Feb 21, 2013

Thanks, Homer!






A friend of my husband drew this picture for him the other day and he put it on the refrigerator using my magnets. 

Homer Simpson humor and vintage glass magnets. That's kind of my husband and me in a nutshell. 

 I was glad to have something to laugh about because...


 

Oops, they did it again. 

Two more wrong cabinets arrived yesterday

     
I was starting to get a little crabby about this, I must admit. But OfficeMax is trying very hard to figure out the problem, and at this point it's just getting kind of funny.  Now, if I ever do get the right cabinets, I'll appreciate them even more, and if I don't...

Well, it's just back to the drawing board.

Meanwhile, I can't do any new projects (perhaps you've noticed a lack of new projects getting done around here) because the art and craft supplies meant to be unpacked into these cabinets have been stored away in boxes for three months, and I can't get to them. 

I didn't realize how much I need to create, and I can't believe how much I miss my stuff!   

You might be wondering why my supplies are packed away. 

Last fall, while I was recuperating from the bronchitis that kept me from blogging, my husband and I were presented with the opportunity to have a new home built in a great new neighborhood east of Boise. Now, we love our 103 year-old North End cottage, but we were seduced by the idea of living in a brand new home. A home with a three year homeowner's warranty, where the 18 year-old furnace doesn't conk out on the coldest day of the year and the windows all open and close, where there are automatic sprinklers and the landscape is maintained for you, where the kitchen has a gas range and granite counters and a huge walk-in pantry, where there's an open floor plan, a ground floor craft room, a man cave and...

Well, you get the picture. Pure seduction.

So that's what I was doing instead of blogging all fall. I was organizing our twenty-five year-old household, packing-up, and preparing our cottage to go on the market while we would live in an apartment and have a new house built  

Thank heavens the builder was delayed getting the new subdivision platted and recorded. 

Because one day, as I was sitting in my old (non open floor plan) family room daydreaming about my soon to be new (open floor plan) family room, my eye fell on the bottom of the wall in front of me. 

Specifically, on this  moulding:




 The moulding my husband made and installed and I painted twenty-five years ago

And I was transported back to the time, with our baby daughters playing next to us in their play pen, as we tore off the rickety small back rooms of our old house, dug a new foundation by hand, poured the footings, framed the new two story 1,200 square foot addition, worked side by side with the drywallers, electricians, plumbers, carpet layers, cabinet installers, plasterers, and on and on until the last piece of moulding was in place and painted and the plastic tarp was finally torn down between the old and new. Our home was complete. 

We built this house with our own hands.

Our daughters tumbled over the furniture in the loft while watching Sesame Street, painted on their easels in the play room, slammed the doors to their bedrooms, put on prom makeup in the bathroom, sat with boyfriends on the family room sofa and celebrated their college graduations in the dining room. 

We raised our family in this house.  

As I gazed at the moulding, the past flooded over me and I could hear the echo of my babies playing as I wallpapered their new nurseries. 

And as the tears started streaming down my face, I knew I couldn't leave this house. 

The funny thing is, my husband felt the same way. When we talked it all out, we realized that being empty nesters with new needs doesn't mean we have to leave our beloved old house behind to have what we want. We'll just hunker down and rebuild it again, this time for the two of us. It will take longer than before because we're a bit older and a bit slower. 

But there's no hurry.  

So, the first thing I'm working on is moving my studio to the ground floor so I don't have to lug my heavy projects and supplies up and down the stairs anymore. No more paint brushes dripping down the stairs to the sink for cleaning. I've primed and painted my new space, and now I'm ready for decorating. But until I get those huge new storage cabinets in place and see the scale I have to work with, I'm on hold. 

And all my supplies continue to sit packed away in boxes out of reach where I can't get to them.

And I was getting a little crabby. 

So I'm glad for the humor in Homer and my husband today.


 

And glad I get to go through this new adventure with him. 

Thanks for stopping by my blog today, and thanks for hanging in there while I was on hiatus figuring out life and getting it together. 

A special thank you to all my sweet blogging friends who encourage me, make me laugh, and always make me feel welcome here. 




 

12 comments:

  1. First of all, oh no, not again! That happened to me once. I kept getting the same wrong shampoo over and over again. I kept calling, they kept apologizing, but the wrong shampoo still kept appearing on my doorstep. It got to be rather funny. But I have to say that shampoo bottles are way easier to mamage then great big cabinets! ... And second of all, I'm so glad you shared this story. I love the way you came to your decision. Sometimes something sounds so good in theory, but just doesn't feel quite right. In the end, you just have to follow your heart! Our story is very similar. We moved into our house over 28 years ago. We definitely saw it as a starter house. But as our family grew, so did the house - we pretty much rebuilt the entire house room by room. Is it the dream house swirling around in my head - no. But is it the home we built together and filled with love and memories - absolutely! I'd still like to make changes to the house, but I don't regret staying in this home for a moment!

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  2. This is such a nice story, Laurel. It must be very hard to leave a house that has so many memories. My husband and I have moved so many times over the years, that we don't really have a house that we feel sentimental about. In your situation, I think I'd probably want to stay put, also. Too bad about the cabinets - you have a great sense of humor about it. Best of luck!

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  3. everything happens for a reason.... so glad you didn't move only to regret it. Now, those cabinets... not sure why THAT is happening, but there IS a reason. ;)
    good luck!
    gail

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  4. What a wonderful story! Sounds like the true meaning of "Home" to me. I love your cozy cottage.
    Blessings,
    Linda

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  5. What a sweet post... and I'm SO glad you've decided to stay! I just hope you get the right cabinets soon! We had a new 'open plan' house before we moved here, and I can tell you that looking outside and not seeing anything but twigs was sad. I love our mature neighbourhood and the trees more than anything. Our older neighbourhood is much friendlier too. Have fun reinventing the love nest! :)

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  6. I was sad until I read that you were keeping that sweet house. I wouldn't know what to do unless I could see that house when I visit.
    Brenda

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  7. Oh dear those cabinets came wrong again????? Unbelievable! Well, you will have a story to tell, it will be a great "conversation piece(s)." Very enjoyable post. Wishing you a great weekend.

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  8. I understand your feelings totally as we are preparing for retirement, thinking o f downsizing but loving this home too. It's so exciting that you are getting a new craft room. Can't wait to see it.

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  9. Laurel, love, love this post! First, I can NOT believe you got the wrong shelves again. Amazing!!! I am so glad you are staying in your home. Somethings in this life are just meant to be. Can't wait to see all the changes you will make. Enjoy your weekend!

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  10. Omigoodness! They delivered the wrong cabinets again?? Ugh! I hadn't heard the story of you almost moving. So glad you stayed put where you have all your memories. :)

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  11. I can't believe they did it again! I know what you mean by not wanting to give up your home. We have talked about it but never do anything as we love our too large drafty 1880's Victorian home. Right now we are remodeling our bedroom wand thw everything upstairs is topsy turvy and I can't get into my craft room:( I hope your room get done soon and can't wait to see the pictures.

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  12. Laurel, You have the most beautiful heart. I loved reading this. What wonderful memories.

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