Sweet Vindication!

Vindication #1: I don't want to spend the money before it's in the bank, but it's looking more and more like the 'ol city administrators are gonna pony up for the last 8 months of sewer/basement/water heater/driveway expenditures. I am giddy, I am ecstatic...perhaps the karma curse is lifting...

Vindication #2: The shower pipes problem was fixed handily by the NICJ (new&improved CJ) who figured out that the plumber friend was using the wrong glue. All pipes are sealed AND we even have an actual door on our itty bitty linen closet now. Umm, and oh yeah, no lasting damage to the new wood floors. I am feeling calm about my home for the first time in...well, for the first time.

Vindication #3: NICJ has taken a liking to fixin up the place. "Makes him feel good," he says. Makes me feel good too - after 3 years living like the trashy neighbors who you wish would move back to the holler and quit f-ing up the property value, I finally feel like I might want to invite a friend over for dinner without apologizing for every GD thing that's half-assed put together around here. It's starting to look like home - not sure what that means for the future of "us" - but it sure is a nice breather - kind of like comin' out the other end of the scary dark tunnel, or seeing that sunshine peek through the dark gray clouds.