Sunday, February 6, 2011

I love manual labor

I love feeling productive. I love the end result. I like the feeling of accomplishing something.

Adam and I installed 24 bags of insulation into our attic yesterday. This was the perfect home improvement project for us, because he was in the attic blowing in the insulation, and I was in the garage feeding the hopper.

About 8 years ago we installed 500 square feet of tile, and it almost ended our marriage. I am let's just start already even if we don't have everything we need. He is a perfectionist with a bit of a lazy streak. We decided to not do any more collaborative projects. Ever. But when the estimate for more insulation was 2 grand, and we realized we could do it in an afternoon for $250, we put the wounds of tiling behind us.

While I was loading the hopper, I had on a mask, but the dust kept getting in my eyes. So I put on sunglasses. The glasses fogged up because of the mask. So I started thinking about people who have cataracts.

So I used this tiny little peep hole of vision through the bottom to work, and keep the dust out of my eyes. So I started thinking about my RP as it progresses.

None of these were necessarily negative thoughts, just insights. I am so grateful for where I am at. Right now. I am so grateful that this is a progressive disease that I can adjust to as time goes on. It is almost like a "hey you, live in the moment" continuous reminder.

I have always wanted to volunteer for habitat for humanity. Thinking that I would not be on a roof in retirement was the first thing that made me cry about this disease. I am thinking, there has got to be something that I can safely do for them. I am going to go check it out now, I mean why wait?

I think I may go look around the attic again this morning, check out our work, while puffing out my chest.

3 comments:

  1. One of the gifts that I really believe RP has given me is to life in the moment. To truly not wait for things. To enjoy and embrace those experiences TODAY. I also love manual labor. It is exhilerating.

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  2. I am becky's (from the prior comment) friend. I followed her link to your blog and i think you have a newly dedicated reader! Thank you for sharing your journey with this new diagnosis. You're awesome.

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  3. Thank you! I am following your journey now too!!

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