There’s an undercurrent of panic in my actions.

We have five weeks until eviction from our home in Warren will be looming over our heads. We have no firm date, only the knowledge that August is when our six months of foreclosure grace is ending.

The kitchen and bathroom are so close to completion, but so far away. We have dozens of gallons of paint in our immediate future. There are some major undertakings left, including siding and gutter repairs. The City of Detroit inspectors could conceivably stop me from occupying the house until every single thing is complete. I don’t see how it’s possible to reconcile that with our deadline.

I was away with family for two weeks, and the Expo Icrontic consumed me when I returned to Michigan. As the last guests left for home this week, I was left with the hulking monstrosity downtown that will eat every minute of effort and attention that I allow it. I must finish securing a loan, balance our finances, and coordinate everyone’s efforts, but I also need to throw every minute I can spare of my own manpower at the remaining tasks.

In the afterglow of Expo, our community is excited about Icrontic and freshly home from a trip to Detroit. That likely means no one will be back soon enough to help with the final push, and everyone’s attention is elsewhere. I worry and fret and run the yet numbers again, endlessly moving around values in a spreadsheet, hoping our luck holds out.