We are in the midst of getting our home ready to list on the real estate market and while we are busy attending to our own punch list, there are these other home issues that are raining down one us. First it’s the leak in the upstairs bath tub, a screaming seven year old washing machine and wall patches in the laundry room that need to be repainted (along with part of the kitchen), and finally-two new roof leaks. These roof leaks sprung up in the same rooms where I had the ceilings painted last spring. So while I am trying to bid out and hire sub contractors for the master bath update and cabinet painting in the kitchen, there are other holes in the dike that need to be plugged quickly... due to the nature of water damage.
I have to admit that Angie’s List has brought me a great deal of happiness and homeowner repair success, but you can still acquire a dud in the batch. That dud happened to be the sub contractor who updated the kid’s bathroom, so much to my dissatisfaction that I would not give him the job on the master bathroom. With that experience under my tool belt, I decided to ask one of my A+ rated subs for recommendations on this particular project. I called my drywall/ceiling contractor and he gave me the number of his cousin who specializes in this field. Keith had referred me to a painter on one of his jobs when one of his employee had shoulder surgery; the crew was extraordinary and I felt safe with trusting Keith’s word again.
I put a call into ‘Sledge’ and he arrived this morning to bid out the job. In comparison to my original design plan, Sledge had some great alternate ideas on the update that made functional and aesthetic sense. He also gave me his countertop suppliers name in order visit their shop and scout out remnant stone tops to save money while increasing home value. Somehow we got on the subject of my father (I had gutted and sold my dad’s house two years ago), and told Sledge that my father had Parkinson’s and dementia and my mother is in the severe stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Unbelievably, Sledge tells me his father had passed away in October from dementia. As I listened to his caregivers story, I began to to realize that God is good at details and directing us to answers and solutions. The light in His wisdom may be the luminosity of fizzling embers in the family room fireplace, or the brightness of the skylight in your kitchen ceiling, but if we trust in the light of God we will see the way. We will also see others He has sent to help and mentor us in the journey and we will likely know who they are from the light that radiates in their hearts. God knows that I don't need an irresponsible jackhole (pardon the french) in charge of these renovations, one that will create worry, delays and added expense, there are more important things that need my attention. This contractor completely understands what is going on in my life and I have confidence that he will do his absolute best on this job.
I have another contractor coming out this evening to bid the job as well, and for some reason I have a feeling he is going to ‘no show’. I’m not really concerned because I already have entered an appointment into my calendar tomorrow to go down and find those counter tops and get this project moving, I know who to hire.
Life Shared
