Mayhem, Mirth, and a Merry Christmas!

Look, if dust, dangling plastic, paint buckets and tools strewn all over, are not your cup of tea, if you can afford it, get out. If you can put up with construction and it’s amazing what humans can adapt to, stick around, have fun with it. Some of our favorite memories are friends on jobs.

Am I having fun with it?

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It's the 25th of December today, a holiday celebrated almost all around the globe. (Don't be surprised: yes, we also have a holiday on every 25th of December here in Pakistan.) And here I am, updating you on the ongoing renovations amidst the noise and chaos in my temporary abode. I keep emphasizing temporary because it forces me to weigh whether all this effort is worth it. Almost daily, the better half and I discuss why we’re going through all this disruption. After each conversation, we confirm that we are doing a good thing — there was no other way around it.

The demolition of the TV lounge and hallway is complete, and the tiling has begun. We chose the tiles from the available options and added a little bit of bordering. I preferred brown tiles, but a few votes were cast against it. The reasons? The room would feel too dark, and I myself pointed out that brown would attract more mosquitoes — a significant problem during our long summers.

I’ve concluded that any renovation work is extremely disruptive. Workmen are in the house from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or even later. There’s no privacy, no Netflix binges, and no “me time.” By evening, you’re so drained you just want to collapse into bed and fall asleep.

Recently, I came across a term: decision fatigue. I find this to be the most challenging part — not only of renovations but in general. I’ve always encountered it but never had a term for it. For instance, when I’m packing, the fatigue doesn’t come from the act of packing itself but from deciding what to pack.

Add to that a teenage daughter in the mix and another one trying to follow in her sister’s footsteps, and you can imagine the chaos! Sorry for the detour — back to renovations... Decision fatigue at every step is exhausting. Choosing the right way to do things, dealing with setbacks, and constantly rethinking how we could have done it more efficiently: it’s a maze of endless thought processes.

And then there are the constraints. Renovating a government property means working within a fixed budget, with limited resources and labor provided by the department. To be fair, not having to arrange labor is a relief, but as they say, there are always loopholes. For instance, we’ve repeatedly told the Munshi that we need at least two to three workers for the demolition. But do they listen? Every day, there’s just one undernourished kind of worker stripping the old flooring. It’s a test of patience, to say the least.

_{The word munshi (often spelled munchi in informal writing) originates from Persian and Urdu and typically refers to a clerk, accountant, or administrative assistant}

Just now, my husband said to me:

"Please be strong."

Lol, you might wonder why. Am I doing the work myself? Let me tell you why. Two things:

• Home renovation projects often take longer than expected due to a variety of unforeseen factors. So yeah! It will take longer than anticipated!

• He isn’t home all day to witness this mayhem. He hasn’t endured the constant drilling and cutting noises. He’s just left for his golf game.

And no, I can’t leave the house — even if I want to, even if he volunteered to stay back. I don’t know why, but I’m not wired that way. I feel like I have to remain within the premises...

So yeah, wish me good luck 😊! As I navigate through the chaos of renovations, I want to take a moment to wish a very Happy Quaid-e-Azam Day to my compatriots and a Merry Christmas to all celebrating! Amidst the mayhem of renovations, I wish everyone peaceful skies, joy, and the spirit of unity during this festive season. May we honor the legacy of our great leader while embracing the warmth and cheer of the holidays!

Singing out,
@soulfuldreamer
25th December, 2024