The last several months have been a mad dash, leading up to an intense couple of weeks, nay, hours, nipping at the heels of the great Lodge unveiling. Setting a firm date undoubtedly was the smart thing to do, and I don't think I was too far off with the pacing- it's pretty hard to hit an exact day when you're laying out what's to be done several months prior. But we pulled it off, with no small thanks to Cara and the parents. The transformation was nothing short of a TV renovation series, especially when you factor in family coming into town (and missing flights), food and party planning and execution (pulled-pork has to roast for a day or two before serving and half a dozen cooks makes it all the more difficult) and last minute material pick-ups, like the glass for the framed art over the workbench. Cut Thursday night, picked up Friday and framed and hung minutes before the party Saturday. All the while we toiled moving scrap lumber out to the trailer, sorting for the fire piles, moving bulky TV sets and appliances out and even working-in picking up the '59 (in the rain) after a several year hiatus in storage…and dealing with a loose distributor cap resulting in a stall-out on Hudson Rd near the University ave intersection at 5PM. Cripes.
But the party was a success- Despite receiving less than a dozen RSVP's, we knew we'd have a full house. Don and Carissa came from Indiana as did Cara's father and his wife. An aunt flew in from Boston, grandparents from MN heading for Texas, cousins from Davenport, Micah and Alice from Moline, and a strong showing from local friends and family. The "house warming" gifts were equally as varied (and appreciated) ranging from a platter of gummy to a bottle of Early Times. By my estimation at least 40 people showed and we didn't let the weather get in the way. In fact, it worked out well that there was plenty of interior room to set up lawn chairs inside to escape the cold. Unfortunately, the (extremely heavy) keg was out front; probably could have moved more PBR with it inside. Midway through the eve, the gangway served as an excellent platform for Don who gave a moving toast; a standup guy.
To my surprise, an intrepid group were able to get a wet pile of lumber to burn and by night's end we tried our best to play bocce by fire-light. Around midnight the last guests parted and Cara and I fished out the (half frozen) garden hoses and doused the ashes. It was cold enough that night that we ran the upstairs heat, which worked surprisingly well. We did our best to sleep in but were still exhausted when morning came. Late in the day we had dishes done, floors swept and vacuumed, food packaged up, records put away and the place shut down, but not before more fire dousing and a quick fill of the '59's radiator to assess mechanical damage. In a cruel and ironic twist, the day of lodge completion also marks the beginning of another time and money intensive project due to my own "absent-mindedness".
Nevertheless, this is a very odd time for me. On the construction side, the hardwork is done and I can actually sleep in, or relax in a comfy chair and watch a movie after work, or go out to eat with Cara on a whim without having to schedule it a week in advance. That'll take some adjusting. The place is also livable, but winter is heading this way, and a new set of snow tires won't guaranty passage season-long, so with that comes a new set of decisions to make. The parent's basement is still chock'ful and a storage building is the only practical way out; I'd like a break first (and a chance to actually bank some earnings). I've got a new job starting this month, AND an intense program I'm currently trying to wrap up in my current position. Bottom line, I've just gotta roll with it, be thankful for friends and family, and take some time to enjoy where I'm at.
