Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Construction

The neighbourhood thrums with activity these days. With daylight savings time coinciding with what one might presume to be better weather, the sounds of hammers, lawn mowers, woodpeckers seeking their territory, and the whine of saws and machinery gives a different beat to the day.

It was odd...time changes usually bother me no end. But this one passed with nary a whimper from me...in fact, it seems as if I might have finally understood what living in the timeless manner I strive for is all about.

Better weather?...Well, our March weather is quintessential early Spring...warm, misty rain one day, cold, howling hurricane force winds the next, bringing along a clear and dry warm day...and so it goes.

But time marches on, no matter what the weather is like...Birds are busy scurrying for soft pieces of dog hair with which to line their nests. Their busy chirping, mating calls, and territorial fights almost drown out the sound of saws from the next door lot, where there is a new house being built.

Woodpecker drums on any surface he can find, marking his place in the Universe. Unfortunately, our Woodpecker drums mostly on metal surfaces. And the resultant noise of his incessant drumming on the metal flashing around our chimney is driving me slightly off kilter. And if I feel that way, can you imagine how Woodpecker must be feeling? Headachey, to say the least.

Too, I will have to get used to big concrete trucks, delivery trucks and vans, trades and construction workers arriving next door on a constant basis...driving the dogs to distraction.

Both of them are so tired at the end of the day that they are hardly interested in waking up to eat their dinner. It is extremely stressful, they tell me, to keep tabs on the comings and goings of all these strange people, who are doing who knows what right next door!

But this afternoon a part of the panel of our fence separating the two properties fell over, the result of an altercation with the Excavator. I wasn't even aware of it, until I saw Lucky casually sauntering towards the opening. He was using his investigative body movements...tail straight up, ears alert, not drawing any attention to himself, moving slowly. Something's always up when Lucky looks like this!

Ahhh...the doorway to freedom!

And not only that. Other dogs and cats can get in, as well. Well, the excitement was not to be borne! And, without much surprise on my part, there was not a construction worker in sight, they having all decamped for parts unknown, before the fence fell.

It was their machinery which did in the fence, ergo...they should fix it, by all accounts. The workers will return at some point. Hopefully, they understand the good neighbour policy!

So here we sit, the dogs and I. My plans to join in with all the busy behavior of Spring by wheeling barrows full of mulch to garden beds have come to nought. Until either I or someone more knowledgeable than I when it comes to building fences, although I'm not averse to trying, comes along, the dogs are banished inside the house.

I can't bear to leave them in, when they can see me working outside. There would be many tears shed. And Nate has a way of holding sadness in his eyes that can tear me apart. Lucky would howl the house down.

The best laid plans...

Normally, plans that are thwarted make me jumpy and uneasy and scattered. I started out that way, this afternoon when I couldn't have my gardening fix. But the Universe keeps throwing situations at me where I beat my head against an immovable wall. It's time to learn to shrug my shoulders and let things go a little more.

I find myself railing against circumstances which cannot change. I find myself asking for the Wisdom, Courage and Serenity more and more these days, when not so long ago, I was working and using the Serenity Prayer before the Wall showed up.

It was a small lesson, but one which I heard loud and clear. It is too draining to fight situations which just aren't going well. Energy flows away from me when, after trying this and that and the other thing, a situation is still not resolved.

At some point, I have to recognize where to stop. And usually, I am good at this, before my body tells me, in no uncertain terms.

But, just as the builders next door, just as the birds and bees and flora and fauna are...I am constructing a bridge to further enlightenment in the school of life. Just as the builders work with unforeseen circumstances, so is my bridge halted, at times.

And so, this time, when the Wall showed up...I took a nap.

Construction can wait.

15 comments:

  1. I loved the post, Marion. I have a paper taped to my keyboard at work that says "Let go and let God"..........kinda, sorta like "construction can wait, take a nap".....(SMILING) hugsssssssssss

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  2. Anonymous10:09 p.m.

    I think it's wise to take a nap when that happens.

    We went through about four months of next-door construction recently, so I feel for you.

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  3. Thanks for visiting. Had to laugh as you visited I actually had just got off my butt and updated both blogs :)

    I can see Spring is near as your posts are getting much lighter. I love all your posts but I just feel the excitement in the last few of them.

    I in turn have been looking at my Winter clothes to see what will fit seeing I am 20 pounds heavier since I retired in 2005.

    Still not overweight but the pounds did land up on my hips unfortunately. I really must stand on my head a few hours a day and hope they move LOL.

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  4. Anonymous2:42 p.m.

    Ah, Marion, I think you have discovered the secret to serenity in a universe that is ever changing.

    You will never teach that to dogs, however, since they see themselves as guardians of the status quo.

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  5. The sadness of being banned from the yard is reflected in the dogs' eyes. Or maybe I'm just reading something into normal expressions. I don't envy you having to endure the noise of construction. I'd rather have the woodpecker. Why exactly do they so love metal chimney vents?

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  6. Anonymous7:42 p.m.

    You totally have my sympathy with construction going on next door.

    Where I live on Australia's Gold Coast is just the same everyone mowing, hammering or pulling something down and putting something up.

    I find it all overpowering and just crave for a quiet spot somewhere else.

    best wishes, The Artist

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  7. A wise choice. Go with the flow. Marion, sit with afaghan over you with a cup of tea and nothing but your thoughts to keep you company. Now that's construction. I love the pitcure of the birds eggs.

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  8. You're absolutely right, Lorna! It's pretty much the same!

    Barbara, it'll probably be at least that, and maybe closer to six months before everything is complete. It does disrupt this ordinary quiet neighbourhood...and our dogs aren't making it easier,lol!

    Jackie, lol! It's so obvious that in January and February I can get fairly low, affected by the weather. Yes...certainly there is hope and lightness in my heart with the onset of Spring, so I guess it shows up in my writing!

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  9. No kidding, Jan...our dogs love routine...same thing at the same time every day, right down to the minute! Nate actually knows when it's 9:30 AM...time for a biscuit!

    Well, if you're reading something into their eyes, so am I, Sheila! They were really upset not to be barking at another concrete truck that day!

    As far as I know, woodpeckers drum to stake their territory. Metal makes a lot of noise, for sure, but it must be hard on the head,lol. It's the first time I've lived in the middle of town; I've heard them do this on trees in the country. But when he's banging about on the roof, it sounds as if the whole thing is falling in!

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  10. I've read your blog on the Gold Coast, Artist, and find it extremely interesting. You've reminded me to visit you over there soon.

    The lot next door was a real mess, after it was clear cut. So we're all hoping for a view of a garden once again. What we had before was a mud patch, although before that the trees that grew on it were beautiful!

    Sounds comforting, Dave...and that's exactly what I did, that day. The nap happened as a result, lol!

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  11. Awwww....poor sweeties. They don`t look happy about it. Hope they come and fix your fence soon! I always enjoy reading your posts. Between the weather and wanting to re-decorate and not being able to go any farther with that until a future date, it`s got me down down down and I forget about letting go sometimes.

    tea
    xo

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  12. Great post Marion. I feel sorry for your poor dogs. You have my sympathy with all that construction noise going on. I hope you get your fence fixed so normality will resume and you and your dogs can go outside in the garden again.

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  13. Marion, it's been a while since I've visited here, and I'd honestly forgotten what a beautiful blog you have. Your photos are gorgeous, and your words--even the ones about construction noises and woodpeckers--leave me feeling peaceful and calm. What a nice place you've created here!

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  14. Tea...I understand totally. I guess we're just human after all...sometimes worldly things can get to be too much. It feels so good to just give in, during those times!

    Naomi, Gray fixed the fence upon his return from the office. The dogs are shedding at the moment, I'm allergic to dog hair, lol, and the fence was fixed not a moment too soon!

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  15. Velvet, thank you so much. I've actually missed you, too, and I'm going to place your link on my sidebar.

    That way, I won't forget to visit, lol!

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