So, this just happened...

All you need is love ... and awe for that love

Even after all these years, I am still rather in awe of Bill's amazing skills. Our remodel project has given me lots of opportunities to watch with incredulity as he has tackled thousands of projects small and large. On Saturday, he said, "I'm going to go hang a door." And, rip zip quick, he was done. I'd like to think that one of our survival mechanisms through this big project (after our shared sense of humor) is deeply appreciating what he can make happen.

I was reminded of how far we have come when I laid down in our new gym to rest my back on Saturday afternoon:

That big beam, which is openly visible in the gym and travels through the attic space towards the back of the house, brought back some memories. I was working from home one day several years ago and had the opportunity to watch Bill + four friends muscle that beam into place using their ingenuity and strength. It was so nausea-inducing that I had to walk away and distract myself while they continued on -- I couldn't watch the action without deeply worrying for their safety, but those boys were successful that day. That beam serves as a reminder of our devotion to this project, mad building skills, and intense teamwork.

Here are a few scenes from this weekend.

Lighting the way home

The electricians visited today and made magic happen, both inside and out. Most special to us was the power that was hooked up to our front porch light, which we wrote about a while back while Bill was rebuilding it. This new photo is blurry but a very special milestone.

We appreciate the beauty of this one remaining intact piece of our old house and how it still lights the way to our home.

Handle me with care

I don't think there's anyone who doesn't want to be handled with care. We look forward to giving every visitor who rises to our second story a handrail so that they may rise with care.

As The Traveling Wilburys said: "You're the best thing that I've ever found. Handle me with care."

Hank concurs.

Taking our milestones when we can get them

For the first time in our lives together, we have more than one bathroom
and the TP is ready to be distributed.

Job dog

We've been using the term "job dog" for so long that I didn't even know that the phrase seems to be short for "Job site dog," when a person in the trades brings their pup to work.

What makes a good job dog? According to one of our dear friends and construction helpers, a dog that stealthily sneaks up on workers who are heavily concentrating is not eligible for being labeled as a good job dog. Okay, Kyro is out of the running.

However, Hank is the best job dog ever. Well, after our beloved, departed Nikki. Hank naps nearby and wakes up just enough to wag lightly as you come through the room. Or, he gazes at you as if to say, "Have I told you that I really, really love you?" All while being super relaxed. You're a good boy, Hank.

A chill job dog

It takes a village to build a house

Yesterday was a great day in the smallest, yet largest, of ways. We rode off on our bikes in the morning to get coffee, visit our local bike shop, and then get groceries at our neighborhood farmer's market. Not very extraordinary. But, we encountered sweet friends in front of the coffee shop who we have not seen in a few years, and chatted with another friend and his adorable young son a few steps later. Incredibly sweet moments, small but wonderful joys.

As I pulled my phone out at the bike shop to write something down, I saw that our video doorbell had recorded someone ringing at our front door. When I viewed the video, I saw that FedEx had dropped off something that was expensive that we need on Monday to meet our aggressive inspection deadlines. ack! What if some no-goodnik takes the package before we can return? Do we turn around and forget about the market? No. We call our dear, sweet friends who live across the street and ask them to snag the delivery off our porch and secure it. And, of course, they did.

The help of these wonderful friends enabled us to continue on with our morning and the last few details on our big project as we get closer and closer to completion. While some may think that this is not a big deal, it is hugely important to us that we share our lives and exchange help with the members of our local community. We love our neighborhood and couldn't imagine living anywhere else. So many people have lent us assistance on our project and we thank them all for being part of our village.