I'll Know It When I See It

A few decades ago, there was a fairly significant U.S. Supreme Court case in which the Justices struggled to define pornography. The closest they could get was Potter Stewart's oft-quoted description: "I know it when I see it." That basically sums up how Shaw and I will know when the house is truly finished.

Last week the garage walls were finished and painted, the new doors went up (and down, and up, and down...), the window was painted and I even installed new blinds. It looks so clean (except for the floor - too cold to do anything now) that we don't even recognize it. But our cars are thrilled, having been banished to the driveway since March. And, after having to clear almost two feet of snow off the cars last week in order to dig them out, so do we.

The 11 feet of counter and cabinets were installed in the basement laundry area last week too, containing four wide drawers that hold all of our gift wrapping supplies in addition to light bulbs, Logan's stuff and other household items. We call it the Candy Spelling Room. Almost all of the punch list items have been resolved. When I showed the list to one of the workers who's done the tiling, some sheetrock and painting, he came over to feel my forehead. "You must be sick," he said, "this list is so short - it can't be you." Tomorrow the crew will return to empty the last remnants from the trailer outside, just a few boxes and other items that will go into the garage. The next item on my to-do list is to find cabinets and shelving for both the garage and the workspace in the storage part of the basement, so we'll actually be able to find things when we want them.

We've decided, though, that we won't feel as if the house is really complete until both the trailer and the porta-potty are gone from the lawn. When we see that, we'll know it.