It takes a spot of courage to stand up tall and a bit of derring-do to rise when you fall

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Two Weeks! Two Weeks!

If anyone reading this hasn't seen The Money Pit (old movie with Tom Hanks), let me briefly explain the battle cry "Two Weeks!" The movie is about a couple who are remodeling (or building a home from the start? can't remember) and they keep being told by the contractor that the job will be done in "two weeks". Naturally, that's a hysterical joke and thus follows a not-fiction-enough experience. Remodeling is not for the fainthearted.

So our two weeks has extended into, let me see, about six years? That might be right. It might be a little more. We've done it in fits and starts, and we're actually on the last leg---extending our kitchen. At any rate, the roofer came this morning to do the dab of roofing that needs to be done. Maybe a little more than a dab but not an enormous job. About two hours ago he arrived, realized he forgot a tool he needed (??) and left. He'd be back soon. Has there been any sign of the roofer? No. Did he leave his tool in Minnesota? Do we want to know anything more about his tool? Probably not.

My kids don't even remember a time we weren't remodeling (maybe the oldest one has vague memories). They think it's normal to live in a house that has weird splotches of sheetrock here and there, where baseboards are either not on or not painted. Where rooms are half-done. I make it sound a little worse than it is----at a first glance, these things wouldn't be that noticeable. But I know they're there, and they drive me crazy. Sometimes. Other times, I don't give a rip. Whatever. It's just a house. It'll never grace the pages of any magazine anyway. The kids are happy and don't care. We aren't starving or living on the corner. So who cares if the sheetrock is entirely off that one wall? And who really sees any more or notices that the beadboard in the bathroom still isn't painted? Who cares that my counter in the kitchen is really melamine and has figures written on it indicating where this and that will be going? Doesn't matter in the whole scheme of things. Good friends don't notice or care.

I just hope that if the roofer returns he isn't drunk or stoned. That would be a plus.

3 Comments:

Blogger Sonia Wetzel Photography said...

AAAACCKKKKK!!! So....maybe we won't remodel. "Two Weeks! Two Weeks!" made perfect sense the second I saw it. In fact, when my husband and I first began to discuss a remodel, that was one of my comments. I suggested we rent 'The Money Pit' before putting any money down on the contractor. The problem with me, is that I can't STAND an unfinished project, and typically won't start one until I know I can do it, do it right, and finish it in one swipe. Commando Project Manager, that's me. Our deck needed to be pressure washed and re-stained after 7 years of neglect. I shipped the boy off to Grandma, and did the whole thing in 4 hours. BADA-BING! I'm terrified that if I bring in a contractor, I will chase him around beating him about the face and ears with questions and contracts. And he'll leave out of shear irritation and I'll have a gaping hole in my bedroom wall.

11:05 AM, November 08, 2005

 
Blogger jay are said...

How great that you immediately recognized "Two weeks!" I would encourage anyone considering remodeling to watch it. Like I said, it's not fiction enough....

but maybe your experience would be better since you WOULD be following your contractor around, beating him about the face and ears with questions (hee!)

If you were able in 4 hours to pressure wash your deck, I wonder if you could mosey out here? I've got a few projects that you could clearly have done in no time flat! That'd be much appreciated :)

11:12 AM, November 08, 2005

 
Blogger heatherfeather said...

while not at all about remodeling, the title of this post made me think of...better off dead? the john cusak skiing movie (yes, i think it's better off dead) with the paper boy who chases him saying, "two dollars! two dollars!"

8:00 PM, November 11, 2005

 

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