Update

I’m feeling old and creaky lately. Not enough exercise to limber up and I have to climb too many stairs of varying heights in my house. It’s all beginning to take a toll on my body. I feel like I need a hip replacement, although I’m sure that’s just an exaggerated response to the inevitable aches and pains that come with advancing age. When I wake up each morning, my feet and joints are stiff and I hobble to the bathroom. I’ve noticed that after sitting for a while in a café or at my desk, it takes several yards of steps before the joints lubricate and allow me to walk without a noticeable limp. Aging does humble one, doesn’t it? I keep telling myself I’m lucky to know the effects of aging. But sometimes I’m not very convincing and I reach for the ibuprophen to reduce the inflammation and pretend I am still in my middle years. That could be true were I to live to the ripe old age of 112.

One sure sign of getting older is talking about your aches and pains. I’m going to stop this conversation and change subjects right now.

Last month I had 3 weeks off between semesters and I was able to pick up some extra cash doing odd jobs. Of course all the money went straight into the house. My house is always hungry and greedily eats all I am willing to give her. I vacillate between thinking I am almost done restoring the house and thinking it will never end. When I look at the house, I see there are just a few jobs remaining – install sinks (3), plaster and paint the walls from the stairwell up (it’s a big ‘up’ however), tile the floors in two small rooms, build and install a few doors, plus complete a little bit of electrical work. Then I tally up the cost for all of this (not counting the need for about 2 dozen wall sconces and appliances for the kitchen) and I lose heart. How long will it take me to make enough money to do what remains to be done? And how many hours of cleanup must I do after each project deposits layers of dust over the entire house?

{sigh}

But, I must remain hopeful and positive. This week alone, Hassan and I managed to get the shower upstairs tiled and finally, finally, finally, all the stairs have had zeliig installed. The entrance is now getting zeliig around the bottom edges which the last worker left unfinished when he walked off the job over a year ago. Tomorrow, Insha’Allah, another worker will bring 5 windows for a variety of locations and one door to install on a utility closet. I’m particularly happy about the windows because they will help to keep the house warmer throughout the winter months. Plus there is the added benefit of muffling some of the street noise and keeping some of the dust from the streets out of the house.

But then I remember the cleanup required after each project and I grow weary before the work even begins.

{deeper sigh}

And to what end? Why am I doing this? Am I going to run a guest house? I really don’t think I have the proper temperament to host tourists on a regular basis. Lately I’ve been thinking of setting the house up as two separate ‘apartments’ or suites and renting each floor in its entirety. This means looking for longer term rentals. If I can rent the house for several months at a time, I am free to travel back to the U.S. I am aiming for this by summer.

(a sigh of contentment and hope}

But plans are meant to be changed and who knows what will ultimately happen?