Like Trying To Eat An Elephant

My father in law, Butch (Ron's step dad), was over at the new house yesterday giving it a once over with his master electrician eye. Weeks ago we waived our engineer's inspection when we went non-contingent so this was our opportunity to get a better idea of just how "sound" the structure of our 1946 house is. Thankfully, the house won't be falling down anytime soon. Though it does have some "need to get to in the future" projects that will need handling. (ex: new electric... imagine that, our electrician thinks we need electric... some how I saw that coming.) But for the most part, everything needing doing is minor and cosmetic.

In our chat about projects, Butch said something that stuck with me. He said "this house is going to be like eating an elephant... have you heard that before?" I said I hadn't and he explained. "Say some one tells you 'ya gotta eat an elephant' you'll look at it all at once and think it is impossible, can't be done, no way, too hard... but if you take it one bite at a time, you'll get through it". I really liked that and I am keeping that in the fore front of my mind.

I think it is kind of needless to say that I am really really stressed out right now. My OCD inclined alter ego has definitely taken over this week and is making sure everything that needs getting done is getting done. I feel hyper focus and if I deviate even for a few minutes from what I have planned in my head to do... I lose track and feel overwhelmed. I have been stopping myself and saying "a bite at a time". The new living room is about 400 sq feet... it is a big room... and I thought painting it would be a breeze. That was until about 5 minutes into it. The walls are long and I felt like I was working on one wall endlessly. So I started to say "just get to the window... okay done... get to the corner... okay done". It took two days but it is done. (Thanks to help from my Dad! He did the spackle work on one wall that was badly damaged.)

People have sent me emails and friends have called saying "I don't know how you aren't completely freaking out!". I think it is because I am keeping really busy and just don't have time to freak out. And the meticulous planning in my head helps too. I just keep going until it is time for bed, then I crash. I even found a few minutes to string a pair of necklaces up. Below is "Beach Bum Blues". Creating defintely helps keeping me sane... making jewelry... and even little things like figuring out how to get a picture of me painting while I am the only one in the house.

I love this necklace. The colors are wonderful, year round, colors. And I really like the pool of sea mossy green blue that transparent aqua makes when it sits in ivory. Deeeeelish! OH... and those new wire coil cones for end caps... too cool. But the secret to making those I am saving for my book :) (yeah, I am still working on that!!)

Oh crap... I deviated!! What was I saying? What was I doing? Grrr... I better get back to work!!