One of the top five days of my life......

Thursday had to be one of the top five days of my life. I can't put it into words.....I can't begin to describe my feelings.....I can't put enough sentences together to make sense out of seeing something I have wanted for so long and have wanted so much come to fruition before my very eyes. It was and is too much. Too much.

For starters, just look at those pictures that Jason posted on the last blog.....double click each one to make it bigger.....and just see if you don't get goose bumps.

It would be too much blather to try and give you a play-by-play, but a guy in a crane with tinted windows (I'll have to get his name) that you could see for miles away would pick up a shipping container, gently move it over the piers,lower it very slowly, release it, do a sort of arabesque ballet turn to the left while Todd would have his welder (and newest employee) start welding it in place.......then Todd would do his high wire act on top of the next container, hooking the crane to the corners of the container top, sashay (or maybe it was more like a tour jete') down to go to the next one. And the crane man would do his dance again. This ballet was repeated four times, without a hitch, and the only thing missing was a symphony orchestra to accompany this moving and dramatic experience in the mud.

In probably less than four hours, a few good men had turned four shipping containers (that had yet to attract a wasp nest or a transient) into the house that, when finished, will take your breath away. Less than four hours.

Now, when I last wrote, I was a little mealy-mouthed about sending out the news release.....wondering if anyone would show up. HAH! This has become one of those "be careful what you wish for" deals that is downright amazing.....and I couldn't be happier. The only person I haven't heard from, is Oprah, herself.....but I'm ready to tell my WHOLE LIFE STORY when she calls. And I will be naming names.

Donna, from the News-Leader, was there with her camera and tape recorder and got the best parking place.....and probably more pictures and more words and more emotions than a person or paper could ever use. Joel, from KSPR, was there filming AND interviewing....at the same time. And Chad and his camera man from KY3 were there in time to not only stand inside the future living room and look down at the river through the would-be door/window, but must have been all over the place taking pictures and talking to folks and having a great time doing it.

Here is the KY3 story: Living in a box: architects create unique home in Webster County

And here is Donna Baxter's News-Leader story: Woman gains house of shipping containers

As a result, there has been an unbelievable....and I mean UNBELIEVABLE reaction to what has been aired. Keyway Construction, theworkshop 308 and I would like to
express much gratitude for the way in which the project was presented by the media, for the fact that it WAS presented, and in turn, for the response by those who were reached by the coverage. If I had written this yesterday, I would be speaking "regionally". After learning, this morning from a phone call or two, that it was aired on CNN / HNN's Morning Express with Robin Meade, and maybe MSNBC, I am now speaking "globally". So, what do you think about that?

There are some serious issues to be studied here. Too bad my brain is mostly mush these days or I'd study them. Sending out press releases isn't exactly in my comfort zone nor my normal realm of experience these days, but, in this case, it felt both thrilling and educational. Strange combination, huh? And the news sources must have agreed. The project itself has such validity where cost, efficiency, practicality and design are concerned......and the people who are making it possible are of the highest, most interesting, most ethical and most talented caliber you could ever find. Seems like the world is hungry for each of these elements.....and they can be found right in our own back yard.

One of the top five days of my life. That's a pretty big deal. Thank you.

P.S. One person who responded to the television report was Janice Harrison of ConGlobal Industries in Memphis. She was disappointed that I had never mentioned that the shipping containers were purchased from her company. She also included a website with a great slide show that features some very creative uses of shipping containers. (No wasp nests, no transients.) Maybe the 8747house will be included in that slide show one of these days. jharrison@cgini.com