Lord of the Rings, The Odyssey, Star Wars.  They all have a plot line that is common to all great stories.  As described in Wikipedia,

“In a monomyth, the hero begins in the ordinary world, and receives a call to enter an unknown world of strange powers and events. The hero who accepts the call to enter this strange world must face tasks and trials, either alone or with assistance. In the most intense versions of the narrative, the hero must survive a severe challenge, often with help. If the hero survives, he may achieve a great gift or “boon.” The hero must then decide whether to return to the ordinary world with this boon. If the hero does decide to return, he or she often faces challenges on the return journey. If the hero returns successfully, the boon or gift may be used to improve the world.”

I am at another stage of my journey where I too have to overcome certain obstacles, uncertainties, and make painful decisions about what I need to sacrifice to achieve my ultimate goal.

A couple of weeks ago, after a heavy bout of rain, I found some water coming into my basement. This came after the rear addition was removed and the contractor started digging out the rear to put in the egress window.  Oh, and the ground underneath the addition was graded such that it would direct water to the house.  This is never a good thing.

I now got a first cut cost estimate on how much it will take to fix this little problem.  The solution will involve excavating the exterior down to the footing, putting up a waterproof membrane against the foundation, and bricking over a busted window.  I met with the primary contractor and the masonry subcontractor to discuss options.  The scope of this job has to increase, to include re-grading as well as installation of a sump pump.

So sacrifices have to be made.  The first to go are some of the more elaborate closet plans that I had.  I originally wanted to create some big closets using Ikea Pax shelving systems without the doors.  Now, I have to settle for stand alone Pax wardrobes for the master bedroom and wire shelving for the guest bedroom closet.

The second project to be chucked by  the wayside is replacing the stairs to the basement.  I now have to figure out how to make the current stairs presentable. I suspect I may go the route of refacing the stair when I have the cash to do so.

There was also a minor hiccup in getting payment to the contractor from the lender.  A few emails were bandied about and hopefully, this will be cleared this week.

The plumber, masonry guy, and my primary contractor will be meeting this week to discuss options on the sump pump, where to pump out the water, and other water-proofing tasks.  Hopefully, this won’t cost too much more than what I’ve budgeted.

In the Gilgamesh epic, he went to the bottom of the ocean to find a flower that would grant him immortality.  I just wish that at the end of my hero’s journey, I find a dry basement.