the world. We'll be out a few dollars, we'll probably have to refinance under a slightly higher interest rate, and we'll have to do some more work before trying again. It's kind of like taking the SAT. You can always hand them some more of your money and try it again.

However, we're still so stressed this week. For me, the frustrations of the past five years are culminating and about to boil over. We're so close to being "done," but these last hurdles are toughies. We finally have to take a leap of faith to attempt the hardest projects that we've been puzzling over for months and months, unsure of how to proceed. [Gulp.] Though I'm home sick today with a sore throat and a pounding headache, this evening I got a babysitter for Johnnie so I can prime the trim on six doors and three windows; sand and stain various bits of wood, and clean, clean, clean. This is no time for nursing a cold! Plus, when I keep moving, things get done and the stress reduces.

I am thankful for this blog because it has truly gotten me through the past five years of living in and working on this house. My readership is pretty modest and my own participation has been somewhat reluctant at times, but looking back, I realize that blogging has kept me sane. It has helped me through really busy times like now; it has helped me during slower times when we couldn't muster either the energy, the funds or the desire to keep moving forward; and it has helped me when we brought a newborn home to this chaos.

I guess the therapeutic part of blogging is what has made me shy away from doing the tutorials and inspirational posts that drive many DIY, renovation or lifestyle blogs. There's enough of that out there already. I have just needed to tell our renovation story to anyone who wanted to read, because if I didn't my brain may have actually turned to sawdust. So, while blogging has basically been an entirely selfish endeavor for me, thank you so much for reading along. I'm really grateful for the encouragement and response you've given me over the past few years as I've shared our progress, woes and sawdust with you.

When we've recovered, you can all come over for a party to celebrate, because this is your victory too.