Have to rush out the door this morning so no time for chit-chat. Earlier this month we met a brand new (to us) author Denise Broadwater when she shared her book with us, so please welcome her back as she shares more experiences about A House with Holes.....
“Denise, stop daydreaming…nail gun. Please, come out of your head and think about what you are doing. We have to get this done.” Like a surgeon’s assistant, I stand next to Greg physically ready to anticipate the next tool, but I get bored. Greg’s demands increase now to a rant because he’s been frustrated most of the morning. I know I need to stay focused. He words play like a TV in the background. It appears I am listening, but I am looking for any reason to zone out. Afterall, I’ve heard it all before: my absentmindedness, why can’t I focus, everyone else is priority and he needs me.
“Denise, if you hang in here with me, we can finish this floor today. It’s crunch time, baby, each thing builds on the other. I know it’s not what you want to be doing right now.” I smile and roll my eyes in an extended blink. His banter and sarcasm flow over me. Right. What woman could have survived these past years? And these last days, the little things drive me mad. Looking around I see the layer of dust covering the bar, tools on the rug in the dining room, and paint cans stacked in the fireplace. Refusing to let Greg’s last words penetrate, I blankly stare at his extended hand.
“Hammer, Denise!” I startle back into helper-mode and hand him a hammer. One of the advantages of my scatteredness is the freedom to zone when convenient. We quickly fall back into the rhythm of work. As we near the end of the laying the last pieces of flooring, Greg looks for another box of material.
“Denise, I am afraid we are short one box of flooring.”
He runs back into the master bedroom and in a few minutes has searched every crevice for flooring. Yelling from the back room, “I let the flooring specialist calculate the material and he must have gone short.” Greg disappears to the courtyard where we have been cutting all day. None of the pieces are long enough to give consistency. “These pieces are not going to cut it. Let’s call and see about getting a new one.”
I look for the number, then press call and put it on speaker. Still open on the morning of Christmas Eve, but this is not the time of year to be in this pickle.
“Mr. Broadwater, I hate to be the bearer of bad news. This flooring’s been discontinued and there isn’t a box of flooring left in South Carolina.” We both look at each other like this cannot be happening right now. “Let me do a company search and maybe we will have a box left in Georgia or North Carolina. Give me a few minutes.”
Greg mutes the phone.
“Denise, what are we going to do. We are this close to being done. I hoped we could leave for Christmas with the furniture moved back into place.”
We both stand staring at the phone, waiting quietly afraid of this man’s answer…
“We found three locations in Georgia with a few boxes. Two are outside Atlanta: Kennesaw, and Duluth and Newsome, near Valdosta. If you have it delivered, there will be a large surcharge.”
“Give us a minute.” And Greg presses the mute button, again.
“Valdosta is out, why don’t we go to Duluth the day after Christmas? We don’t have much choice. ”
“Sure, this is happening. Of course, this is the shoe dropping though it was not exactly to my worry. ” I shake my head. We are both so done with obstacles and issue surrounding our project. Greg’s eyes close and his head tilts down. There is a weary tiredness even sleep don’t touch. It’s through both of us, but Greg is bad. He’s more tired than I have ever seen him. He presses the phone speaker on again.
“Reserve those in Duluth and we will pick them up.”
“So, I know we should be grateful we found the flooring, but I hate cutting Christmas short to go to Atlanta.”
“It’s the sacrifice we have to make to get this done and behind us. You are still with me, aren’t you, Denise.”
“This house is NOT going to win.”
Denise Broadwater has been a licensed professional counselor in South Carolina for ten years, treating anxiety, depression, life adjustments, and marriages. She has an MA in clinical counseling and began her career as a family therapist working with at-risk families and youth. Additionally, Denise has an M.Ed in education administration with several years of teaching experience in private education. She is a wife and the mother of three children and recently added “Nana” to her list of titles. She enjoys rowing at the gym, cooking new recipes, sewing quilts, and blogging at Life Lights Blog (emptynestmarriage.com) and Charleston Renovator Blog (www.freedmanscottagerenovation.blogspot.com).Thanks for sharing Denise! Best of luck and God's blessings with the house and your book!
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Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT
