Everyday life - the shed and the trampoline
by Tracy Mcalister mackay - 10:22 on 15 February 2011
I did a very scary thing on Friday, I handed over a big deposit of hard earned cash, yes my husband and I will nod madly together on that one, for my shed/studio.
Scary, because it will be built very quickly thanks to my wonderful shed man and my friend Christine. Why is that scary: because then I have the beginnings for my next big leap* and I will have to take action and do it!
Exciting, however, because that is what I have wanted to do for looooooong time but glad its taken a loooooong time coz now it feels like the right time now .
During the last week or two I have been discussing with family and friends about needing to get rid of the trampoline that is standing where the shed needs to go. My daughter has loved the trampoline ( a birthday present) but is willing to give it up because she is on to other adventure now and we have made a deal :-)
The thought of trying to sell the trampoline did not fill me with delight. I hate selling things and would rather give it away for free before having to go through the embarrassment of working out a fair price for all and then having to ask for it !!! ( Note to self re selling artwork: my artwork is wonderful, people love it and worth every penny :-)
So while I was still thinking about how to give it away, my husband and I decided to watch a film, through pay per view, mid week. "Lost in translation" was one option "Syriana" was another. I have been meaning to watch "Lost in Translation" for years but never got round to it. "Syriana" won out because George Clooney was in it (my reason :-) ) other main reason - we live near the middle east and we have been avidly the watching the developments in Egypt this week and I have been intrigued with the US involvement. We watched Syriana.
I paid the deposit on Friday for the shed with every detail explained and thought out. Saturday the shed man and his lovely wife ( mother of 5 children ) came to look at the area to confirm all the details -previously explained. The shed would be laid on grit on top of garden ( which sits on rock not far below) the same as one we had all seen and discussed before, concrete slabs laid , shed on top - and specific colour of slabs, very important, I'm an artist ;-)
As things worked out, but were not planned, all who had been involved in the discussions through the week - Shed man who speak hardly any English, his wife who speaks some English, Christine who knows the construction and planning, my husband who basically was told by me - we are using this much money to buy a shed - OK? :-) and me who understand a very little Greek - were very happily standing in the sun with the dream about to become reality.
Then boom.... it became very apparent very very quickly that something major had been "lost in translation". Only a meter of slabs had been quoted for, as somehow it got lost in translation that a metre of slabs would only be needed in front of shed and not all the way under it.... The shed man didn't want his beautifully, to be built, building to collapse on uneven ground - so many more concrete slabs would have to be found and paid for. Total heart sink moment for me - I knew the budget would not go any further, full stop.
We stood in silence, well that is how it felt in my head:-)
Then, with the shed man talking in Greek, me understanding some of it , his wife trying to translate , my husband sweating thinking of the consequences of dealing with me if this all falls through :-) and Christine.... well she knows what she was thinking :-) ...suddenly I looked at where my dream was going to be built and there stood the trampoline....
I looked at the wife and mother of 5 children and said "do you want a trampoline?" , she discussed in Greek with the husband. (Don't know what Christine and my husband were doing coz I was praying frantically :-) The wife said "Yes", I said "can I have the slabs and you have the trampoline ?" - we all looked at the shed man and he said.....
"Yes"......... (in Greek ;-) ).
I kissed his wife , thought about kissing her husband and didn't :-) we all shook hands and he starts building Wednesday!!!!!!!!
Hallelujah for the trampoline, a leap of faith surrounded by lovely supportive people who all, including I'm sure the shed man now, are going to make my dream to come true....
My daughters dream is in process of being worked out and she is happy.
As a thank you and for the safety of the shed mans grandchildren, I want to put a new mat round the trampoline ...
And tonight I might even get time to watch another film..... wait a minute its "Bafta awards red carpet night on "E" channel - "frocks and celebs" or "Lost in Translation" ???
*Big Leap - I was interviewed sometime back by Suzy Greaves who one is of the UK's leading life coaches, named as 'the top ten guru" to change your life around' by the Daily Mail. Media columnist and managing director of The Big Leap Coaching Company, Suzy regularly writes for the national media from The Sunday Times to Red magazine. Suzy invited me to take part in her 21 day challenge - I thought - "artist's don't do stuff like this, I set my own challenges thank you very much and I am doing just fine finding and completing big commissions blah blah blah..." but as I am always up for a challenge I thought I would give it a go.... and guess what the studio/shed became the challenge - check it out Big Leap here www.thebig-leap.com/
brilliant, xxx
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