A Hammer and Some Nails

This account of Mother building her own house is a remarkable story filled with her vision, fears, anxiety, anguish, determination and joy in fulfilling a lifetime dream. Mother kept a journal throughout the process, so was able to recall even the smallest details in her thought process, the people we met along the way, what they were wearing, what they said, what I said and how we resolved the countless dilemmas. The significance of this accomplishment only became fully apparent to me when I read this book. I did not understand the magnitude of her aspirations, how important it was to her or what a huge undertaking it was. Her persistence in light of the full awareness of potential for failure amazes me. She credits me for frequently solving looming disasters. In retrospect, my confidence was more a result of lack of knowledge. I didn't have the fear of failure, so was able to approach each situation objectively, with a clear head and nothing at stake. The entire project was a diversion for me - a vacation from my duties as a mother, wife and homemaker. My rewards were great and I thoroughly enjoyed this time in my life. This book is a wonderful tribute to the pursuit of a dream.