The trek North has been made!
I write this blog in downright rustic surroundings from the back room of my parents’ perpetually remodel-ing house. There is no sheetrock on the walls, it’s industrial carpet on the floor where we’re sleeping, and bare plywood on the floor leading to the bathroom behind us. Various tools are scattered here and there, there’s a TV/VCR combo on a wire rack towards the foot of our bed, and a circuit breaker to my left.
In other words…home.
My parents have the dubious talent of biting off more than they can chew. This remodel project started in the year 2000. Yup, 13 years ago my fine friends. In fairness, it was a totally reasonable desire. Our house was built 100 years ago, insulation was literally cotton fluff strewn about in varying amounts in the attic, and the entire 3bed, 2ba, with living room, dining room, and den were running on 4 circuits. Four. You couldn’t run the blender and the microwave at the same time. Oh, and there was an entire back room that was completely unfinished. So yeah…improvements needed to be made.
Where they went wrong, perhaps, in hindsight, was deciding to do the *entire* house all at once. I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, all snug in your presumably finished domiciles, but life doesn’t stop when you start a renovation. Oh no, that shit just keeps on plugging away. And when you’ve decided to self-work your renovation, like my parents did, life has that nasty habit of distracting you.
That’s all a long way to say, there are reasons I’m sitting in an un-sheetrock-ed back room on an inflatable mattress. And it feels like home.
The drive up today was an enjoyable one, just as I’d hoped it would be. It started off with adventure. Scott and Addie landed in SFO safe and sound, but their bags did not. Thankfully, they happened to be on the next flight behind them, so an hour wait, and we were finally on our way. We managed to stop by Rhonert Park for some In-N-Out with Ryan, of Saturday blog fame, and my brother’s friend John. “Rhonert Park?” you may ask. “Where the flying toots is that?” Well, dear reader, it’s a rest stop of a town that happens to be midway between Santa Rosa, which is where John was coming from, and Petaluma, which is where Ryan came from.
Then, it was banter, and stories, and naps the rest of the way up to Ferndale where a decorated house and cookies awaited us. We made a Potato and Leak soup which was freaking easy to make and delicious when properly spiced. Oh, and my brother Seth was able to make it over for dinner. Then, we all pitched in a cleaned the kitchen, which believe it or not, was super fun. We’re a pretty loud family, and it was jokes and laughter.
I’m just glad to be home, with my family, the Coops and the Ho. Tomorrow, we do Christmas when Seth gets off work. Can’t wait.