Trust the Cookie

   Sometimes it seems as if our home is a work in progress.  When we first moved in, it was pretty bare.  We immediately began renovations.  Over the past six and a half years, we have gotten new carpeting, added a deck, finished the basement, and completely gutted the kitchen.  Yesterday, we began our change over to hard wood floors. We really had no choice.  The carpet was a bad decision.  Over time, it faded and stretched.  We've managed to avoid any permanent staining, but there was no way to avoid the hills that seem to show up in the most visible areas.  So, we saved up and now we are adding hard wood to certain areas.
   Having contractors banging and pounding throughout the day can be extremely stressful.  The cat goes into hiding.  Our son too.  Every so often, my husband hugs me and asks if I am okay.  The strange thing is...I am fine...maybe a little bit anxious and distraught, but I blame that on the total chaos this has caused.  I can blank out the noise, but furniture is displaced and there is dust everywhere.  For a while, we even lost the cat (we found her behind a bookshelf).  I am not looking forward to the big clean after they finally finish the job and vacate out home, but its not really that bad.   And from the looks of what they've done so far, its going to be beautiful.  I didn't need to plan dinner.  We just ordered take out (sometimes you just have to order take out).  Anyway, after I finished my hot and sour soup, I grabbed my fortune cookie.  Of course, the writing was small.  "Where did I put those readers?"  Finally, once I could see again, I read, "You have inexhaustible wisdom and power."  It was probably the best fortune cookie message I had ever gotten.  It even gave me a surge of strength to face the next day...and most likely what will prove to be the next three days of disruption of my normal daily peaceful environment.
    But, that was yesterday.  This morning, when I got up, my husband informed me that he had a change in his schedule.  He had to leave early.  He couldn't wait to move furniture with the installers.  We had to do it.  And this was before I had my coffee.  I initially thought he was messing with me.  He does that.  Not this time.  I was fortunate not to injure myself lifting.
    Well, he is gone now.  Our son is at school.  I am alone.  And the installers have not yet arrived.  I can't work out yet.  I can't hear them if I am on our treadmill downstairs.  I sit here in my work out clothes waiting, listening to the door, and trying to be patient.  I don't do "patience" well.  It takes a concerted effort.  I walked around the house looking for things to do to fill the time.  I put some laundry in.  I even replaced the hardware on the old hutch (a honey do mission that has been waiting five years for completion).  Its 8:47am.  My husband said they were supposed to come at 8 o'clock.  Are they late or did he hear them wrong?  Maybe they said 9 o'clock?
    Then I thought to myself, just trust the cookie.  You are wise and you have the power.  Take a deep breath.  Write your blog, then fold the laundry.  They will come.  Now is merely the calm before the storm.  And this storm will, in the end, bring beautiful hard wood floors.  You can go work out after they arrive.
     Well, I'd better go.  Its 9 o'clock and they just arrived.  Guess he did hear them wrong.  Well, time to hit the treadmill.  The laundry can wait.  : )