Studio A Project - Quarantine Go!
Shelter in Place is here. Now is the time to get stuff done. We have at least a month at home, but then it is Easter, then May. Realistically, we don’t have to worry about being anywhere for 3 months. We have promised the kids that we were going to be reasonable on this project. Let’s start with morning prayers at 7:30 and then we will work from 8-5. We’ll work Saturdays, but take Sundays off. Kids are in charge of babysitting, housekeeping, and cooking. Each older child has a younger child as a partner. The one who has MJMJ as a partner is in charge of cooking. Morning chores rotate.
We almost kept that promise. We worked until bedtime about 2 nights a week. We asked dinner to be pushed back to 6 about once a week in addition to that. We did try to rest on Sundays, but sometimes we would go out and get supplies or make a list. We worked for 3 solid weeks at that pace.
Stud Walls. Run Wires. Insulate. Build Storage. Drywall. Green Glue. Second Layer of Drywall. Tape. Mud. Sand. Tape. Mud. Sand. Paint. Paint. Call the Electrician. Call the HVAC guys. Lay floor. Install doors. Trim Work. Patch. Paint. Clean.
We spent hours staring at the vocal booth trying to figure out how to build a room that was not attached to anything and had no parallel walls. It felt like progress was slow, but we kept going.
Michael's goal was: to move in by Easter. It was a race to the finish line. There are still a lot of finishing touches to be added, and we are not totally moved in, but...
Easter Vigil…
After reading all of the vigil readings around a bonfire, we opened the new room. Michael uncovered the new piano. There was singing and dancing and candy. Music for fun - not because they had to get through a rehearsal.
Some of my favorite moments were:
Truman saying, "This feels like Christmas at Bob and Stacy's house"
Fidelity joining in on piano, singing, and dancing and staying up until almost 10.
Charity saying, "to you these are just songs, but to us, they are the 'sound of our childhood.'" (referring to when she was 5 instead of 12, which she is now). All the other kids agreed.
Gabby saying, "Dad! Want to see me beat Charity in a planking contest?!" and she did.