Week 14: Good Friday

It is indeed Good Friday. After a paralyzing migraine Thursday, I can once again resume life. I'm coherent enough to meditate on the suffering of another, namely Christ. When in pain, I become self-focused. Jesus paradoxically suffered selflessly. For the whining and weakling like me he died. So, on this weekend celebrating the power of his death and Resurrection, Clint and I pause. The frenetic demolition, the skill saw cutting, the ceiling furring--all pause.

"Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?...I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. No powers in the sky above or in the earth below--indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39

Week 13: Wired

In a city obsessed with caffeine stimulation, the Nelsons have found an even more electric source of energy. Clint has completed the wiring in the kitchen. His dad is coming over to inspect the work and check its accuracy. I have always taken light switches and outlets for granted. No more.

Week 12: Dry Cleaning

I was recently working on a grad school paper and doing laundry to feel slightly more productive. Amidst the typing tedium of technical writing, I heard running water. Loud water. I opened the door and was accosted by water spewing directly at me from a small white pipe. This renegade washer pipe had unattached itself. My splash-mountain ride continued until I found the shut off dial. The floor was covered with an inch of water, which I quickly sopped up with absorbent dry goods: towels, sweatshirts, stuffed animals. I tend to think these events are apocalyptic, while Clint calmly fixes the problem. With some twisting and glue, it was good as new. I now understand the concept of dry cleaning at a much more personal level.

Week 11: Wide Open Spaces

Dixie Chick lyrics played on my internal iPod as Clint completed the demo, tearing down walls to continue our kitchen remodel. As the song goes, we need room to make some mistakes: in our house remodel, in our first year of marriage, in our lives generally. Clint installed a support beam, then tore down all of the shoring. During this process, I reminded myself that I am married to a structural engineer before vocalizing doubt about the plan. Thankfully, our house, marriage, and lives are quite intact.

Week 10: Micro-Carnivores

John Donne, a metaphysical poet, once penned verse about the romantic qualities of fleas. I prefer not to think about petite parasites who feed on human blood. This aversion was challenged after the death of an elderly cat. Last summer, Clint's cat passed away and her fleas fled to the far-reaching crevices of the house. Clint sat on his bed with starched white sheets waiting for the nightly attack. With Karate Kid reflexes, he "purpled" his fingers with preemptive strikes. Yet, Clint consistently woke up with multiple flesh wounds. We used all known methods of DIY extermination. Vacuuming? It spruced up their vampire lair. Bug spray? It only whet their appetite. Finally, on a tip from a family member, we purchased Ortho's Home Defence spray. This manufacturer deserves a medal. The creatures fled from the spray. We are now "donne" with fleas!

Week 9: Fun with Clint and Jen

Drywall demolition began last Thursday and such visual progress is quite satisfying. I arrived home to the baritone boom of Clint's sledgehammer and quickly changed clothes to join in the destruction. Clint labeled "Jen's Wall" on the division between our current laundry and living rooms, which we plan to open up. This will create an open-designed grand room. With great satisfaction, we tore that puppy up. To be accurate, I did 6% of the work, and Clint accomplished the other 94%. I've come to the profound realization that knocking stuff down is fun. Fun at three with wooden blocks. Fun at fifteen with a rowdy Jenga game. Fun at thirty with remodeling a slightly larger wooden block.

Week 8: The Ugly Stuff

Over dinner last Saturday, Clint and I spread poster board across the table and mindmapped our next project: the kitchen. As he explained the process, I simplified it into "ugly" and "pretty" stuff. The demo hacks everything to pieces and the cabinets and flooring polish it all up. The ugly stuff includes about 12 steps, from shoring to flooring. I am still in denial that remodeling is our reality, which Clint reminds me is not on a mindmapped option.