HOUSE CALL COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN

A communication breakdown is more than a hamburger at the closest McMenamins.

When it’s a house call breakdown, things can get twisted.

While the burger never disappoints, a house call miscommunication can hurt.

Confused yet? Let’s go:

Some years back, not too many, I moved into a house, a most beautiful house. It had this, that, and the other thing, one of which was a graceful transition from walkway to yard.

The transition material was thick, decorative brick in an interesting pattern. I liked it until it started mysteriously sinking.

Homeowner instinct said a sinking span of yard brick is not normal, so I removed the brick and dug a huge hole of discovery.

Find The Problem, Get The Fix

Paris Step Inspiration

Long story short, I ended up with a good sized pile of brick that I stacked up to pass as driveway decoration.

But the yard inspired even more changes, like stone work, stone walkway, fountain, statuary, you know, the usuals.

Since I play at being a good re-user, recycler, of material, I thought of the stone path down one side of the house. The neighbor had similar stone to make the steep walk from the street to the backyard possible.

Except his stone work was continuous, while my side was set up as individual, awkward steps that went under a sideways growing tree for decoration. So I usually walked down his side instead for mine.

I usually hit my head on the sideways tree when I walked down my side.

Communication Breakdown In Stone

I needed big, flat, stones for the yard, and found them in the side steps. Instead of a way down to the fern garden, I ended up with a set of dirt steps that would turn to mud steps in the rain.

Since this is Oregon, you know the story. Rain is always expected.

One of my expert buddies saw my work and noted that a good rain would turn the side walkway into a muddy slip and slide. Then it started raining, and he was right.

Turns out my stone scavenging wasn’t the solution I thought it would be. They worked in the yard, but might have been better left as steps.

In the rain I had my sharp pal throw me bricks from the pile I created and I fit them into the outlines left by the stone steps. We finished just-in-time.

They worked in spite of the complaints that the bricks were loose and created a safety issue, and I still hit my head on the sideways tree walking down the same path.

Hope For Change

Does this look dangerous? At night? After a few? Yes, someone could take a dive here. And they’d keep going. It’s so steep I dropped a brick and it kept rolling.

The plan agreed on was changing it enough to get under the tree without ducking, and not break an ankle on loose footing.

Good plan led to Go-Time.

Nice steps near Bull Mountain Park. Probably Boy Scout merit badge worthy.

I was a Boy Scout once upon a time, and I wanted to earn my late step making merit badge.

It took three days of dodging rain drops, digging, measuring, and fitting everything together.

Every stair master says the same thing: Always start at the bottom and work your way up.

So I did. Then I shared the load with an expert wheelbarrow driver. The best was yet to come, the big reveal, and the top example of a communication breakdown.

Makeshift Masterpiece, Or Mess

Talk about taking a bigger bite than I could chew, this thing felt like it was never ending. So much excavation, so many bricks, so damn heavy. But, I’m a weight lifter and I get pumped for the challenge.

Finally, it was ready for a closer look.

Me: What do you think?

Not Me: It’s a narrow set of steps.

The rain started just then.

Me: It’s better than the stone steps, the mud steps, and the brick steps. And just as wide as they were.

Not Me: I’m getting wet out here.

The Smart Marriage Move

Things are always falling apart and getting put back together. Paul Newman did an interview, and said about his long Hollywood marriage: “We fix things around here.”

That’s the best advice for any couple with plans to stay together: Fix things. Work it out.

And like building a stairway to happiness, start at the bottom.