Then she looked toward the freshly painted bedrooms.

‘I would rather hear that than hear someone say they know everything.’

There was a problem with the workshop conversion.

I had done safe carpentry work, but I had moved too quickly, assuming good workmanship meant the room was approved.

It wasn’t.

Patricia required permits, building inspection, adequate exits, and separate living space away from tools and chemicals.

I hired a contractor to correct the areas I couldn’t certify myself.

We moved the workshop operations fully into the detached building and made the children’s rooms part of the existing house.