15 November, 2012

{this memory} 66

This is the story behind last Monday's {this moment}.

Nice backhoe, lady. Okay - that lady is my lovely wife inspecting the building lot we had purchased. That makes this October of 1984 in Central New York, and a great adventure is about to unfold.

I had already surveyed and marked where the top of the basement wall should be, and in a few days, the positions of the corners of our home-to-be would be determined. Then the digging would begin in earnest.

I functioned as the general contractor and did most of the interior finish work myself. What I remember is it took almost nine exhausting months as I worked all day at the college, and then after dinner I'd work on the home until eleven or midnight. And ... there were some incredibly cold days and nights in January and February before I got the home sealed up enough to be heated.

We finally moved in on July 1, 1985. It's still standing, and we're still here.

I have many wonderful memories, and I remain a most fortunate man.
TGB