Home Work

It's not what we had planned.

Our air conditioning units starting having systemic trouble this Spring. It became clear that our 20-25 year old units were not going to make it through a blazing Georgia Summer.

My husband is an excellent consumer. He researches long past the point I would already be enjoying a purchase. He reads thoroughly. He inquires. He compares. He checks and double checks. This process led us to geothermal energy--a green, energy efficient system that should reduce our power and gas bills by 75%.

I knew there would be drilling and a portion of my yard would be destroyed. It was estimated to be about 200 square feet and 9 holes. It would up being half an acre and 26 holes. (Note the mud from last weekend is now dry mounds.)

I knew workers would be in my home removing and replacing all the ducts, disconnecting and removing our old units and replacing them with new. It was scheduled to take 10-14 days. As I type we are on day 41.

A month of having my walls barren, my furniture disheveled, my floors covered in plastic where rugs once resided has taken its toll on my attitude.

Because of the workers coming and going, I cannot even really let the children play in the yard. K asked today, "When will we be able to ride bikes again, Mom?"

This week we finally reached a final phase. Wednesday morning a large crew arrived to shut down the old system. We were told it would be one night without air conditioning--MAYBE two. Ever the adventure seekers, we pitched it to the children as a fun little staycation. We checked into a downtown hotel where we could walk to dinner. It was fun for the first 48 hours. This morning we got word that there would be no air conditioning until Monday.

Do I need to remind anyone that it is in the upper nineties in Georgia right now? Inside my house is actually more stifling than outside because the air is not circulating.

I have really tried to keep a positive attitude, but at some point enough is enough. I want my house back! I want my yard back. I want my order, peace, privacy and clean floors back. I was mentally prepared for a couple of weeks--not my whole Summer.

I think it would even be more palatable if I were doing a 'fun' project...but this is simply an extensive repair of something I take completely for granted--heat and air conditioning. When it is all said and done nothing will really look different.

But the infrastructure will be vastly different. This is an investment in many ways--reducing bills and being more environmentally conscientious...in the thick of things though, I confess that those aren't very exciting results to this frustrated woman.

I am really hoping everything gets restored in such a way that I can one day write a post about how 'worth it' it all was--but right now I cannot see that. I am aware that there may very well be scars from this--things that are never able to be restored--reminding us of this Summer saga.

Isn't it true of life? We can plan, prepare, research and wisely consider--yet, there is no avoiding the curve balls life often throws us. Unforeseen complications are a fact of life. So, we sweat it out, we roll with the punches, we try to keep our attitude in check and our perspective focused on what really matters.

Yet, there are times when the only thing left to do is what I chose today--to pack it up and head 'home' to my Mom & Dad's to lick my wounds, regain perspective and enjoy some free air conditioned accommodations. :)

It will get better. Things could always be much worse.