Houston…We Have a PERMIT!

Permit in hand!

Unless you’ve seen the 1995 movie Apollo 13 or were glued to the TV in the late 60’s early 70’s watching the real thing live, the title of today’s blog sounds stupid, but I loved the movie and remember it live on TV as a kid.  The point here is not childhood memories, but to relay that the tree house is officially off the drawing board and growing out of the ground in the backyard.  The roots of the tree house began sprouting minutes after the codes inspector paid us a visit yesterday afternoon to sign off on the postholes.  But I digress…

The last few postings (nothing to do with postholes) made reference to Miki’s tree house…walking though the application with the city codes man, getting the structural engineer on board, convincing the lumberyard the 8x8 posts would fit on my smallish utility trailer without popping the tires, digging slightly obese child sized holes, letting Shannon and Matt experience the biggest erection of large wood in their lives (oh, stop it!), waiting, and waiting some more.  So when the city called and said the building permit was ready (and I showed up to get it before she was able to hang up the phone) I told them I would be right up.  As things have aligned, like they have so many times on this journey, when I was paying for the permit, the inspector that would be checking out my holes…post holes…walked up.  As he was looking at the application and what the permit was for, the story behind it came out and he said he would fit it in and be over that afternoon.  I am not above playing the “Miki card” at appropriate times and working with the city is one of them.  I headed for Jeff’s to get his electric mixer and the Depot for 25 bags of concrete mix (Thanks Brittany!).  At 80 pounds apiece, loading the bags into the back of the truck would be my warm-up for the afternoon.  Upon arriving home with my load, I transferred it to the utility trailer and pulled it with the riding mower back to the building site and unloaded.  As I was about done unloading, the “hole inspector” arrived through the side gate.  He gave a semi-serious once over into the holes and declared the inspection “passed!”

This is what happiness looks like.

I was in the truck when the city called to let me know the permit was ready to be picked up, how much the fee would be, and what forms of payment were acceptable.  I immediately called Miki to let her know the dream was moving forward again.  I don’t remember the exact words she repeated 3 times, but in her slightly high, child-like tone, she conveyed a joy through her voice that brought tears to my eyes, as it is again as I write this.  It’s not good to tear up while driving, it inhibits seeing the lane you should be in.  I dried up and continued on to Jeff’s and later to get the concrete mix.  Let the building begin.  We’re OFFICIAL!

Water was added to the concrete mix and each posthole began to lose its “hole” status one bag at a time.  Another trip to the Depot for 7 more bags of mix and 4 hours later as the sun began to set, the foundation of a dream began to set up and so did the lactic acid in my muscles.  I moved approximately 7700 pounds and I was looking forward to sitting idly by during chemo the next three days!

Oh yeah…Miki…  After a difficult week, Gail the PT seems to have worked out much of the muscle spasm pain and possible causes.  The last few days Miki has worked her way back to a normal-like routine.  Ordering me around as if I was easily replaced (kidding) and eating up a storm (that storm reference is a very relative thing!).  In other words, a real improvement.  With movement comes freedom and with that she usually makes a break for the backyard.  Sitting on the deck in her gamer chair, knitting in the sun with a dog by her side speaks volumes.  She has “returned” just in time to visit with her parents this weekend.  And her brother, Marty and his wife, Kathleen are arriving from SC for a “working” visit.  We'll be working on a golf course somewhere nearby in the mornings and playing on the tree house in the afternoons.  The tree house is destined to have anyone that stops by to add a show of support in the way of a nail driven in or a piece of wood cut to length…beware.

No words needed.

My Zen from Home:  A blanket Thank You to wrap around you with our warm appreciation for being there and supporting this adventure.