The second big event was a kitchen extension, which I have wanted to do for the last 10 years. I was always frightened by the cost and disruption. Part of it was practical, and part was my own fearful imagination about, “how am I going to cope with no kitchen, the expense, and all the chaos?!”.
One of my mentors for hypnotherapy asked me, “How did you manage to get through other difficult times in your life?”. The answer is simple, and applies to all of us, “I just found a way and did it”. You will always find a way and sometimes it is our own determination, and other times, it is with the help of others. Anyway, I did manage it and I had lots of supporters.
My builder was excellent. Not only in his work, but payment schedule. Barclay’s “lost” a transfer of money from my US account to help pay for it, and even though I had savings to draw on, the money was missing for 6 weeks! I kept my builder informed, and he really wasn’t bothered as he could see that I was doing everything possible to get Barclays to find my missing money (which is now with the Financial Ombudsman, and it finally arrived in the final week of the works finishing.
My neighbours helped us out with using their washing machines (can you imagine to have the privilege to live on a street where I was able to take my laundry to 7 different houses in rotation – plus one neighbour went on holiday for a week and gave me the keys to their house. AND the other nice thing is I had offers from another 5 neighbours!). They didn’t just let me use their machines – they folded the laundry when it was finished.
Besides doing laundry, we were offered meals. We had several Sunday lunches at friends and neighbours houses. We are truly blessed.
So, don’t be afraid of the challenge. You will always find a way. I promise.
