This is not news to us. Seven years ago I managed to pull off a financial sleight of hand and pay to have the exterior walls of our home shored up. Amy and I breathed easier until the past six months or so when we noticed new cracks in the walls...cock-eyed doors and creaking floors. Having been down this road, and living in an area where the last measurable rainfall was recorded in November of 2004 we knew what we were likely up against. A call to our foundation company confirmed it - our house is sinking from the interior and will require another facelift of sorts...slightly less expensive than the original and more expensive than breast implants in Mexico.
Sorry, for some reason that was the only uplifting parallel that came to mind.
God provides and having forseen this possibility I've managed to keep creditors at bay and still be prepared for this eventuality...in other words, we won't be putting these repairs on a credit card, but our dream vacation to visit Tiffany at Harvard is likely only that...a dream. We've postponed dreams before...we'll survive.
It will be worth it to have our house shored up...solid...on a firm foundation. So in April, crews will come and literally dig holes through the floor of our living and bedrooms. Amy and I will get away...not to Harvard, maybe to the Riverwalk or Corpus Christi. The Gomez family will be able to stay here in the upstairs rooms but Amy and I will have to evacuate.
We don't wan't to witness jackhammers and shovels digging tunnels in our living room...
At first this may seem unrelated, but lately we've been at loggerheads with John. I've often said that I believe when kids are 14 they are at their most obstinate...John is a case in point. He is moody, rude, and downright insulting at times - primarily to Amy. I have cut him a lot of slack having been 14 and having had my world turned upside down and inside out at the same age. However this week I drew the line. John yelled at Amy and I brought the hammer down.
I said nothing.
I simply cut him off from computers, t.v. and told his mother - his parent - that either he show respect to everyone in the house or he'll learn how it feels to be disrespected. Nothing more...I don't believe in idle threats. I can't be John's father even if his father refuses to be one. I can be an adult...with rules.
Last night he came to Amy on his own and apologized. This morning he helped me with some grunt work around the house without complaint...it was a good beginning.
In a few minutes I'm taking him with me to the Spurs game - thanks to last minute tickets dropped in my lap.
I'm hoping we've begun to turn a corner. Parent or no, I'm determined John have a solid foundation upon which to build.
A house is just a house. John's future is far more important.
