They say that delayed gratification is a sign of maturity. At my age, one would think I should be farther along in the process than I appear to be. I find that before sunset of each work-day, I experience an insatiable desire to check on the progress related to the construction of our home.
My looking doesn’t have any impact on the progress of construction. It just gives me the satisfaction of seeing what is taking place. The discovery either heightens my level of contentment or becomes the basis of concern. Never, does it not have one of those two impacts.
It is only a thirty-minute drive from Dripping Springs to Blanco, but my mathematical skills are good enough to know that driving 300 miles a week is costly. The IRS modified the allowed rate for business travel to 62.5 for the last six months of 2022. Of course, I’m traveling for peace of mind rather than business, but at what cost?
The home next door to us is much farther along in construction than ours. Our builder is responsible for both. The construction on that home started about three weeks before ours. It is now in the phase where doors are locked, and finish work has begun.
That reality give me great hope. I figure the one person who is equally interested in the progress of our home is the builder. The builder doesn’t get paid for each phase of construction until the work is completed. At this point, his interest has to be equivalent to mine.
Interestingly, construction of the house next door has exclusively been without the owner’s checking on daily progress. They are provided a weekly written update with pictures, as our we. Perhaps their maturity level is greater than mine.
They live in the state of Washington and have only been onsite one time about a month ago to make the rock selection and other building choices for their home. I’m sure their primary motivation is along the lines of “come before winter.”
Yesterday proved to be a good day for us. It appeared progress on the rock work was substantial. In addition, the location for the thermostat in the living area has been moved to an interior hallway rather than in clear site when you walk through the front door.
When progress has been made, the General and I are like two kids in a candy store. We go through the same routine with every walk through. We talk about furniture placement and begin to envision out loud how the finished room will look once we move in.
Of course, we go through that same routine even if no progress has been made, but we don’t leave the job site with the sound of: “Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay – My, oh, my, what a wonderful day – Plenty of sunshine headin’ my way-Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay!” rolling around in our heads. Yesterday, we figuratively clicked our heels as we headed back to our car.
All My Best!
Don
Carpe Diem 