New house update

[Hopalong]

Won't make this too long as I've discovered the more energy I put into talking about,
the less energy I put into doing. Huh. Life story.

But it's creeping along. I hit the wall last week, adrenalin gone, motivation still in a
box. Just crashed this w/e, walked, rested. Got a little laundry done. I'm going to
do a quick pickup before a group meeting at my home Thursday ... same band of
angels who unpacked my kitchen and made my bed for the first night, so I know
they won't judge.

Still love it, still very unpacked. (My office? Pile o' boxes.) It's not a how-to thing,
it's a how-to-focus and how-to-have energy to do it I'm working on.

Walking and also getting re-acquainted with my ancient Vitamix (love that thing,
I have a great firebreathing dragon sticker on it) have both helped. Green
smoothies and getting up determined to take a hike the new neighborhood, two whole
days of "doing it regularly" so far! Did some laundry (had to wash everything as it was musty
from storage...) but I found that unpacking my shabby clothes, I was ready to send
at least half of them back to the Goodwill from whence they came. That felt good.

The house's "feel" is cozy, warm, comfortable...just seems to fit around me wonderfully.
Spring will be a whole new thing, and I'm not trying any fall garden prep. What with
working FT, and spending so much I am still reverberating in a bit of $worry...that has
to wait. Indoors needs to be "done" before I focus outside. Energy, again, is the main
issue. All my art is still in a
friend's spare room. She'll deliver it when I'm ready to hang things.

But the low-E windows are in and tonight at last, I'm hanging white cotton curtains
in the room I hang out in most...a back addition that feels spacious and cozy. Great
windows on three sides, and a tree I love. Treetrunk smack in front of window. I
have an old slipcovered couch and three armchairs, plus my grandmother's restored
loveseat that cost an arm and leg but really looks beautiful in front of a big window.

I am really loving the neighborhood. Great architectural diversity from huge stunning
old places with landscaping 100 years old, some tasteful modern houses, lovely porches
and old trees...down to my little workerbee bungalow block. And the nature trail, and
some very trendy places. All mixed together which makes it fabulous for walking --
joggers and dogwalkers always going by. Always somebody to greet on the street
which I really enjoy. Even early this a.m., met a friendly gay couple who've been
there for years--asked them to come visit for the 10-second tour.

So all's well in Hops-land. Thanks for being interested!

xo
Hops

[Nonameanymore]

Hello Hopes!
Your new home sounds lovely! 

[sKePTiKal]

OOOOOOOO!! A room to be inside and cozy that allows you to appreciate the outside and it's seasonal surprises!! That sounds wonderful Hops. Might even be a good place to write? Keep an eye out for squirrels and nuthatches on that tree. They will get used to you and come say hi. Maybe you'll even see a bunny or two!

Your neighborhood sounds great. I love a mix like that; it's always so alive and communal. You'll expand your "phamily", I guess.

How's your kitchen? Did you have to do a lot to it? Keep some of the original character? Does it have a window, too? and a place to sit by it with a cup of tea for a quick bite?

Upstairs? or one-story? Some of those older bungalows were story & a half - with a center hall upstairs and a sloping ceiling. Absolutely a great sleeping architecture -- like the peaked roof of a tent... there's just something about that.

Tell ya what, Hops... don't worry about getting all unpacked, all at once. (2 1/2 years later, we're still in that process - for good, honest reasons and only a little real  laziness.) A person has to actually live in the space itself and kinda merge with it - it grows on ya - before you "hear" or "see" what that space wants to "be", functionally or design-wise. We set up enough space to be able cook, relax (hubs can't function without tv - it's his security blanket), and sleep comfortably. After all our changes - MIL here, then not - we're finally figuring out how we're going to live in all this space. I did finally re-organize the kitchen a little better. The downstairs kitchen is becoming my "summer kitchen" -- where I do food preservation and prep for summer meals outside. The open great room adjacent to it -- it where my huge craft, sewing, framing table is - a 4x8 painted plywood sheet atop our (seldom used) pool table. The sewing room opens onto that space -- so, I can easily put my "mess" away and close the door. Don't ya know? This week, every single flat surface is once again covered with the miscellany of living, sorting, reading, work-stuff, hobbies, interests, baby patterns...

But we can walk through the attached garage without starting an avalanche, now. Even with vehicles in it! LOL...

The best thing, is to come across a box and finally unpack it all this time later. It's kinda like buried treasure from another life... sometimes we wonder: what were we thinking?!... other times: it's a YAY! I wondered where that was. It's like being an archeologist "discovering" all the different lives one's lived... people we were then... (found some amazing hippie pics of hubs - hee-hee!) and being able to sense how different we are (or aren't) now.

I'm so happy for you Hops!! It was sooooooo lonnnnnnngggg in the works - but now you're there in one of the most stunning seasons, have the whole winter to nest into a new space and watch as spring "sproings"... and all the "ah-foo-yuck" is behind you now.


BIIIIIIGGG Hugs!! (and some happy-dancing, too!)

Amber