Still Swimming

Tonight, at the grocery store, in the checkout line, a very crowded line to be precise, Tuna announced in her loudest, most cheery voice "Fish thinks you and Dad are getting a DIVORCE." Just in case she had not drawn enough attention, she added "because you've been really nice to us, you know, buying us stuff, and because you argue all the time."

I contemplated crawling under the checkout register behind me, but I knew my big arse wouldn't fit under there. I took a slow breath and stared at the white Chardonnay I had picked up for cooking penne pasta al fresco and considered taking up wine drinking. Finally, in an effort to save face I mumbled something about trying to replace the things they had lost in the fire, rewarding her for her hard work cleaning out the basement, and trying to rebuild a house.

I often think that our children are better for seeing us argue and then working things out. They are learning that marriage is tough. Marriage is work. It isn't always fun and happy. Right now, I'm not sure what they are learning, except that rebuilding a house is making us crazy. Of course we argue. We were launched headlong into a complete remodel. It's sort of sink or swim. Or as my mother would say,we're up Shit Creek without a paddle. We're going to swim to the other side, but not without splashing a little water and slinging a little mud.

And the rapids! Good heavens. It's not calm water on Shit Creek. That water is teeming with termite damage, crazy landlords, extra moves, storm clouds...it's nasty stuff. No wonder the kids are worried. We're still swimming though.

Fireplace, black from smoke damage

This last week, two different people informed the husband that our fireplace would never come clean and would need to be torn down and replaced. I immediately got angry. How can we rebuild the house if they keep tearing stuff down? How? We're working backward! I want to go home! I am an inch from screaming "I don't care!" Just leave it black and rebuild my house, right? Wrong. I know I would regret it later.

It just seems never ending. Our original plan per insurance, was to leave the three bedrooms on the main floor and the master bath intact. Last week, they tore them down. There was just no way to thoroughly remove all of the smoke-filled insulation and cold air ducts without removing the walls. Late in the week the contractor announced that the stairs were not built to current code and they are coming down too. Sigh.

And now the fireplace. Oh, and the roofer came and declared that the roof was de-laminating. It took too much heat so it goes too. The house will truly be down to framework now. All for trying to slow cook chicken and black beans with salsa and cream cheese. Blast! Stupid crock.

But wait...there's more!

Storm damage

Friday morning we had a nice, loud thunderstorm. The thunder set off car alarms and woke the kids up. They all played musical beds but I enjoyed sleeping to the sounds of thunder and rain. But when the husband arrived at the house to greet the work crew, he discovered pieces of vinyl siding flopping in the wind. 

'Cause, why the hell not? 

What's one more ripple on the creek? 

We're still swimming. 

Come on Shit Creek! 

Bring it!