Thursday, November 03, 2016

Anxious

These house projects are doing a job on my nerves. Intellectually, and in reality, everything is fine. Emotionally, I'm a wreck. Having contractors arrive early in the morning to spend the entire day, leaving at or after sunset, really cramps one's style. Worrying about weather, listening to demolition, hearing ear-splitting drilling through concrete for what seems like hours on end. Ugh! Not to mention the stress of watching the value of the dollar fluctuate as we move serious sums of money from the US to France to pay for things. In addition to this work, we also pay our taxes this time of year, and we buy heating oil, too. It all adds up.

Where's that peaceful easy feeling?

I spent a good deal of time with the plumbing contractor yesterday discussing the details of how I wanted things to look in the end, all in French, of course (I learned about PER, polyethylene reticulated pipe. Say that three times, fast, in French). I think we're all in agreement now. Then I found out that I ordered the wrong color tile for the shower, after it arrived. I gave the tile guy the right name for the color, but got one of the letters in the product code wrong. Unfortunately, he went with the code instead of the name. Fortunately, we noticed my error before the boxes were opened, so he should have no problems exchanging them. I felt like a dunce.

Callie has a grooming appointment this morning and I have my normal six-month doctor visit on Friday (just routine to renew prescriptions). Then there's this US election thing... Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

11 comments:

  1. It never rains but what it pours. I'm with you on having work done in the house, it's so disruptive and stressful. Like the time I came home from work to find the tiler had put our new, expensive tiles on the bathroom the wrong way up.
    No doubt calm will be restored soon, fingers crossed.
    As for the US election..........everything is crossed for that.

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  2. Same here! And then we feel ashamed that we're such wrecks when we're so lucky to be able to do these things. Your tile error could have happened anywhere and I'm so glad it was so easily resolved. I'm also glad I didn't have to learn how to say polyethylene reticulated pipe in Spanish! As for the exchange rate, we're not responsible enough to keep track of it! Before coming here we created a budget based on spending a maximum amount of American dollars based on a really bad exchange rate. As long as the exchange rate doesn't get worse than that (and it never has), we don't think about it! Hope your blood pressure is fine at the doctor today!

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  3. pity you and callie cannot escape to someplace quiet whilst all this happens! deep breaths, as you say.

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  4. Sorry for all of the stress! I guess you do mail-in ballots? Already done?

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  5. the election is getting to us over here too

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  6. Went through that ( work done) these past few days . Even though we signed the contract back at the end of April, the roofers were able to do our roof only this week ( they are fully booked) - Took them three full days but we are relieved. They redid all the caulking around the windows also. Won't have to worry about winter.

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  7. I'm holding my breath until Tuesday and my chest gets tighter every day. The Cubs win may be a good sign. Time seems to be moving at a snail's pace now.

    It's good that the exchange rate came down for you since you will enjoy the new shower and greenhouse so much.

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  8. Keep smiling, Walt, it will all be OK :-)!

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  9. Deep breaths. Breathe. I can't help with the bathroom reno, but the things I'm reading otherwise are encouraging. If you know anyone who hasn't yet voted, tell them to do so.
    The new greenhouse is a wonderful addition.

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  10. I have been avoiding the news, but it's in the ether and impossible to avoid. Wish we could have just stayed in Germany for a while longer.

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  11. We're just entering into a major demolition/construction project ourselves and we feel your pain. And the election. I'm practicing my Zen.

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