HARMON: Being 'set in your ways' has its drawbacks

I know you've probably heard that phrase, "set in his ways" or "he's set in his ways." It usually applies to someone older, such as me, or someone who's resistant to change, such as me, or a dictator in some Middle Eastern country.

It's not necessarily a bad thing to be "set in one's ways," but sometimes it has its interesting aspects. My grandfather was "set in his ways" and things at his house had to be just so, from the television schedule neatly folded by his chair to the ear hairs and eyebrows my aunt had to trim from time to time.

I admit to being "set in my ways," a bit, but I had no idea just how set I had become until the woman I live with decided to remodel our brick double-wide. There was no warning about this situation as I simply woke up one day to the sound of a boom box and hammers in the living room.

I could see no reason for this sudden urge to purge the house of familiar wall scars (many going back to when the daughter now 29 was learning that art was not her forte), faded paint, poor lighting and cloudy old storm windows that gave one that warm and fuzzy feeling of, "Oh look dear, it's going to be another rainy day."

However, one does not argue with the paymaster, so now, as I sit here writing this, I have no idea where anything is. There is no water in the bathroom sink and we're living in a dust bowl. Finding toiletries cannot be done when one needs them and this can be particularly irritating when nature calls. I'm in that delicate position, totally relaxed, until I realize the toilet paper is in the hall. The remote hasn't been seen since day one, so I haven't a clue as to who won "Wheel of Fortune" or what dress Mrs. Obama wore to the latest Washington gala.

This is very irritating because those are the two things I always considered as "major events." The truth is, I may be sitting on the remote but I'm too tired and frustrated to look under the cushions. The dogs, somewhat previously house trained, have decided "what's the use" and will "go" when and where they please after incessant barking, of course, which goes unnoticed as the hammers drown them out. Then they get that, "I think I screwed up" look on their faces and I say, "Bad dogs." I just hope they're not getting "set in their ways."

Oh, the cat whines a lot. His food bowl, usually found atop the small freezer, can now be found most anywhere with one of the dogs not too far away. I think he's losing weight. The workers (I hate to use that term, sounds so communistic) are nice older guys who enjoy their country music but a little bit of "I'm Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home" goes a long way, and we find ourselves stumbling over each other at different times of the day, like, whenever I'm home.

Nap time does not exist anymore because there is not enough distance between me and what's going on up front. Plus, the floors squeak. Squeaking floors make the dogs bark, so just about the time I'm in REM with a really good dream about some 50s pin-up girl, I get barked at. Being wakened during REM is supposed to increase one's appetite and I know I've gained two pounds since David Frizzell showed up.

We're in for another week of this and I suppose I'm learning how to "go with the flow." Now if I can just get this toilet to flush I wouldn't feel so "set in my ways." Remodeling is for people not yet on any medication and those not yet "set in their ways."

Sonny Harmon is a professor emeritus at Georgia Military College. Visit his blog at http://sharmon09.blogspot.com.

This story was originally published December 8, 2015 at 5:08 PM with the headline "HARMON: Being 'set in your ways' has its drawbacks ."