I don't know how many times someone has told me not to stress out lately. Believe me, it's much easier said than done. I definitely wouldn't advise anyone to try to belt test if you're in the middle of construction on a house.
Since my last blog, the wall on the south side of my house has been finished, plus there is now a (roughly) 16' x 12' extension on that side of the house for my new bathroom & laundry room. The man in charge of the construction says that the plumbing and wiring is supposed to be done this next week. He also says that we should be able to move back into our house sometime in the next few weeks.
We had belt testing on March 28. It was just my luck that I got sick that day. I tried to test anyway, but bombed big time. I couldn't even finish my form, much less spar or break boards. I'm just glad that we get a second chance the following weekend to retest.
I did retest yesterday (04/05/08) and I feel like I did pretty well. I only had to do my form once. Sparring seemed to go good. And I broke both my boards on the first attempt with an elbow smash and a side kick. I gotta admit it felt like a big weight off my shoulders when it was over. I'll know this Tuesday night whether I passed or not.
Well, here it is Saturday night. All of the older part of my house is gone. There is are no lights, no water, no gas, no kitchen, no bathroom, and only half a wall on the south side of the house.
I'm sitting in a coffee shop with internet access just to relax and take a break from the chaos. But, as the saying goes, its all good. It just means that there has been a lot more progress a lot faster than anyone expected. I'm being told that they will soon be starting on building a new kitchen in the remaining section of my house, and a "small" (about 8'x12'--I've had smaller bedrooms...lol) extension for a new bathroom.
The real challenge right now is trying to prepare for testing during all of this. My husband and I are supposed to test for sr. red belt in 2 weeks, and this form is more complex than any we've had to learn up to now. I'm sure we'll be ready, though. I already know that my instructor won't let either one of us wimp out.
03/10/08
My house had been damaged during Hurricane Rita in Sept '05, and has needed a lot of repair work. We've been living in it anyway, dealing with a leaky roof, drafts coming through in surprising places, and warped floors.
That ended yesterday when a crew of young men from a military academy began their Spring Break by tearing my house apart...literally. In spite of the chaos, this is a very good thing. A non-profit group called Nehemiah's Vision is rebuilding my house.
My husband & I are taking advantage of the situation by letting go of a lot of junk and clutter, some actual, some emotional. I'm a "pack-rat" by nature, so its not exactly easy for me to get rid of things. There's always the thought in the back of my mind, "Well, what if I need this or that in the future?" Some of those things have been pack-ratted for years.
As I go through all the junk, I'm actually beginning to wonder why I ever kept most of it. I guess that means I'm making some kind of progress. Oh, I'm keeping certain things that are very special to me, like the angels my Mom has given me over the years, and some of the things from when my kids were growing up. But the piece of paper that had a phone number that is no longer important or even accurate, is going, going...gone! And, you know what? I feel like there is a wieght that is lifting that I didn't even realize I was carrying for many years.
I'm finding that I don't need reminders from my first marriage. Most of those years weren't very good ones, so why do I even want a reminder? I don't need the flower arrangement from my Grandmother's funeral, but I will keep a flower from it along with an encouraging plaque she had given me.
I'm beginning to learn that I don't need "stuff" to keep good memories, and I don't even want "stuff" that reminds me of not so good memories. Does that mean that this Grandma is finally starting to grow up? Maybe, so. LOL
