Chapstick & Chapped Lips & Things Like Victory: #fixerupperdetroit land bank update

My coffee table is covered in snacks. I've been biting my lips (even when liberally using good lip balm), binge eating carbs, and rubbing my face. I'm behind on all housework. I feel behind on our demolition. I woke up feeling like I've been hit by a bus.

And I don't have the energy left to do anything about any of those things.

I spent years teaching myself not to engage in the kind of emotional eating I did throughout adolescence and young adulthood. It felt so good to start eating when I was hungry and finding other ways to manage stress. I also trained myself not to rub my face - a nervous habit that I found strangely soothing but is unprofessional and unsanitary (the trick is to wear enough makeup that I'm afraid to smudge it, something that I cut back on once the habit was broken). I stopped biting my lips using much the same technique - a combo of lip balm, lipstick, and lip exfoliation.

But the amount of pressure we've been under lately caused me to take up a bunch of bad habits. Stopping myself took too much energy.

Good news, though: 

In making so much noise about the land bank, contacting people, explaining the situation, and so forth, they have decided to

officially close our case.

No additional paperwork. No awkward timeline. No risk that they will seize the property. No lawsuit. No legal fees.

They're moving on to other homes that actually need help.

My beautiful mess is free and clear for her makeover.

I guess that means I am too.

(As an aside, we still need help with a few demolition projects. If you have time tomorrow, please let me know.)