Electric Nightmares Part 2
Today is the first weekday in 21 days that I have been able to get up post-6am and do what the hell I wanted with my day. Yes, the electrical rewire and subsequent repair work finally came to an end yesterday. I’m a few pounds (in weight) lighter and also a few pounds (in sterling) lighter. Not quite so happy about the latter!
When I wrote about the impending rewire last month, I thought I had a pretty good grasp on what was about to happen, what the disruption would be and what kind of mess I’d be met with each day. I’d been briefed by the team who were about to kick seven shades out of my house and believed I’d prepared myself sufficiently. I was actually way off. These past 3 weeks have been some of the most stressful in my life. Living out of boxes for 3 weeks, coming home to clouds of dust, broken walls, broken floors, men in and out of my house as if they owned it. Relentless work for 21 days, 8am to 4pm daily.
Now that I have my privacy back I now have the task of re-decorating every room that was affected. That is every room in the house, every wall and every (upper) floor. The lucky room to get attention first is, unsurprisingly, the home office. One of the things I have missed desperately during these past 3 weeks is my routine and structure. The home office was always my cocoon to get things done and focus. Not having that place to escape has been extremely draining – instead I’m having to sit in a broken shabby room with my PowerBook on my knee, looking around at a sea of cardboard boxes and ripped wallpaper. Not a chance of me being productive or creative, not that I’ve needed to be, mind you.
So, that’s where I’m at right now. Painting of skirting boards have been done today, tomorrow and the rest of the weekend will be repairing walls (covering with wallpaper), emulsioning said wallpaper, laying a new wood floor and fitting a new door. I hope to be back in The System Attic early next week.
One of the things I will do when I’m moving my things back in is hug my iMac. Next Monday will be exactly one month since we parted and I have so many gifts to present it with from the MacHeist Bundle I bought a few weeks ago. All year I waited patiently for the bundle and it was released on the eve of my rewire when the iMac was packed away. What are the chances?
My posts here, naturally, have been greatly reduced and affected during my downtime. I didn’t have regular internet access for 2 weeks as my router was packed away and my only source for getting net access was the iPhone. I had hoped to write occasionally, but inbetween the work I had only a few hours to eat, drink, shower and sleep and that’s pretty much all I wanted to do. Once I’m settled back into my office then I hope to get my writing routine back as soon as.
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about 1 year ago
I’m sure I speak for us all (yes, everyone. Everywhere.) when I say I’ve missed ya, buddy!
I look forward to seeing you here, on Flickr, and (especially) on Twitter.
And we need to test out that Skype for iPhone soon! SOON!
about 1 year ago
Can’t believe it’s been a whole month, bloody crazy! Good to see you active again though Sam, hope you enjoy the MacHeist bundle, some nice little apps
about 1 year ago
Chris – ah, thank you! I’ve certainly missed the internets and my buddies on it. And yes, the Skype2Skype iPhone call will happen soon. Once I’m in my office there’ll be no stopping me.
Hey Tom. Yeah, almost 4 bloomin’ weeks since my iMac was touched. I was rather optimistic back then as I thought it would be 7 days at the most that we’d be apart. Looking forward to giving my iMac the gift of the MacHeist bundle. But, I think I’m now probably more excited about Tweetie for Mac which hits the public on Monday. I have that in my sights and I’m determined to get my office finished for then, lol!
about 1 year ago
Will be nice to see you back on Twitter Sam
about 1 year ago
Aw, thanks Wayne. It sure is nice to be back on Twitter
about 1 year ago
Sam – Having gone through a house fire, I know how trying this type of disruption can be. We were out of our house for 9 months! At some point in the future, when everything is back in order, this time will just seem like a bad dream.
Hopefully, you can use this as an opportunity to do a few home upgrade projects for yourself. Sounds like your iMac is already getting a few.
Can’t wait to see pictures of your new “System Attic”. I must say, it will be very hard to improve on the old one.
about 1 year ago
Hi Jeff. Ouch, 9 months! That must have been terrible. Sorry to hear about the fire – hope everyone is okay.
Yeah, it was far more disruptive than even I had anticipated – and I thought I had the worse scenario already built up in my head beforehand as mental prep. It will take many many months before the decorating is complete but glad to have the home office finished now. Just a few finishing touches and a new door needed.