Already addressed are the preliminary phases of Plan A, namely getting my 'good' house into loving hands that will take care of it and fill it with the laughter of children, and getting my stuff and myself into my studio's serenity and peace. And with any luck no more night shifts for me at work so my systems can settle into a regular routine that has a modicum of sense to it.
Once that is completed, hopefully in very short order, Plan A follows its natural progression, which has been in the planning stages for a very long time.
Basically the plan consists of modifying a 100 year old home into a wheelchair accessible one without compromising its historic integrity. Let it be a challenge to me.
One very positive aspect of the plan is that back in the day they built their doors wide and their floor plan is already conducive to chair mobility. There are no unreachable built in cupboards and no carpets to contend with. Everything's on one floor too, a serendipitous bonus. There are laundry hookups in the basement, as well as old wash sink set (although putting in laundry facilities on the main floor will be a pretty simple task); the attic is wide open and a lift in the attic hall will allow access without interfering with the use of the hall. It may also be possible to install a lift to provide basement access although I haven't really thought that one out all the way yet; it's just a glimmer of an idea, but having access to the entire house would certainly be an asset.
The beauty of the place is that nothing I want to do to it will in any way change the original floor plans. A door on the only side of the house that doesn't already have one and a doorway that wasn't there before are the only 'big' changes, and they aren't so very big. Everything else I plan to do will be absolutely easily reversible should anyone ever want it back the way it was.
Plan A's immediate goal is to get me through the long dark of this coming Dakota Winter by providing me with peace and serenity as well as a challenge to my mind and body. It is also designed to create a sense of satisfaction as the projects develop and progress.
When I'm not at work or possessed by projects, another of the studio's characteristics will come into play.
I don't refer to it as my studio for no good reason, you know. There's something about it that jump-starts creativity. It's where some of my best pieces have come to life. It's where I found out I can sculpt a face and still not be able to draw or paint the same face - go figure. Although I have found that I CAN produce fairly reasonable pieces in other places, I can't WAIT to get back in there and see what's waiting for me to find it! The anticipation and excitement are heady, a real strength in Plan A.
Wry chuckle ... the pieces that don't turn out to my satisfaction I can just burn in my wood stove and nobody will ever know they even existed!
There's enough sorting and filing to keep me busy for a good long time, just getting everything situated.
Then will come the floor treatments, the wall and ceiling treatments, the window treatments.
Then will come the building of accessible work counters and cupboards as the money accumulates to finance them. The plans are already done so it's just a matter of doing the building.
Also on the list is getting my double stainless steel sink set in and plumbed, as well as a walk in shower for the plumbing to-do list.
Eventually I'm going to want a counter cooktop, but for the time being my regular stove will do fine. For that matter the little wood stove would do fine for cooking purposes. I also have table top burners, microwaves, and a big roaster oven so I don't even really need the stove at all but I'll put it in anyway. The cold cupboard works great during the long dark of Dakota Winters for a refrigerator/freezer, but I'll put the ones I have in anyway.
IF everything works out and Plan A is a go, by next spring most of the inside projects will be either done or well under way and I can leave them alone and get busy on the outside ones during the most wonderful part of the Dakota Year. I will be in hog heaven while I'm finishing the roofing, getting the new door put in, and building ramps and decks in between working my 3-11 shifts.
Having something to look forward to is as important as seeing progress on what you're working on.
One of the outside projects I want to get under way is building a rock garage for my little pick up truck. Heaven knows there are plenty of rock piles around that nobody would object to me robbing. It doesn't have to be a very big garage. Besides hopefully serving its purpose when I get it done, it will be good practice for a bigger project I have in mind - but that's a part of Plan B so I'm not going to get into it quite yet!
Plan A, implemented in a duly orderly fashion, will keep me busy enough for quite long enough to get me through the next year!
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