Paulus

Paulus is someone who can do just about anything with his hands. He trained as a chef, then as a landscaper and tree surgeon, then as a Shiatsu therapist... and now he focuses on light construction, carpentry, painting, and woodwork restoration. He is already looking forward to his next "profession" as a Japanese taiko drum player, maker, and instructor. But, there is a lot of work to do on our house, first!

The general contractor managed the large items (removing walls, moving staircases, etc) but Paulus gets to lay the oak floor, finish all the walls with clay plasters, complete the deck, make me an office space and extra kitchenette in my half of the basement, and then build himself a work space in the other half. He will be busy for a while.

In 2021, Paulus was able to find and rent an excellent workshop space on Banks Road in Brooktondale, the former Beanery associated with Cayuga Organics. The landlady is a family friend (in fact, I picked strawberries on their farm during one of their first seasons, when I was about 15). This workshop space is functioning primarily as a storage and sorting space for all of our many possessions from many travels -- plus my mother's belongings. It is what allows us to move and breathe in our new home as the remodeling progresses.

I should mention that Paulus is a bit crazy. He owns one pair of pants, for funerals. Otherwise, he wears shorts all year round. Or rather, he used to. A few years ago, he discovered the Seattle-based business that makes Utilikilts, and has become their biggest fan. Now the only time he wears shorts is if both kilts are in the wash. (He makes me take the labels out the necks of all his shirts, and ideally I should take all the sleeves off, too.) But, I must admit, I think more people around Ithaca know Paulus by sight than know the members of the Adams family, even though the Adamses been here for decades and he just arrived.