Labor of Love

That's Nate. I got him from Debbie. He's a general handy man who works out of his bicycle. He has this cart with a big rubber bin that houses all his tools and supplies. He peddles from job to job and is competent and fast. I love Portland for people like Nate. He wired the Airstream and put a box to plug it into at the back of the garage so when it's moved it can be plugged in and powered up, So exciting! Scheduled move date is the 14th of September or something like that. I have more pressing things to think about, it's on the calendar...

Right now I'm building. I'm making space in the garage. Cutting it up into three sections. An office, a closet, and a shop. I've had my house for about five years and have been away for most of that time. Since I'm home things are changing. The kitchen was finished earlier this year. Finally I had the floor done so I could put the kick plates under the cabinets. Finished it looks pretty and I wonder why it took so long to do this. I suppose it has something to do with money and the fact of living in NY. One of my favorite things was to hire someone to do a project on my house while I was away. I'd come home sometime later to check things out a feel instant relief that I didn't have to install the cedar shake or deal with the roofing contractors or... I'm grateful for the people that helped make it happen and the money I had to have it done.

My walls are janky and weird, but with sheetrock you'll never know the difference. Paulie helped me one day and Felice and Dfox put some labor in too. I decided I need to move the door tomorrow, so I'll do some cutting and tearing out and cutting and fitting together and be done with it. It will work and it will be useful. And I will have a tiny office with a window that overlooks the garden and Felice will have a place for her shoes. That makes me happy and proud.

The moving containers come tomorrow. Five of them. I'm pretty positive that we're in okay shape to receive the merchandise, but we have several things to finish up before the mover dudes come to unload them on Saturday morning. I'll complete the closet, we'll move furniture out of the house and add shelves and generally organize where we have not. The storage place is rented and the overflow will live there until we figure out how to make the house big enough for two.

12 hours yesterday. Laboring with sheetrock, tape and mud. I feel proud of the work and happy to do it. I'm in a hurry not only because the containers come tomorrow but because on Monday afternoon I'm having surgery on my right hand. I have been waiting for this for years and will have the left had done in about three weeks. I have carpel tunnel from throwing pots, blowing glass and exacerbated by years of labor and general wear and tear. I'm excited to have my strength and agility back. It's been longer than I care to admit that I have been kept awake at night by numbness. I'll be able to ride my motorcycle and use tools without having to power through or try to shake out the numbness. I got to the surgeon after several months of chiropractic, acupuncture and physical therapy for a recent problem with my wrist. Turns out the MRI shows severe tendinitis causing that pain. The Doc thinks it can heal with the steroid shot he squirted in a few days ago. We'll see if it works but if not he'll go in when he does the carpel tunnel surgery on my left hand and "scrape it out". I've never been so grossed out and excited at the same time (well, that's probably not true, but this is a different post).

So, I'm busy. I'm working hard and learning and teaching and mostly enjoying the process. We'll settle in and finally all my things will be in one city, a joy I have not known for far too long. I'll set up my wood shop and pick up my welding equipment from my old girlfriend's house where it has been for years. I'll make things, useful and not, pretty and experimental, and maybe once again I'll feel like an artist.

How great will that be?!