Sometimes the tortoise does not win the race.Sometimes the early bird does not get the worm.Sometimes waiting a year to find an affordable oven does not pay off.After searching Craiglist and outlet stores for months and months, we ended up paying for a brandnew range that fit our irregular opening.What did we learn?Stewardship of resources is a good habit, even if does not always translate into dollars saved.I am sure Tortoise and Early Worm retired comfortably, despite minor setbacks.
When Mallory was asked why he climbed Mt. Everest, he quipped, “because it was there.” That’s not nearly as poetic as our housing venture, but it seems just as challenging to Clint and me. The vintage 1914 home was purchased at the height of the housing bubble—smart, we know. It is an ugly duckling home, but on its way up the amphibian hierarchy. I am setting a fairly optimistic goal of completing the remodel in 52 weeks. Friends and family insist that while it is my journal, it’s a goal imposed on Clint, as he is the one doing most of the work. This is a minor detail, and I see it as fulfilling my role as personal motivational speaker. So, with 6 months of matrimony under our belts, and 2010 spread before us, we begin our journey.