…a stealthy start

Life turns into a covert operation when you have a partner who is attuned to your every inclination.

When the urge to start something new creeps over me, I have to keep it top-secret—can’t even allow the idea to escape my brain or my husband will intercept and intercede. And that is where long-distance business travel has its benefits.

While he is gone, I plan, research and then I advance the new project to an irretrievable condition. And upon his return, I enlist him to rally the troops and put every able body to work repairing my extreme demolition.

To me,
…unfortunately, the innocuous dust in the windowsill led my eye right to a crack in the wall. Was it foundation problems? No. Water damage? No.

The most recent demolition is not begun by me but by termites! Yup, an infestation in the whole front wall. So we replace six studs, and the window header, but the whole process of rebuilding a wall means there will be some ceiling damage and if, while repairing a ceiling one discovers asbestos in the popcorn ceiling throughout the whole first floor... well?

While in the middle of that, one may as well install new can lights in the kitchen, which brings to light that fact that the cabinets are long overdue for a re-glazing, and while we're in the mess, we might as well finish the job and repaint the kitchen.

Finally, a year later, we're finished with the termite project but he's in New York on business today and I'm thinking that french doors to the back yard...

So I’m a starter and my husband, much to his chagrin, is the project finisher. I give him the credit because he completes the big things: The new addition, the front window, the wallboard, the molding, the bathroom faucets, and yes, all of the painting because all of those little details take more patience that I have patience for.

He doesn't know that I’m writing a book, but the scent of a new project is in the air. When the dust on the furniture reaches his armpits, he'll recognize the dawn of a brand new venture. Right up front, he’ll want to know about his part in this new endeavor and my response will be, “Just be there for me when the dust hits the fan, as usual.”

Reality Bite: He is the wind beneath my…