Roads to Joy

There are a lot of ways to find joy in life. I often think that creativity is the most exalted of those ways, but there’s a certain joy in being busy, in doing things that have an urgency. You could say, ‘just being busy’ but it’s more than that. The busy is yet another means of getting out of oneself, a way to throw yourself into a task or a series of tasks, that reduces the self-involvement and gets you into a ‘flow’ state. In that state, joy can reside.

We’ve been earnestly plodding through a set of hoops to achieve a carbon-reducing energy system for our new home. The final hurdle was overcome at the beginning of last week when we were available for a quick installation of a new header circuit, upgraded to 100 amps, to accommodate the anticipated pair of Air Source Heat Pumps. After Scottish Power Electricity Network gave the ‘OK to Begin’ notification to Greener Energy Group, our ASHP and Solar supplier, we could schedule a date for the big reconfiguration of our heating system.

But that meant ‘busy’ for us! Lots to do before the professional team descends upon the site and begin their work. Our job has been to clear the decks in the side shed where the oil burner must come out and the new pipework from the patio-sited ASHPs will go through the wall into the radiator network. But the shed has been chocka with various bits and pieces from our house moves over the past two years. It’s been sitting, getting fuller and more full, as I’ve procrastinated on organising things into a useful workspace for my DIY pursuits. Time now to take it all apart, store it safely, and then put it back in a reasonable way. As well, of course, as divesting appropriately to the household waste recycling centre.

We felt so fortunate that we’d had the foresight to have our veranda installed, earlier this spring, so that the shed contents could be stored somewhere reasonably dry and accessible. But what a job to clear the place! And more than that, each of the 10 radiators due to be replaced, as well as the new double-size water immersion tank, must have a clear area around them so that the new fittings can be accomplished. We’ve been busy this week!

There’ll be more clearance (of the living room, especially, where an additional new radiator will supplement the heat output of the other two that are being replaced) late on Monday evening, before the scheduled Tuesday beginning of the work. And then we’ll decamp to our ancient Harry Hymer, sitting in the drive, while the place is filled with the bustle of the workers doing their jobs. Although we ourselves won’t be busy, it should be something of a joyful time for us to watch from the relative serenity of our intimate space, with all the amenities we need for living.

The job is promised to be finished by the end of the week, whereupon we shall busy ourselves again to begin to consolidate things back into normal service. And I shall have a workplace with my tools organised, and a workbench, as well (I can dream!) as a LEGO studio for making ‘My Own Creations.’

Full of busy, full of joy.