Despite a *rocky end, we did have a pretty amazing year. We went on two exotic vacations, first to Hawaii to visit Chris and Carol, then to Mexico to celebrate the wedding of Dan and Aly. We spent some good times at Ben’s cabin, though this will be our last year there, as he has now sold it to some other lucky soul.

Huck turned 14, achieved his Brown Belt in Kung Fu and started high school at Summit Sierra, a charter school in the International District. He is no longer our boy but our young man, weathering the recent stresses of our relationship with grace, emotional intelligence, and a report card that is the best one he has ever received- all A’s and one B+. His current obsession with the WW1 German military (pre-Nazi, folks, important to remember) has him teaching himself the German language in addition to the Spanish he has to learn at school. He is snowboarding with Morgan as I write this, having apparently reached a new level of skill and ease on the slopes. All of this makes up for the absolutely typical teenage attitude we get treated to with regularity, monosyllabic responses and all.

Though I have not posted about house progress recently, progress is being made. Morgan has been working on wiring, installing light fixtures and switches, and as of December 30th, doorbells for front and back doors! “Ringing in the new year”, get it?

*Last year Morgan and I took a series of classes with Sarah MacLean Bicknell, four workshops, one for each of the cardinal directions, as a way of walking the path of intention. The best way I can describe it is to say that sometimes our linear thinking gets in the way of actual growth and progress, and that these workshops were an opportunity to drop into a deeper sense of self in relationship to the soul’s journey. For me it was a way to develop larger listening skills, get out of my own way, become more present so I can do what I am here to do and not just bide my life-time. I don’t know what specifically Morgan was hoping to get from it, but what we both got was movement in places that were terribly stuck, and when the pressure from those stuck places released, chaos ensued. Chaos is a place of huge learning– difficult, exhausting, ultimately rewarding if you can receive the learning and integrate it. At present the chaos has subsided and now we work to integrate, to cultivate “beginners mind”, to move where movement is needed, all with a deep and abiding love and appreciation for the humanity of the other.

As we say goodbye to 2018, I am filled with gratitude. I am grateful for the love and support of friends and family, for heat in our home and a flushing toilet, for meaningful work, clean water, healthy food, for an unlimited capacity to grow and learn. I look forward to whatever the new year will bring with an eye to staying adaptable and resilient, to connecting with people I love, and a sincere hope for some positive change for the planet. Love to you all!

Morgan has been re-wiring our old house for the past few days. We still have knob-and-tube in this 1924 structure, something he told me he needed to change when I first started dating him in 2000. “Probably should jack the house up first, though,” he said. Welp, we went and did that, and now he’s doing this. We get to choose where we want outlets, which is pretty fun. You have to try to imagine how the room could potentially be used, not just how we use it. We also have to pull our furniture out and toss everything out of his way, so it has been more cluttered than usual in our living spaces. Worth it.

The other big piece of concrete work we got done last month was this “curb” on the top of our lower rock wall, and the pad at the front door landing.

Front door landing. Way better than mud!

The top of the rock wall is a couple of feet lower than our patio needs to be, so this curb is our way of containing the gravel we want to put out there. Eventually, on the rock wall side of this structure, Morgan will build a steel band to essentially make a long planter box on top of the rock wall for kitchen herbs and flowers.

From this view you will someday see a steel band instead of concrete on top of the wall.

In the meantime, it was really satisfying for me to have that hard edge to define the garden/planting area as opposed to construction/driveway area, and I spent some time clearing out rocks and rubble and fluffing the garden beds in celebration.

Here’s a new fancy thing we got this week:

See that little button? Now we can push it before we use the hot water tap and it activates this:

That’s a recirculating pump, it flushes the hot water line of the cooled water that’s between the water heater and the tap. When we push that button and wait about 40 seconds and then open the hot water tap, it’s (almost) immediately hot!

Fancy pants! Also, saves water!

Here’s something else that’s happening- the water is working its way into walls and valves, weaving with wiring towards a new kitchen and bath.

Powder room shower valves

These valves feed an outdoor sink by the shop. Hot and cold outside!!!

What you see here is channels carved with a special hot knife into the Insulated Concrete Forms that make up the walls of our new ground floor.

It is a big ol’ mess down there as things start happening again, which is fine by me.

Oh, hi! It’s been a long time since I posted, but things are happening now. We are thrilled to have taken what you see above and turned it into what you see below:

When we picked up the house we decided to roll it South about four feet to make the driveway drivable for Morgan’s truck. When this beautiful concrete cures, he will be able to pull his truck all the way back to the doors of his shop. Where previously he did a LOT of schlepping of tools 20′ back and forth, he will (if the driveway stays clear enough, ahem) be right there to load and unload. Think of the efficiency!

Additionally, we now have a concrete pad by the back door where we have had gravel for about three years. The cats can hardly believe how nice that is under their little feet.

It’s been awhile since I have posted, and that’s because nothing much has changed here. Morgan is nearing the end of a big remodel job he’s been working on since June, so he’ll be back here soon, dialing in our rough plumbing and electrical. He’s really looking forward to it.

In the meantime we have been occupying our unfinished space, using it for occasional game nights, crafting, and escaping from the living room upstairs when Huck is playing video games.

We brought the laundry inside, not to its real home but temporarily located near the mechanical room so we can use that floor drain. The washing machine has really appreciated the move, and has stopped being finicky.

Morgan also completed his wheelchair collection, which in our big half-finished space is really fun.