Finding Structure

I have come to the realization that I need structure.  I actually realized this when I returned to Missouri last fall after three weeks in Arizona.  Now I am noticing it in Arizona after being in Missouri for months.  I like routine.  I like knowing how my days pretty much go.  Here I am with a week in our Arizona home, and I am struggling with what to do with myself.

This first week has been fairly easy.  Grocery shopping was on the top of the list because we literally had no groceries.  That included staples such as flour, sugar, spices, etc.  It wasn’t a cheap shopping trip.  There was work on our home that needed to be done by the builder.  Although we went over the things that needed rework, their policy is that they do not enter home to work unless the owners are present.  So, we and the builder made a list back in September of what needed to be done when we returned in January.

The biggest thing is that they didn’t properly finish the ceiling in the great room.  On January 2nd, the contractor showed up, covered everything in plastic, and proceeded to correct our ceiling.  Of course, that meant that all the artwork we have brought from Missouri cannot be hung on the walls.  It will continue to wait until after next Monday when the painter comes in to repaint our ceiling.  Then we will be able to hang pictures.  We still do not have a dining room table, or the chair for the living room.  They have been sitting in the furniture store’s warehouse waiting on our arrival.  I postponed delivery until next Wednesday to be sure all the work was completed on our house.  All our indoor work will be finished, and only the outdoor work will still be needed.  When the garage door company installed our garage door, they somehow split the board that runs along the side of the door, and in trying to fix it, they knocked off the stucco on the house.  Next Wednesday, the garage door company will come and uninstall the door so the carpenter can change out the board and repair the stucco.  Fortunately, we have work orders with dates and times of their arrival, so we are assured the work will be completed.  

I keep thinking that there shouldn’t need to be corrections after closing, but maybe the is naive. Fortunately, the builder has a person whose job it is to make our house right.  She even points out little things we could ignore, and said that when we buy a new house, it should be perfect like a new house, so she even ordered the workers to fix the little things!  She sets up the work with the various contractors, and then sends us a copy of the work orders with specifically what they are coming to do, and the date and time of arrival.

That all being said, I cannot totally get this home complete until they are out of my hair.  While that is going on, I was able to finish the binding on the quilt I made in Missouri for our guest room.  I also stuffed the pillows I made to go with the quilt.  All of that required hand sewing, so my pincushion, needle and thread was all I needed to bring across the country.  Dennis is now constructing the Ikea night stands for that room, and we will hang the artwork, and the guest room will be complete for our first visitors who are showing up in two weeks.

We arrived in the Phoenix area during one of their very rare cold snaps, and had to cover plants every night.  We have had the heat on and even had to purchase an extra blanket.  It is now just starting to warm up and in a couple weeks we should be back to their usual 60+ degree winter weather with full sunshine which makes it feel at least 10 degrees warmer.  

All of this goings on has kept me from getting into a normal routine.  We have walked the neighborhood but I have not yet gone on the trails on the San Tan Mountain—maybe today.  The other day when we were walking the neighborhood in the 50 degree sunshine.  It was  fun to look at the mountains.  The one behind our home looked normal, but as we looked out over the horizon to the northeast, we could see snow on the mountain tops.  These apparently are the mountains that I-60 goes through.  When I live here longer I will know the name of that mountain range.

It seems like the days are really short, because we have all the projects and errands to do.  I am looking forward to completing the decorating of the house, and then kicking back and doing the stuff we want to do here, like walking the trails, visiting sites around the state, getting together with friends and family, and entertaining our friends and family from Phoenix and those who come from out of town to visit us here. I don’t know why I feel out of sorts, since I have only been here a week.  I want it to feel like home, but that won’t happen until the house is complete.

My children in St. Louis surprised us with the best Christmas gift.  They bought us really good tickets to the Phoenix Symphony for January 11.  The symphony will be performing the “Grand Canyon Suite,” and along with the music will be amazing photos of the Grand Canyon.  It will be our first outing of something we have not done here yet.  Maybe as we start going places on purpose, not as errands to run, I will feel more centered.

Here is to a great winter in San Tan Valley, Arizona!