I think a punch list is aptly named. I would venture to guess that those who use it in popular construction parlance, don’t actually know its origin. Derived from the process of recording all those miscellaneous items that are yet to be complete, but ironically are not considered part of substantial completion, because I assume you, and all the governing agencies in your city or town – deem the property safe to live, and/or work in.

The recording of the list doesn’t explain the punch. Now don’t go guessing, it’s not because you feel like punching your contractor out after a job should have been completed weeks, or ouch, months earlier than it was, no it’s that decidedly satisfying process (if you are actually the contractor) of punching a small hole in the page next to the item, once said egregious oversight was corrected. Thus the punch list was born.

This is the process that I am in, which will run in conjunction with another construction term known as – DAY 2. Day 2 work makes less sense to me, though perhaps is more satisfying, save the additional expense associated with it. This is all the work that you decided you needed, but didn’t include in the original scope of work, or that once in place you decided you hated, and were forced to question what you were thinking, and now simply can’t live with yourself if you don’t make it right. That work.

Now I realize that all my readers are perfect, which might really bug a lesser person, but makes me very proud. You can ignore Day 2, but even a perfect person is going to be subjected to punch list, because that’s simply out of your control. As a straight haired brunette who is often wrong, but seldom in doubt at the time of the decision-making, Day 2 is a regular part of my existence.

The good news is, despite my trigger happy decision making mechanism, I do learn from my mistakes. This my friends is called progress. So this past weekend, I progressed from the couch to my own bed, in the home that I have owned for 134 days. Now that might not seem like a long construction period to you, but I beg you to imagine for even a moment, what your life might look like without your own bed, or your seasonal wardrobe – now remember, it gets super cold here in the winter, and then it turns around and gets super hot. What will you choose to carry with you? Oh bother, it’s all a lot to deal with, and if you misplace your mascara during the whole darn process you just might break down and cry. If there is a silver lining in it all, your face won’t be streaked in black.

Cheers to No. 5. I’m halfway through with you.