When we were looking at houses here on the island, our realtor kept asking us “so, does this house say Island Living to you?” Predominantly, the answer was no. Whether it was the Deliverance House or the Pot House or the Fire House, we really didn’t see a lot of houses that really even hinted at island living to us. Until we saw this money pit house, with the beautiful view and the little cottage feeling to it. It took us a few days to think about it, and we very nearly passed it up. As a house, it does not meet our needs. But the location is something we just couldn’t beat.
We wrote an offer on the house about four days after we saw it. From that point on, we were on Island Time. Now realize, we’re both big city slickers who work in the commercial real estate industry where everything is a tight deadline and every comma has to be in place. Well, that’s not the case here. On Orcas, people are on their own time. They may call you back right away, and they may not. If they need to get a document to you by a certain time, maybe they will and maybe they won’t. Waiting for the inspection report or the appraisal? Ha! A watched email server never dings, especially not on ISLAND TIME ha ha ha.
At first it frustrated us, but now, it’s just the way it is. Contractors that should have finished a job weeks ago are just now finishing up. The washer and dryer set I ordered in April (yes, April) is still not wholly resolved. I should have had the floors done in June, but the place we bought the flooring from doesn’t even have it in stock yet. And once they have it, we have to haul our wheels to the mainland to go pick it up. Let me assure you, a trip to the mainland is about as pleasant as being beaten, buried alive and left for dead in Hoboken.
It’s called Island Time. Things happen when they happen. This house is getting renovated about 1/3 as fast as I’d like it to, but that’s Island Time for you.
This weekend I made a trip to the mainland. I spent about an hour and a half (and a small stack of Benjamins) at Home Depot like a kid in a candy shop. Went to our storage unit and excavated some more of our stuff, including outdoor furniture so we can now sit outside for the remaining five weeks it may actually be warm enough to do so. But now, I have some materials to work with, excluding flooring. Now I can install an electrical outlet outside the house, that’ll come in handy. And repair some subfloor and set down cement backerboard in preparation of the tile that’s sure to come in soon. Get to repairing that wood burning stove we have, gathering dust (and bats) in the corner of our living room.
But not all at once. Sorry, I’m on Island Time now. And now that I’m here, I’m not going to kill myself fixing this place up. We moved up here so we can enjoy life a little more. So it’ll happen when it happens.
Now, this “Island Time” would drive me nuts, & I know you are used to instant gratification, which is typical of an only child. A little patience is fine, but I know you love to get things going. Keep after your “suppliers” to get your stuff to you, thats my advice.