Each Day – How I’m Going to *Try* To Do It All
It is going to be an intense few months around here. Keeping Gadanke awesome as it grows and grows! Building a home. Connecting with our community. Getting planes up and out of the way. Figuring out how to heat a whole hangar just a little and the home inside of it a bit more… in the greenest way possible. Juggling balls I’ve never even seen before.
We want to be out of the tire house this late autumn.

We want to be all nestled in newly remodeled here when it starts to snow:

We know. It’s CRAZY.
Our motto is going to have to be by Thomas Jefferson:
I’m a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.
“We can do this!” the cheer squad shouts.
The cheer squad is me; the cheer squad is Martin. Every so often, we have to be really loud.
We sat down to play Settlers of Catan with some friends after a week of work (love that game!). I would have worried about Martin’s nose landing right in the plate of watermelon as he nearly nodded off. But I was too busy pinching my own arm. ”Stay awake, Katie, stay awake.”
We lost miserably.
But then we took a break. Taking time to rest is always so important.
THANKFULLY, we have a strict rule : Sundays are always free. We’re not afraid to head down to the campground for an afternoon ice cream cone. Naps are our best friends. There is always time for dinner with friends or a 4th of July family reunion in the mountains.
Too bad it’s Monday.
I’m just kidding! The incredible thing is that all day, I’m doing what I love or I’m working toward it.
“We can do this!”
I’d like to compile a list of questions and answers you guys might have. About running a small business. About the hangar. Oh gosh – maybe even about my favorite colors or about Martin and me in general. Will you let me know in the comments?








July 11th, 2011 at 5:58 am
We have the same strict rule about guarding our day off. I think it’s the only way we stay sane during this incredibly busy season of growing, nurturing and making some of our dreams happen.
July 11th, 2011 at 6:49 am
I’d be really interested in hearing more about how you and Martin plan to heat/cool/power the hanger in a green way.
What an exciting project!
Sooz
July 11th, 2011 at 7:30 am
I’d like more details on the hanger remodel, too!
I see great potential in that area above the ladder, are you planning to use it?
Are you putting in any skylights as part of your green solutions?
Do you have any outdoor space (potential garden area) that comes with the hanger?
What interior paint colors are you considering?
What happens to your apartment in Germany?
These are probably too may questions to ask at once.
I really look forward to seeing what you do with the place!
July 11th, 2011 at 7:41 am
im keeping my fingers crossed for you two! your hangar home looks amazing, i was always dreaming about a home with sooo much space.. can’t wait to see photos when you are finished! i am so jelous for you guys hehe :)
xxxx
July 11th, 2011 at 7:43 am
You can do it! I cannot wait to see your transformation. Also, I would love to hear more about how you came up with the concept for Gadanke :)
July 11th, 2011 at 8:07 am
I’d love to know more about Gadanke, as well. How you decided to take the leap and start the business…how long it took from the time you got the idea until the online shop was conceived, etc. :) Looking forward to it!
July 11th, 2011 at 8:34 am
Did you buy the hangar? Is that your plane?
July 11th, 2011 at 8:58 am
Are you moving out of the tire house for good? Will you fly the planes???
July 11th, 2011 at 5:24 pm
Do you have family nearby? What drew you to the area?
July 11th, 2011 at 8:11 pm
You wrote about your expat experiences in Germany – I’d be interested to hear about Martin’s experiences in the US.
July 11th, 2011 at 8:37 pm
What is Settlers of Cataan?
Those plants you are standing near? Where is that picture taken? (I love that pic!)
Will you fly the planes?
How did you and Martin meet?
Can we be your cheerleaders too? I for one am very excited about your new project!
July 11th, 2011 at 10:39 pm
Katie,
I’d like to hear about how you two are tackling the renovations? Are you list makers?
Are you let’s just see what today will have us do? Will you keep the apt in Germany?
I’d think you’d need it so you can stay there when you visit Martin’s family….maybe need it?
Congrats on the kids’ journals…may get a few for some kids I know for Christmas…
Have a great week.
July 12th, 2011 at 11:50 am
Hi, I really like your blog, and think that the idea of a journal for kids is awesome!! I am also looking forward to peeking into few of them in the future.. filled out, of course!
I have few questions for you, and think q&a is fun idea!
Is it difficult to leave behind your german apartment after investing so much work and love in it?
Are you afraid that settling in one country will limit your and Martin’s adventurous spirit?
While living in two countries, how did you manage to handle the production of your journals? Did you do (and do you do) everything: from idea and design to production and assembly yourself, and if so, did you take all of your supplies with you every time?
You work from home (me too!): how do you manage your time?
Is whole hangar going to be yours? If so, do you already have plans how to use it?
Thank you for the opportunity to ask you these questions. I wish you all the luck with remodel and settling in in the new community!
July 12th, 2011 at 12:29 pm
This is so exciting! And you can totally do this…making this home again!
I’m curious about what you’re doing with the not-apartment space in the hangar. Is there a hangar-type business that comes along with it, and if so, are you taking that on too? Is your plane (or future plane) going to live there with you? Do you own the whole building, or just the apartment rooms?
I’m guessing that along the way you may be sharing some of the differences between a reno in Germany vs. a reno here. That’d be interesting! How is your approach different this time around, or is it?
I also think it’d be fun to hear about Martin’s experiences as an ex-pat. Or at least YOUR experiences in your own country being married to an ex-pat and how they’re different from being the ex-pat. Or something like that.
What are some of your daydreams? What are some colors you might want to bring in? As a renter, I have a serious case of ‘if I bought this house’-itis, imagining things I could do and changes I would make. I’m curious about some of your ‘renovation fairy’ dreams, too!
Also – will you have to buy a car? And is your climate warm enough to keep a garden? Is that even of interest to you? OMG WILL YOU GET A DOG? :)
Aaaah! This is gonna be awesome!
July 12th, 2011 at 9:55 pm
awesome, awesome questions!! I am compiling… ;)
July 13th, 2011 at 11:59 am
I Totally agree with Jessica – you have lots of cheerleaders right here!
July 14th, 2011 at 6:41 am
Cathryn, Sana and Andrea covered my question which was what happens to the apartment in Germany? And all your things there? If you do give up the Berlin apartment how do you move your things back? Costs for that?
I’m not sure how I ever found your blog in the first place (yours was one of the very first I found when I discovered the blogging world) but I’m glad I did.
hugs
~a
July 14th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
first of all: i LOVE settlers! such a great game!
second: are you planning on building a bunch of your own furniture? what kinds of renovations are you planning for the hangar? are you worried about insulation and keeping the place warm?
July 16th, 2011 at 4:56 am
I’d also like to know how you propose to insulate the building — I assume it’s not insulated and has a nice leaky hangar door?