JUMP!!!

Today is the first day of construction for our nifty mid-century remodel!! (Imagine a band playing something lively and celebratory!!) I have already gotten one call from the homeowners association to let me know that the porta-potty is in the wrong location and must be moved IMMEDIATELY. We are off to an auspicious beginning. But, we ARE beginning and that is the important part. The fun part of today. The best part in the process so far.

After a heck of a tussle with the building department, which was a life lesson illustrating a huge vast void of human intellectual capital, we got our building permit yesterday. Should we be grateful that the whole process took 6 months? Maybe this is considered speedy when you consider that most of the people that I had the opportunity to talk to would never be described as peppy, spunky, ambitious or motivated. Nope, I think that we've found the missing link between man and sloth. The San Francisco Building Department. Eureka!

But, now is not the time to focus on the past - we will now turn our heads to the future and get the show on the road.I intend to remain hopeful that all will go as promised, scheduled and planned. I am not a fool. I understand that the chances of things going as promised, scheduled and planned are slim to none. I just want to live in my fantasy land for as long as I can.

For those of you (and that is many) that have done home renovations where you have experienced delays, GC's who leave the country with your money, had your kitchen cabinets installed upside down and your drain pipes installed without drainage - - I understand your need to let me know all about it. You know - -helping me manage my expectations and all. I am not a fool - reiterated for the second time.

I fully embrace that over the next 7 months (and yes, I understand that this will be more like the 100 year war than my disillusioned 7 months) there will be issues. There will be problems. There will be frustration and the desire to use their own power tools on them in ways for which they were never designed. I know all that.

But for today - just today - when all I had to deal with was a porta-potty located in the wrong place in eyes of my draconian home-owners association - I am going to be happy, and hopeful and thrilled that the dream is finally underway. I am going to hold on to that dream at least for a day or so - - perhaps just until this afternoon when they break through our load bearing wall and the whole house collapses.

But for now? Why dwell??? Jump!