I never thought I lacked empathy. But today, I am becoming aware that I might have had uncharitable, disparaging thoughts about people who might not have deserved my scorn. Like many of you, I watch a lot of home improvement television. When homeowners complain about living in construction zones, about the noise and mess when they are having major work done, I might have rolled my eyes and considered them weak or prissy. In fact, I might have done that more than I care admit. Perhaps I have been unfair. Today was the second day of having a work crew replacing the fascia boards all around the house before they come in tomorrow to re-roof. (Side note: what were they thinking all those years ago? MDF for exterior surfaces in a rainy climate? The only thing holding it together in places was the paint.) The crew arrived at 7:45 this morning, more than an hour after they wanted to start, after I told them that they couldn't make noise that early in my covenant-controlled neighborhood. I got up at 7, thinking they would arrive any minute, and pulled on dirty jeans and a sweatshirt, and tried to doze in a chair facing the front door while I waited. Once they finally got going, I realized that I had blown my best chance to feel comfortable in my own house. I didn't shower while they were here, because they were on ladders right next to my bathroom windows, and going in and out of the house early on. I didn't even feel comfortable using the restroom while they were all outside. I had no idea it would bother me so much. I kept hearing horrible noises on the roof, and waiting to hear a body hit the ground, with screaming to follow. Thankfully it never did. Tomorrow is going to be even worse, with them ripping off shingles and slamming nail guns into the decking over and over and over... From now on, when the tv homeowners whine about living in the mess and noise, I am going to sigh and nod in sympathy.
The man is back to his faraway job, trying to recover from hopping between time zones so often in two weeks. Unfortunately, he doesn't get a day off between arriving and working again to get used to the old day/night schedule. He never fully adjusted while he was here, so maybe it won't be too hard to get back into his routine. I feel bad that he has to go through it. I know I'm terrible at it. I expect to spend a lot of the next couple weeks sleeping, and I didn't have to fly a zillion miles to get off my stride. I will just be experimenting with insomnia and narcolepsy in solidarity.
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