How I Spent My New Year's Day

Last year on New Year's Day I went with my family to Hutchinson, Kansas.  We went to the Cosmosphere, and then the Underground Salt Museum.  The salt museum is 650 feet down.  While down there you could taste the salt with each breath.  I was so crazy thirsty when we got back up top.  I could picture my lungs absorbing all the salt and being all dry and wrinkly.  Weird.  So this New Year's we were at the farm house doing more demolition and construction - and filling our lungs with other foreign debris.
 By now there are two camps of folks.  Those who think what we are doing is cool and a great opportunity.  Then there are those that think we are kinda loony and see the job as overwhelming.  While I wish they could muster a tad bit more support, I also see that it is something they would not be comfortable with taking on themselves, and that is just fine.  I too get a bit paralyzed at times at the amount of work, but that is a good sign for me that I need to refocus and remember priorities.  This job before us does not depress me, it energizes me.  I know it is a job from God - that makes me attack it with glee.  Chris and I took out the second chimney yesterday (New Year's Day).  While not part of the original house, it is easily near 100 years old.  It was  pretty short compared to the other one. It hasn't been used for around 50 years or so.  The part from the level of the roof on up had been removed years ago.  We only had about four feet to take out.   Whoever built this one was most likely not a brick mason.  However what this person lacked in masonry skills, they made up for in reinforcement techniques.  It was a bit of a bear at times to bust out. It was full of ash and soot, which we could not avoid breathing.  By the end of it Chris' face was black and we both had black spit and boogers.  That is marital bonding for you, folks.  Also, we were doing this right above the gas stove that is now heating the house.  I was so thankful that Chris felt the need to speak aloud his thoughts about all the ash floating around near the flame and gas.  I then got to wonder if we would be blown to kingdom come at any second.  Thanks, hon.
  It was fun for me though.  There was a little door in the side of the original part and a "secret" cavity that once housed valuables.  I just love the history of things.  Most people don't have the living, breathing history of their family like I do.  I am just the sort of weirdo that loves to do stuff like that with her spouse.  It is almost more fun than dinner and a movie for me.  It is active and cooperative; and not the boring old hum-drum.  I think it was a good start to the new year.