Building on Dreams

Chapter 34 - An Idea

"Have you been looking at them?" Greg asked in surprise.

"No, but it's the first thing that came to mind when you mentioned a stylish convertible. I used to love the looks of those back in the sixties, and the modern ones aren't bad either," Susan remarked.

"You know, that isn't a bad idea," Greg commented. "It would be more economical than the European sports car models I had in mind."

"Do you think we should look this weekend?" Susan wondered.

"Not yet. Next week should be much more manageable. I'll only need the car mid-day on Monday, and Thursday for my meeting with Alex. Other than that, I'll be working at home next week," Greg said.

"No studio days?" Susan questioned.

"No, at least not for the series. Tomorrow is the first of February, Susan. I've been advised they may need me again for an episode or two near the end of the season, but that won't be until March. I expect my schedule and my need for the car will be lighter until then," Greg explained.

"So you're not working at all in February?" Susan asked warily.

"I am on the script ... and I still get an income from my estate," Greg assured her, correctly reading her concern about their finances. "I expect a number of teleconferences with Andrew as I begin the review process of his work, but that can be done from here, most of the time."

Susan nodded. "Okay Greg. I don't have anything special planned next week, so I'm sure we can wait another few weeks at least. Good night," she said as she snuggled up to him.

"Good night Susan. I love you," Greg said, but his wife had already drifted off into sleep.

c

Greg went to work the next morning thinking of the promises he was trying to keep: promises to provide their family with a home, to provide his wife with a peaceful place to meditate and to pray, and to remember to bring the car home on time. On this particular day, the last one at least was an easy enough one to keep, and a phone call from the electric company reminded him that with their help, he was making progress on the first one as well. Just how much progress he was making wasn't readily apparent however until the following Monday, when Greg decided to leave early for his meeting with the architect and his landscape architect friend up on their property.

Greg arrived to find that they weren't the only ones working near Greg's property on that day. The electric company was there too, digging a trench along the road and out onto a corner of his property through an easement provided by his neighbor. The property owned by the neighbor was undeveloped and so although he didn't have a need for the electricity, just having the lines run through the easement made the power available to them both. With that being the case he'd been more than happy to grant Greg permission to have the work done. Until he arrived, Greg completely forgot similar work was also being done by the water company on that very same day.

"What's all this?" Brian asked when he arrived, looking at all the heavy equipment working along the road near Greg's property. Today, they'd all parked on top of one of the hills instead of in the valley as they usually did, in order to more objectively look at the shape of the valley where they planned to build. The valley was after all the focus for what they'd come to look at, and they didn't want their cars in the way this time as they talked about where the house might sit.

 "Utility companies," Greg replied. "I've arranged to have water and power, brought from the nearest access point onto my property."

"All this is for you?" Brian asked in surprise as he surveyed a trench digging machine following a path marked by stakes that turned from the road quite a distance away.