Camping... Inside

Our life, as KCA explains it to me, is much like camping. I cannot confirm this myself as I did not grow up camping, but like I've mentioned before, if this is what camping is like, I don't know that I'm interested. I'm kidding, but it's true that it takes a certain amount of patience, and a toughness that cannot be taught in any sort of exercise that involves pitching a fort in the backyard but moving inside when it's cold at night.

No, much like camping, there is no refuge from the state of our house. We wake up in the morning and it's freezing. We head to the future dining room where there is a couple of dusty chairs and a coffee table and KCA sits while I make eggs that seem to always go cold on the walk between the stove and the table. We eat them with plastic spoons, yes we don't have forks and have failed at all attempts to locate our silverware in the great abyss of our boxes. After spooning our scrambled eggs down, KCA washes our pan with cold water in the sink using a wash cloth. Then we head to our bedroom to get dressed in the cold and put on clothes that while appear to be clean, kind of feel dusty. Everything feels dusty, even the dogs.

We only have a few working lamps that don't provide nearly enough light within the dark paneled walls and thanks to the shortly arriving daylight savings it is dark when we wake up and dark by the time we get home. We have no heat... no internet... no television... and few of our belongings unpacked. When we are not at work or class, we are doing house projects. 

I don't say any of this to complain but only to serve as a reminder to myself in the future and to explain to you just explain exactly how hard this is.  Living in a house under construction to this extent must be similar to the expectations of parenting. Everyone tells you how hard it is, but until you do it.. you really have no idea. (so I've been told).

This process has been intresting for sure. It is definitely exciting, and rewarding, and yes it does fulfill every HGTV fantasy I've ever had- but it is definitely an abrupt lifestyle change.

The great part of this is also not only that we get to have a great house in the end, but KCA and I have realized that we really do work well together. Even more importantly, we have both been able to see the humor in this and as a result have had several moments that result in laughter and an even closer bond.

Our current bedroom/ future guest room:

(note the old bed sheets for curtains... chic)

(we're forced to share closet space for the first time)