The Noisy Week That Was: Of Lost Blogging Mojo & Exterior Home Improvements

/ Ally Bean

As I sat down to edit this rare Sunday blog post I couldn’t help but smile and remember that I’d forgotten that I used to have a sign on my desk that said: EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.

Good advice, very pithy. Spot on, even.

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LAST WEEK SLIDE THROUGH MY HANDS, like a slippery rubber ducky in a steamy bubble bath. I lost track of the day of the week and a sense of purpose– and sadly one of my favorite lavender-colored cotton t-shirts that I think accidentally got sent to Goodwill.

[Hope someone enjoys it.]

You see, it was noisy around here in the neighborhood and when life gets noisy, I shut down. I don’t find noise energizing and instantly lose my writing/blogging/commenting mojo because I can’t think straight enough to form sentences.

My mind goes into *whatever* mode while my actions go into *sloth* mode. As for my spirit, I’ve no idea where it hides when it gets noisy.

The poor beleaguered dear.

THE FIRST PART OF THE WEEK was filled with predictable noise, fireworks & gunfire to celebrate the Fourth of July. Of course it being a long weekend the kapows and booms started on Friday night [June 30] and continued through Tuesday night [July 4].

Not a constant noise, mind you, just random loud cacophonies that set my teeth on edge, worrying me greatly.

And instantly put my central nervous system on high alert.

THEN UNEXPECTEDLY ON WEDNESDAY MORNING AT 7:00 a.m., just when I was grooving on quietude, the phone rang. It was the exterior home improvement company we contracted with in the spring to do exterior home improvements in August.

August, people. August.

And what did these fine folks have to say? They politely announced that they’d be at the house today [July 5] at 7:30 a.m. to start our projects because they were ready to do our work. Huzzah, huzzah!

This is good.

I am not complaining because that would be wrong.

BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT STARTING Wednesday I began dealing with more outside racket in the form of [hammer] NOISE & workers and [sawing] NOISE & clutter. Plus, to his credit, Zen-Den continued doing exactly what he planned to do during the week.

Yes, Zen-Den started organizing and painting the inside of the garage which is wonderful. I appreciate this project and have wanted it done for years, but it does add to the mess that I find everywhere outside any door I open when I attempt to leave the house.

And quite frankly in my estimation visual mess is a cousin of noise, on its father’s side of course.

ANYHOW HERE ARE A FEW PHOTOS of what’s going on around here. The home improvement repairs are focused on the screened-in porch, boxed bay window, and the entryway around the front door. Then, of course, the whole exterior of the house will need to be painted.

But that’s a nightmare project for another time.

So having unburdened myself with the foregoing insight into home ownership, midwest-style, I promise that once the exterior repairs are finished [or there’s less pounding], probably later this week but maybe not, I’ll get it together and write what I’m calling my July Reply series in which I answer your AMA questions.

It’s going to be three long posts because you, my little sunbeams of good cheer, ask many questions.

And for that I love you!

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Ladders in front yard, awaiting their turns to be useful

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Ladders leaning against screened-in porch, work in progress

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Trash formerly known as the screened-in porch exterior

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New exterior panels on one side of screened-in porch, trim being added

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Assorted garage stuff piled up out of the way whilst one part of the garage is being painted, forsooth

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Ladder in garage used by husband whilst painting the walls Sherwin-Williams Pure White

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Trailer parked in driveway making it impossible to get car into garage BUT featuring a cute orange cone

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208 thoughts on “The Noisy Week That Was: Of Lost Blogging Mojo & Exterior Home Improvements”

  1. 😂 owning a remodeling company, I understand the homeowner consternation of waiting 10 months for a project to start! It’s been like that since 2020. The porch looks beautiful and I hope you enjoy it for the rest of the season!

    Liked by 2 people

    • Nancy, during the pandemic we did a bunch of interior remodeling and had to wait forever, so I’m kind of accustomed to waiting. What surprised me was that this company showed up a couple of months early. I don’t quite know how to process that! 😉

      Liked by 2 people

      • 🤣 That CAN be a surprise too! We like when we’re able to do that too! 2020 and 2021 were just hell but I don’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth. We are comfortable with having work that will put us 3 months out, not 9-10.

        Liked by 1 person

  2. First of all, give Zen-Den a gold star for that good taping job; it’s a sure sign of someone who knows what he’s doing. As for noise, I suspect you wouldn’t have enjoyed the replacement of the pilings at the marina next door to my place. The sound of gigantic pile-drivers at work, however rhythmic, is wearing.

    I laughed at your last photo; specifically, the traffic cone. Have you come across the articles about people protesting driverless cars in San Francisco by placing traffic cones on their hoods? Apparently that’s enough to disable the things, leaving them stuck in the middle of the road until someone comes along and removes the cone. When I read about it, I couldn’t help laughing — heartily. It’s the triumph of old school over new school, with no physical damage involved.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Linda, Z-D enjoys painting and learned how to do it right from his father who managed a paint store. I’ll tell him he got a ⭐️! You’re right I would NOT like hearing those pile-drivers at work, not one bit. Too much noise.

      I didn’t know about San Francisco and how traffic cones stop driverless cars, but I LOVE it. What a wonderfully whimsical way to make a point. I’m laughing, too.

      Liked by 1 person

      • The cones-on-the-hood are akin to a new Houston tradition of planting small trees and shrubs in the potholes all over the streets. Sometimes, a note’s attached to the new plant, reminding the city officials of their years-old promise to fix the potholes.

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  5. I love this: …”in my estimation visual mess is a cousin of noise.” Oh my – yes! You’ve got noisemakers a-plenty all around you. Visual and auditory. Sorry for all the chaos but thanks for the pics — not of the projects in motion, LOL, but the views of your beautiful yard and trees.
    So lovely! 😊

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  6. Dear Ally, lovely to be here. My first time and inspired to learn quiet a few things; first that you have lead the blog way for 20 ‘even’ years. And second is the beautiful take away that you kept on your desk. Expect the unexpected. Something I would love to wake up to each day around my writing table. Your garden looks looked after as much now your home.

    I am Narayan, and happy to be here. Thanks Ally.

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  8. Based on results, I don’t think your home improvement project is a nightmare. The photos look “normal” to me. But then, maybe photos sometimes lie. Kudos to Zen-Den for being a helpful “hardware man” and you for being smart enough to marry him.

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  9. I feel your pain. Or hear it as the case may be. We’ve had a week of driveway repair with hot and cold running dump trucks and backhoes. Peaceful it’s not.
    But your porch looks great so far !

    Liked by 1 person

    • Rivergirl, thanks for your sympathy. Backhoes are something else, aren’t they? Noisy and large and seem to take forever to do their thing, often destroying something else accidentally. Our front hedge… or the neighbor’s invisible fence… or the other neighbor’s sprinkler system. Just as examples. 🤨

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  11. I heard the bangs and the pops of the Fourth weekend extra loud since I spent 18 hours of it without power thanks to all the wonderful storms that came through. I had to go to work Saturday night without any sleep at all (no box fan running = no sleep), which turned me from my usual crabby and irritable to just plain miserable to be around. Maybe you could try drowning out your excess noise with a fan as well! I’m much more at ease with the white noise humming away…. maybe from all those years I lived near a steel plant and chemical factory.

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    • evil, I didn’t know you lost power for so long. That is, to put it politely, annoying. Laughing about your description of yourself, knowing you are an accurate truthful fellow. I like your fan idea. You’re right that white noise inside the house is soothing. I tried listening to music but the pounding conflicted with the beat, so it drove me bonkers.

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  12. Lovely photos Ally Bean! Your porch looks heavenly. Patience is a virtue – do you remember how that goes: virtue is a grace, Grace is a little girl who wouldn’t wash her face. Just another unexpected something. Kudos to ZD too for getting around to it.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Susan, oh I haven’t heard that rhyme in YEARS! I’m smiling here, thank you. When the repairs on the porch and the rest of the house are finished it’ll be wonderful, so I do keep that in mind. Agree, kudos to Z-D. The garage is going to be so clean and organized. YAY!

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  13. Wow, multi projects at one time. Very brave. Pure white in a garage? Again, very brave. The construction team looks well organized and neat. That’s a good start. Have fun😉

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    • Snow, thank you. Just seeing stuff everywhere, even knowing why it was there, made me anxious like the noise did. I spent last week in a VERY cranky mood because I couldn’t get a thing I’d planned to do done. It’s all for good reason, but… 😑

      Liked by 1 person

      • Well, I can sort of relate. I’ve spent the last week cranky because I didn’t heh anything done, either, but it was all due to the weather. This is another cold and rainy summer and I have a million fun ideas for a sunny day. Just need to wait for one, and it might never come 😫

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        • Oh I understand your situation. I plan things for outside adventures, then the weather doesn’t cooperate. Around here this summer we’re dealing with Canadian wildfire smoke that shows up unexpectedly. Most annoying. I hope you get a sunny day soon, many of them in fact.

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  15. I had no idea that people actually painted their garage interiors! Most are bare studs with lots of crap crammed into the spaces where insulation should be, or bare sheetrock with exposed screws. You have fancy garages in the midwest Ally Bean!

    Was there any discussion about July not being August? Perhaps August was simply a guess, the long shot guess and whoopee- magic turned August into July…

    Find a corner, some noise cancelling headphones and a bottle of lovely chilled wine, then just breathe 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deb,when I was growing up garages were bare studs like you describe, but since we’ve owned homes all our garages have been finished. The painting isn’t necessary but will sure make the space seem clean again. As will some organized shelves.

      There was no discussion about the project starting in July, it was always on the schedule for late August, maybe September. And the painters are scheduled for September, maybe October… but we’ll see.

      The quietest place in the house is our walk-in closet. I could go in there with a bottle of wine. Would that be too weird?

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  18. Okay, so I have to say, it is SO STRANGE to me, hearing all my American friends talk about random fireworks. This is just not a thing here. If there is a fireworks display – right now they are nightly for the Stampede – they are official displays and in ONE location. Not, like, random people in the neighbourhood setting off fireworks. That seems so hazardous to me. I mean, I know it’s a thing but it is SO WEIRD to me. It reminds me of that Simpsons episode where Homer quietly tries to get illegal fireworks by asking for condoms, Old Harper, porno mags, a giant box of tampons *whispers, fireworks* and then on lighting one, throws it in the sink where the whole sewage system blows up. Anyway, long way for me to say it is such a strange thing to imagine fireworks going off in my neighbourhood randomly for days. How does it not ignite actual fires? Questions from your friendly Canadian correspondent.
    Anyway, good luck with the home improvement projects. It will be great when it’s done for sure!

    Liked by 2 people

    • Nicole, with this sentence you’ve summarized the reality of these random fireworks and gunfire: That seems so hazardous to me. It is dangerous for those who shoot them off and for those whose yards they aim them at and for pets who go bonkers. This year it’s been wet around here, but in years when we’ve had drier conditions you have to look for small fires that can start in your yard– or on the roof of your house. Like you, I don’t get it and would much prefer that there was just one fireworks display on the night of the Fourth, but that’s a thing of the past now that fireworks are cheap and readily available.

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  19. Having a road cone at your house is almost as good as having a dumpster. I hope the noise dies down soon, and the results exceed your wildest expectations. I know, he’s painting the garage, how wild can they be?

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  20. I’m a lot like you! Disruption in any form throws me off my game. Love the “visual mess is a cousin of noise.” Visual mess makes me really cranky. Best when outside but even that is not immune. We need to redo our bath and I keep pushing it off. I’m so sick of “in house” noise and mess that I’m afraid I’ll go off the rails (more so than usual!). Good luck and looking forward to the pictures of the improvements.

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  21. I didn’t hear a single firework. It was eerily quiet. My week has been the opposite of yours. No home projects going on. Lots of quiet time to read and write. I think I wouldn’t be thrilled if an August construction project showed up weeks early. I’d feel on edge and not prepared.

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  22. I totally understand the visual mess thing. I am not very productive in the midst of mess!
    Last month we had contractors here for 5 days installing new windows and doors. It took me 5 days before they arrived to clear everything away from the area they would be working and cover things in plastic sheeting because of the dust they created. It took way more than 5 days to put everything back and do an in depth spring cleaning!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Margy, yes, yes. You get it. I’m glad these improvements are happening because the house is beginning to fall apart outside, BUT I need a little time to mentally prepare, like more than a half hour. HOWEVER once this is all finished I’ll be happy and tidy and happy again. So there’s that.

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  23. I am the same way about noise. While I can utterly lose myself in a good book and ignore noise, that’s the only time I can ignore it. I have a hard time concentrating on writing, spreadsheets, or any other kind of work with banging and clattering happening (most often this is Andy in the kitchen). 4th of July was like being on the soccer field near Camp Pendleton’s artillery range–constant booming in the distance. I sympathize with your difficulties and hope you have a quiet day today…and on your screen porch by August!

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    • AutumnAshbough, I’m with you. I can lose myself reading a book, but when it comes to trying to write a sentence when there’s noise, random loud noise, I lose my train of thought. And this last week found myself more and more upset with myself for being this way. I know what you mean about the artillery range noises that can startle the stuffing out of you. Today is quiet and that works for me. Eventually the home improvement crew will be on only one side of the house, not three like they are now. Then I’ll be less stressed about this.

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      • I get being frustrated by being frustrated with noise! I wish I could ignore noise like my husband. Or not worry/ create catastrophe flowcharts in my head like my husband. I think he’s more able to stay unbothered in the present because he’s one of the folks without an internal monologue. So the noise doesn’t feel like he’s constantly being interrupted. Of course, it could also be his hearing isn’t nearly as good as mine!

        Liked by 1 person

        • I’m going to go with his hearing isn’t as good as yours. THAT seems to be a constant in marriages between men and women. The former rarely hear things while the latter hear everything. I’m generalizing, of course, but that’s my observation. No internal monologue? I don’t get that at all, but know it’s a thing.

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  24. I am a bit envious as we cannot even get someone interested in our ‘small addition’. I do understand the noise assault. When we lived in Florda they built a mega-mansion next door to us. Construction six days a week from 7:00 am until dark for well over a year. I wanted to pull my hair out.

    I hope your project goes smoothly with your sanity intact.

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  25. Although I understand the necessity, noise, chaos and disruption mess with my psyche. I can still blog, but my mood usually gets low. That causes some grumpiness on my part–which I don’t like and neither do the people around me. 🙂 It is great to see improvement and progress though. That makes a huge difference to the state of mind.

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    • Margaret, you make a good point. When I finally see something finished, anywhere out there, I’ll be less grumpy about this mess and noise. Plus this week, weather permitting, the crew should get to a point where they’ll be working on only one side of the house, instead of three sides. Then I’ll be able to get far away from the noise.

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  26. Ah, the memories. Years ago our office shut down for Thanksgiving week. On the first day of a delightfully unexpected vacation, I went out to the kitchen to get coffee, looked out the window and there stood Big Johnny with a sledge hammer in his hands. Without any warning, our contractor was ready to get started – behind Johnny was a tractor and a full crew. And I in my jammies – half the kitchen still not packed up and moved for the remodel. Suddenly the mob was in the house and I in my jammies – this went on until Easter. What a fiasco! Good luck! You’ll probably live through it!

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    • Jan, what a story! Oh you do understand my surprise on Wednesday morning. Of course your situation was much more intense then ours, but still… I’m sorry your remodel was a fiasco, that’s not great. So far *fingers crossed* this is going as well as it can go, weather permitting it’ll keep going well. I’m learning to not look at the mess.

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  27. Once I passed my teens, fireworks have been nothing but noise and annoying noise at that. We had a LOT of it, and I must admit I’m glad we’re past it. The middle of the week a neighbor two doors over had a roofing crew arrive. New roof – lots of noise, but it was over sooner than the fireworks so I was grateful. It’s back to being pretty quiet, and I’m appreciative. Outdoor and indoor projects and you don’t have to lift a finger for either – good planning, lady. 🙂 Enjoy all the improvements, and may I say a screened in porch is a thing of beauty.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Judy, I agree with you about fireworks. They are pretty yada-yada-yada but I’m over them. And this year the firework explosions and gunfire went on for way too long.

      We had our roof replaced a few years ago. It was noisy but the workers would stay in one quadrant so the noise was isolated. However these exterior improvements are all over the house so there’s noise coming at me from everywhere. We like the screened-in porch, which is why we’re keen on not letting it fall apart. The house is 24 years old, it has some issues.

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  28. Having relocated permanently from my far northern worksite to our home in British Columbia back in May, and with all the moving and organising, I can relate. My M had already done most of the remodelling, but we still had lots to do.

    It was noisy around here on Canada Day (July 1) but firing off guns is illegal and our pattern is to celebrate the day and move on, so the noise was only temporary.

    Your porch (and garage) looks like it’s well on the way to becoming wonderful, and once the upheaval passes, you can relax and enjoy them. This too shall pass. Cheers.

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    • Lynette, I realize you’re right that once this is completed I won’t think on it again, so I take comfort in that idea. But I am not one to enjoy noise and this past week as tried my patience. This quiet weekend has done a lot to restore my calm.

      It didn’t used to be so noisy here on the the Fourth of July. A few gunshots and one community fireworks show, but since fireworks have become cheaper and open carry guns have become legal it’s loud. And so random. That’s what wears me out as much as the actual noise.

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  29. I don’t envy you now but will when it’s all done! I am grateful my husband can’t do big projects anymore. It used to take him SO LONG and there was such a mess all over. Hope you post the after pictures too.

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    • Janet, I realize this is a process and once all the exterior fixing up is finished, it’ll be great. But what a week, ‘ya know? I understand about how long husband projects can take, but now that Z-D is retired things are moving faster.

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    • Natalie, I definitely lost my focus this last week. I know that once the work is on just one side of the house instead of three sides, I’ll do better. I’ll just hang out inside the house where the construction isn’t.

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  31. My sympathies. Noise I can tune out, but not the summer heat — which has been high with humidity the past week. Ditto the wildfire smoke wafting down from Canada keeping those of us in the Northeast trapped in our homes. All that said, I finally eked out a blog post this week after a much-too-long break. Glad to see you’ve done the same — and congrats on getting these house projects done. You’ll be happy in the end!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Molly, summer heat is tricky to ignore as is/was the Canadian wildfire smoke. I don’t mind noise inside the house as much as random pounding and popping outside the house. I know this will be great in the end, but this week has been trying.

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  33. You used the word ‘whilst’ twice in one post! How often does that happen?!
    Hope things calm down for you – of course you could just plunk on a pair of quality sennheiser earphones and rock out on your own (noisy?) playlist! For starters, I dunno, how about the Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Rain on the Roof” mellow but a great starter song! I confess it’s been on my mind lately…so just passing on some of the love…
    😎

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    • Did I really, Laura? Whilst I’d say that makes this post even more of a special Sunday one. Good idea about earphones and my own tunes but just one thing, I don’t have any earphones. I like your suggested song, maybe I could just hum it loudly to myself! 😉

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  34. Contractors who start BEFORE the expected date? Whoa. I am blown away.
    Good luck with all the projects. The porch looks marvellous.
    Can I say how jealous I am of that garage? Mine never even had the joints done, never mind a good paint job. I have to eventually find me an able-bodied someone to help with that one. One day!

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    • Dale, I’m as shocked as you are. I refuse to complain about this situation, but would have preferred more than a 30 minute advance warning YET here we are. The garage came the way it is with a coat of paint on the walls, but it’s been 24 years now so we/I thought it was time to refresh the paint. Plus Z-D is mostly retired now so it gives him something to do. I hope you get your garage fixed up soon, too.

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  35. I am always so envious of those who hire actual contractors who do the actual work. Before every home project I tell my husband that if he wants to do the work, fine, as long as it doesn’t last forever, and I’m not involved. So far, that declaration hasn’t worked. I am also envious of your screened in porch. We don’t have many bugs here and not much warm summer rain, so I guess we don’t really need one… but I really love the whole concept. See ya back in my inbox when the job is done!

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    • Janis, some home projects we do ourselves, like replacing light fixtures or painting, BUT anything outside we hire out. It’s worth it to us plus it’s a resale feature to be able to say who did the work. I don’t know if that’s a thing everywhere but here it helps a house sell. Not that we’re selling. The screened-in porch was Z-D’s idea when we had the house built. It is nice about 8 months out of the year.

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  36. Gunfire? Fireworks I sort of get, although when done by random people, I often wonder how safe we all are.
    Ugh. All that noise would do me in. I work in a noisy environment and crave silence after a work day. When it’s in your own space, it’s hard to get away from. Hang in there. If the company was there early, maybe they would be finished before their time estimate for the job. Find some noise canceling headphones! Bernie

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    • Bernie, you’ve nailed it. Because this noise is where I live I cannot escape it, unlike a work environment and you go home. I like your logic about this company. Maybe this will be over faster and even if it isn’t I am pleased we’re getting these repairs done. I don’t want this house to fall apart.

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  37. I feel your pain … in so many ways. During the long holiday weekend, I kept counting my blessings that at least the fireworks weren’t as loud as they had been in previous years. Apparently, there must have been some change in homeownership among the cul-de-sac people on the other block because they were usually the source of “shock and awe” fireworks. Still, even the anticipation of fireworks is enough to put me on edge.

    Let’s hope that those motivated exterior remodeling people work quickly and get-er all done in short order. We are currently loving the fact that we do not have any contractors coming over for any reason for the foreseeable future. Not to rub it in …

    Kudos to Zen-Den for painting the garage walls. What a concept. My husband has finally cleared enough space in our garage that I can see the floor, but I think he would draw the line at painting the walls 😉

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    • Marie, we used to have some neighbors a few doors down who did what you so brilliantly refer to as “shock and awe” fireworks. They moved away so their extremeness is gone, but everyone else still does something. Except us. It’s darned noisy around here.

      I look forward to the days when our remodeling projects are finished and we can age in place here, letting the place fall down around us.

      Z-D was enthusiastic about painting the walls in the garage. It’s a big project/small thing but the change is amazing. So clean so far, but far from finished.

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  38. “And quite frankly in my estimation visual mess is a cousin of noise, on its father’s side of course.” I truly chuckled at this and immediately realized we are soul sisters!

    Someone (eyeballs The Husband) needs to get his act together and do something with our garage (he won’t do so voluntarily).

    Your screened in porch is going to be gorgeous! Hang in there, Ally – once it’s all done the chaos will be nothing more than a faint memory.

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    • Gigi, I don’t mean to be so uptight about noise and clutter but I am… so I’ll admit it. I agree with you that when this is finished I’ll forget all about these few weeks.

      I’ve *mentioned* painting the garage for years, but now that Z-D is semi-retired he listened. Plus summer is the time to sort through things while there is light for hours on end.

      I agree that the screened-in porch will be lovely. We like it and use it, but it was beginning to fall apart after all these years.

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  39. Hmm – Ally, I remember you had a landscaping company show up earlier than expected and parked their stuff in front of the garage and you couldn’t get the car out. “How nice to have two big home projects going at one time” said no one ever.

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  40. I forgot to say that the noise level around here with the fireworks is driving me up the wall as well. This has been going on every weekend since Memorial Day weekend, despite ordinances galore that say “the day before and day of a holiday only” (and who shoots off fireworks on Memorial Day weekend anyway)? They start about 9:30 p.m. and our ordinance allows fireworks to 11:45 p.m.! Someone a mile away had their garage catch on fire from a misfired firework and a woman in Northern Michigan died from a misfired large firework. Our former governor (Snyder) allowed the big fireworks so people wouldn’t cross the state line to Ohio to buy them … more revenue for Michigan. Sigh.

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    • Linda, people around here, besides the Fourth, shoot off fireworks on Memorial Day, too. And Labor Day. And New Year’s Eve. Is that right about people in Michigan buying fireworks in Ohio because they are cheaper? People in Ohio go to Indiana or Kentucky to buy fireworks… because they’re cheaper. What a world we live in.

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      • I never liked Governor Snyder (even before the Flint Water Crisis issue), but I liked him even less after he allowed the big fireworks. That was his reasoning … yes, he said Ohio had tents set up and Michiganders drove there and bought them like crazy, so let’s bring the revenue to Michigan! A few Michigan lawmakers would like to repeal that fireworks law, but I don’t think that would happen. It’s funny about going to another state so they’re cheaper … according to Snyder, people were spending big bucks for big firecrackers. I’ve seen them in the grocery store in packages that range from $75.00 to $125.00 for an assortment of big boomers.

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  41. Hi, Ally – I can totally relate to mojo-stealing noise. This Friday, our outdoor house painting will begin in preparation for our contracted Augusted roofing project. Like you, both are necessary projects that I am grateful for. Also, like you (and the Grinch), I am bracing myself for the noise….all the “noise, noise, noise, NOISE! They’ll bang on tong-tinglers, blow their foo-flounders, they’ll crash on jang-jinglers, and bounce on boing-bounders!” 😀

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    • Donna, LOVE THIS!!! Yes you’ve explained it in a way that all good Grinch-o-philes can understand. Here’s hoping your exterior home improvement experience goes by quickly and with minimum angst.

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  42. We’re in the midst of yet another bathroom remodel, so I understand. The noise of tile being removed is not fun. I’m excited that your garage was painted by your husband. Projects like that seem to make a big difference and I’m a fan of SW PureWhite!

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    • Bijoux, our house is 24 years old so it’s time to do some exterior [or is a garage interior?] maintenance. We’ve redone the bathrooms and I remember the noise when the tile came down. Horrible screeching sound, different than the pounding and sawing noises, but not pleasant. I appreciate being able to do these projects but there is an emotional toll that goes with them. Pure White is pretty.

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  43. I as a contractor, LOVE the action photos! That was a rather short notice…(30 minutes) Guessing they had a last minute cancellation themselves and wanted to keep their people busy. Another thought would be for you guys to take a spur of the minute, vacation, leave town for a week (or two), come back and the mess will be gone. Sending good vibes and well wishes! DM

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    • DM, I knew you’d like this. I don’t know why we got bumped into first class, but while I’m whining I’m not unhappy. Good thing we’re flexible people who can go with the [messy and noisy] flow. No vacays on the horizon, but not a bad idea.

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  44. They called you at 7 am to announce that they’d be there at 7:30 am to do work that was scheduled for a month later?
    Ok, I get the excitement of someone getting to do work earlier than expected (what with the long wait times these days), but NO. You gotta give at least 24 hours notice. 30 min is not enough.
    And I relate to the noise – audible and visual – complaint. It would bother me too. A lot.

    Hope it’s all worth it when it’s done!!

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    • San, I was surprised by what happened but we do have a history with this company so I went with it. HOWEVER after all the kabooms of the Fourth of July it was, for me a delicate hothouse flower, a bit much. Still I want this work done, so I’m happy.

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  45. We bought a house that needed work and have had some form of renovation happening for the majority of the last 6 years and I am…so over it. I hate noise and chaos and decisions and spending money and those are basically the four pillars of what to expect during renovations. Just today I was reflecting on the fact I really wish we had bought a different house. I had no idea how much the constant noise and mess would drive me crazy. A landscaper was here today (yes on Sunday) and a painter comes Tuesday. Gah!
    Gotta love the cute orange pylon! And progress! You’ll love the reno once it’s over!

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    • Elisabeth, I like your four pillars of house renovations because they are accurate. We had this house built never intending to stay here, but plans changed and we’re here for the long haul so about 10 years ago we began renovating the house a little each year, more or less. I’m tired of it, too.

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  46. I did okay with the July 4th noise, but I have a respiratory condition, so I don’t do so well with the smoke it leaves behind. After we moved to Manila, I was surprised to find that the fireworks, guns, etc. on New Years Eve were far worse than the Fourth of July–just a constant barrage.

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    • Nicki, I didn’t know that about Manilla and wouldn’t like it at all. You’re right about the smoke the fireworks leave behind. It can hang in the air for hours, which is depressing as well as potentially unhealthy for everyone.

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  47. Fascinating blog post Ally Bean. I am very baffled that your mind goes into whatever mode and then your actions turn into sloth mode , I guess that has to do with your mind not being able to think straight to form sensible and logical sentences.

    Also, I like the words at the start of the blog “EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED”, they are interesting to read and true to an extent💯

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    • Mthobisi Magagula, yes I’m highly sensitive and when I encounter too much loud noise I just shut down. It over stimulates me and I want to hide until the noise ends. That was my problem all last week, too much noise stopped me from writing.

      I like the wisdom with the Expect the Unexpected idea, too. So true.

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  48. I don’t get the fireworks being set off for numerous days around a holiday. Our son has a dog who practically goes into cardiac arrest from the noise and it breaks my heart. 1 day we can handle but when it’s stretched out for 4 days, I am ready to scream “enough already!” Hope your home renos go off without a hitch!

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    • Lynn, I don’t understand the *need* to do fireworks and gunfire for that long either. When I was a child it was for about 2 hours on the night of the Fourth, but now it goes on for days. Your poor grand dog, he must suffer so much.

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  49. I don’t understand why people need to have fireworks at home, either! They are dangerous, and they actually traumatize some dogs, horses, and veterans. And children! I remember being so scared as a child when some fireworks went awry and shot sparks at us. A few years ago, some idiot set off fireworks at a campsite and caused a massive forest fire in my area. And yet, the fireworks stands pop up all over the place every 4th of July.

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    • Michelle, I’m with you. I don’t enjoy fireworks enough to want to have my own. I’ll watch a community display where someone who knows what they’re doing is shooting them off, BUT neighbors with fireworks bother me. And someone near you caused a forest fire? That’s terrible, but like you said the darned things show up every July.

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  50. “visual mess is a cousin of noise” — yes, yes, yes! I so agree. My heart goes out to you, Ally, as I muddle through my own unpacking mess. At least your contractors stacked the ladders up neatly instead of letting them be strewn all over the yard. I bet you’re looking forward to when it’s all done, looks great, and when you can think clearly and form sentences again.

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    • Barbara, I can only imagine how much unpacking you have to do. You’re right that this crew is tidy– and polite, too. I know they’re doing their best but will very much enjoy the quiet when it’s finished. I like forming sentences. 😉

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  51. Forsooth. Now my WOTD, thank you. 😉 You’re a better person than I because no matter how great it is that a company you contacted earlier is actually fulfilling a promise, the lack of notice would drive me up the wall (“What? I planned two naps for today!”</i"). Good luck with the improvements! – Marty

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    • Marty, by my troth, I am humbled to know my word choice pleaseth thee on this morn. 🤓

      We’ve worked with this company before, and while I would have liked more lead time, it seemed prudent to say “okay, let’s go.” But I take your point.

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    • nance, you’re right that seeing progress does make this better. And this company stays on a project until it’s finished so maybe by the end of this week, it’ll be wonderful and quiet again.

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  54. I feel like I have noisy stuff happening weekly. It can be tiring and overwhelming and makes us feel bad for wanting repairs and also quiet. They can’t go hand in hand, right?

    How sweet to have something start earlier as opposed to later though. I can’t wait until it’s all done and you can chillax again.

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    • Suz, the interesting thing is that I’ve realized that renovations inside the house, like when we did the bathrooms, bother me less than the ones outside. Inside I feel like I know when and where the noise is coming from but outside it seems random.

      I agree that having this start earlier than planned isn’t all bad, it’s just that now we need to see if the exterior painter can get to us sooner than October. Plans change, right?

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  57. Loving the cone 🤣 it’ll all be worth it in the end, though I feel your pain with the noise. For me it’s too much busy-ness and a packed calendar that numbs me from my spirit/zest/zen vibes. But I know there will always be a quieter time around the corner.

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    • Rae Cod, now that you mention it in some ways busy-ness is like noise. I get how a packed calendar can wear you down even before you do everything on the calendar. I thought the little orange cone was a cutie, too.

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  59. I completely understand your discombobulation. I really dislike the 4th (because: fireworks) and I hate visual clutter of all kinds. And, yes, it impacts my brain and well-being. I hope you get some calm soon.

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    • Rita, you really do get my situation. I’m usually able to rise above circumstances UNLESS the circumstances are a noisy barrage. Which is what the last 10 days have been. However calm is on the horizon so I’m beginning to get back into my calm headspace.

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  60. The first thing I learned about working with home improvement companies is that the work is always done on their schedule, never yours. But at least it looks good! (And who decided we had to celebrate our nation’s birthday with loud fireworks? There are more civilized ways to celebrate, like say, eating cake. I think everyone should be given a free cake on the fourth, and we could just leave it at that!

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    • Ann, you said it! This project is definitely being done on the home improvement company’s schedule. It’s looking good and should be finished by the end of the week.

      I LOVE your idea for how the Fourth should be celebrated. Cake is good, cake is great. Let’s decorate it in red | while | blue and call it a done deal. 🇺🇸

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  61. I know the construction company calling up and saying they’re ready TODAY to do the work several weeks early isn’t the same as a dinner guest arriving at noon, but, it really is kinda the same. Kinda rude. I get why they have to do it, but it’s jarring. (I’ve been in this situation.) But also, you kinda don’t expect it because construction companies are famous for their delays. What a mixed up business. Give me teaching any day. Your porch looks lovely, by the way. What time should I stop by with some rosé? 😉
    P.S. Off to Europe soon so I may not be reading blogs for a while, and of course catch-up when I’m back would be an unattainable Olympic feat. Just wanted you to know I’m not snubbing you.

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  62. Anything promoting more use of a screened-in porch or more organization in the garage is worth the noise/mess that comes with it (as long days don’t become weeks/months). But I do agree with the impact of any sort of audio on writing focus. I can’t even concentrate with instrumental music in the background (let alone power tools, fireworks, voices, etc.) Kinda sorta like travel on an airplane. Noise-cancelling headphones are a must, esp. when I want to get lost in whatever I’ve downloaded to my Kindle.

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    • Dave, you make a great point. Using the screened-in porch more and finding things in the garage without hassle will be wonderful. So far both projects, the company’s and the husband’s, are moving along at a decent pace. But the noise continues and I jump &/or lose my train of thought every time.

      Good idea, but I don’t have any headphones and this would have been a good time to have them. Too late now, though.

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    • L. Marie, I’m surprised, too. I don’t mind this work being done sooner, but I could have used more than a 30 minute advance notice. HOWEVER progress is good so I’m going to say YAY about this… after it’s quiet around here again.

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    • Eilene, supposedly today will be the last day of this project, or at least the last day where the crew will be right outside my home office window. Looking forward to the quiet whenever it gets here.

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  67. I agree with you all that noise and commotion would make me feel distracted too! I love the color choice for the garage and snickered too…how long will Sherwin-Williams Pure White stay pure white? Perhaps another blog post for the future. Or a question for you to answer? 🤣 The improvements look grand and the end of the post was delightful with the pointing out of the cute little orange cone. 🥰😍😉 Congrats that you’ll get these projects done before the snow flies!!

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    • Shelley, too much noise and my creativity goes into hiding. However, because of where the outside electrical outlets are much of the noise is directly adjacent to the home office where I have my desktop computer set up, so I’m VERY aware of it. Today *might* be the last day, though. I like that little orange cone, he looks so serious beside the trailer. I, too, wonder how long the garage will be Pure White, but we’re idealists. 🤷‍♀️

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  70. We are not in the middle of home improvements, but I have been scattered lately and not on my best commenting/reading/writing path. Today is rainy and I’ve delegated the grocery shopping to a college kid, so I am attending to the blog world.

    Sorry about the favorite tee. Mini lost a fav pair of jean shorts after only wearing them once. I think they are still buried in her bedroom. The mystery is yet to be solved.

    Having work done is loud and unsettling. It throws me off of my routine having workers stop me to ask me questions or turn off the water or block the driveway, etc. Good luck with all of it.

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    • Ernie, maybe it’s the time of year for everyone to be scattered. I’m hearing that a lot. I want to catch up with everyone in blogland but a lot of the pounding is coming from the windows in the home office where I write. I jump every time I hear the pounding or the saw.

      Sorry about Mini’s shorts. I know losing a piece of clothing isn’t the end of the world, but I did like that t-shirt. I looked on Lands End’s website but it’s no longer available so double bummer.

      I’ll be happy to get our garage & driveway back so that I’m not moving my car hither and yon throughout the day. Again, small problem but annoying.

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  71. Thank you, by the way, for letting me be a cool kid. I was never “cool” though by your definition, perhaps I am. Why not at this stage in life embrace that coolness?

    I am so sorry for the noise and pounding and interminable fireworks. We share an inability to function during noise. I swear my neighbors make out a chart so that someone is always mowing or weed whacking all summer long. It’s paused right now but I don’t expect that to last. By reading your post, should I ever be able to afford doing a little renovation, I know now that I had better go away somewhere quiet for the duration. Take care of you.

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    • Zazzy, oh yes, you are a Cool Kid. Join us and announce it to the world!

      I’m laughing about your neighbor’s chart, assuring there is always some sort of outside machine noise all summer long. Yep, same thing here although at least neighbor noise is “over there” not “right here” a few feet away from me on the other side of the window. 😑

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  72. I hear you on the noise. Recently I was cooking something that was making noise (frying? I don’t remember) and the fan over the stove was going and Ted was listening to music (kinda loud, as is his way) and the air conditioner was on (which is old and loud) I just couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t stop the frying or the fan or the AC, so I had to stop the music. Poor Ted. That would have been my last thing to turn off, but it had to go.

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    • J, makes sense to me. Too much noise can do that to a person, get on your very last nerve. I bet Ted understood why it was his noise that had to go. Still, I take your point that the other noise was more noisy than his music.

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