Framing the Stories

View through the Front Door; taken Sept. 27, 2014

The stasis of definition asks us to think about the words we use to name the object we are contemplating. In defining, in naming, we call that object into being in a particular way. The hackneyed example is calling a problem an opportunity. We solve problems; we avoid them, duck them, hand them off, fix them, and sometimes cause them, but a problem itself is not a good thing. On the other hand, we take opportunities; we seize them, welcome them, look for them, and sometimes miss them. As soon as we reframe the word from negative to positive, we have opened potential.

This week, in literal and figurative reframing, our land became our house. The foundation and outline of the basement has been there for a while, but Mike has mostly been hauling rock and dirt to shape the land. We could see where he had dug out the septic field, and we had a conversation about where the downstairs bathroom plumbing would be going in so that the plumber could run some lines before Mike poured the basement slab. But most of what we had was the land. So when we went to Mendon, we were “going to the land.”

The Back of the House; taken Sept. 27, 2014

Not anymore. Now we’re going to the house. We weren't able to go last weekend; general busy-ness and {the threat of rain + large field of dirt + fuzzy dog + need to use the smaller car = muddy back seat} got in the way. On Thursday, Carl went out and found the framework going up. Yesterday, the day before my 50^th birthday, we both went.

What was land – albeit with a bit of concrete – is now walls and doorways and window outlines. The first floor has taken shape, giving the basement a ceiling and the workers a flat surface to stand on while they provide additional definition to the first floor and add the second floor. Our bedroom, our dining room, our foyer, our kitchen, and our living room are being rendered in 2x6s. There’s our bedroom window! There’s the window over our bathtub! There’s our picture window looking over the trees out the back! There’s the doorway to what will be our deck!

While we were there, the front wall of our garage went from horizontal to vertical. While I am mostly a word person, words don’t quite take shape the way a wall does. There’s something about the 3D version that the story does not capture. Or at least not my version of the story. Perhaps one of my poet friends could manage it. Instead, I show you pictures.

We will go back next weekend, perhaps sooner if we can manage it. By then, I expect the second story will have definition. I may see the shape of the offices we’ll have up there, as well as the bathroom and guest bedroom. I’m especially looking forward to seeing my office, the first true room of my own since I was about 17.

When we outlined this house on paper, I knew what I expected to see as it was going up. I did not anticipate what I would feel in the face of this definition.

Definition. Framing. Structure. These words have been important to my writing and thinking for as long as I can remember. I'm a highly structural thinker and writer, sometimes forgoing the flesh for the sake of the bones. As I look at the bones of our house, I feel the power of naming it. This is our house.

But I Don't Care...

This week's blog entry will be relatively quick. I'm preparing my file for promotion, so I'm feeling the time crunch.

Taken September 6, 2014,
facing what will be the front door.

Saturday, we met Mike at the site while he was moving dirt around. We were specifically meeting him because we needed to get one of the sets of full-sized blueprints from him so that our masonry contractor can mark up exactly where the support for the masonry heater needs to go.

We have dirt! Last week, there was a ditch around the perimeter; now on most sides, there is dirt filling in around the foundation. Mike says that he'll need to bring in a bunch more to get the yard even with the foundation. You can begin to get a sense of how high up we will be: In the top picture, I'm standing on the front yard, and those are tree tops in the background. It looks like the view out of our back picture window will be into those tree tops.

Taken September 6, 2014, looking into the garage.

We also have a rock! For reasons I don't yet know, we have a rock in the middle of what will be our garage. I will ask Mike about it next time I get a chance, but I kinda like the idea that there will be some natural, non-conforming rock in the foundation. Of course, it could be a disaster waiting to happen, but that's why we listen to Mike. If he says it needs to go, it will go.

So now for the part I don't care about. While we were out at the site, Mike had some questions about roughing in the basement bathroom. We are planning on setting up the plumbing for a bathroom down there partly because I want a dog wash in the basement (and if you'd seen Durin today, you'd know why this is a necessity!). So Mike wants to know where he should put it. He has a preference, I'm assuming for logistical reasons, but he's not going to move forward without our say-so.

But actually, I don't care. I figure the basement may or may not ever be finished; it's certainly not on my top ten list of upgrades after we move in. And besides, most basements are a hodge-podge of oddly spaced and shaped rooms and dividers. I don't much care if ours joins that company.

Sketched September 7, 2014, the basement
bathroom, back doors, and dog wash.

But Mike wants to know. So this evening, I pulled out a copy of the floor plan and started sketching. At first, I think I mapped out a bathroom about twice the size of the master bathroom, which would be above this one. Out comes the eraser. Make it smaller. How will it work with the door out to the backyard? We might have to make a funky hallway and the bathroom will be separate from the bedroom/sitting room I'm imagining will be down there some day. Do I care about that?

Nope. I don't really care. But I do care that I am on the critical path, and I don't want Mike to be waiting on me. He wants the sketch this week; I'm really busy this week. Now is the kairotic moment.