Completed projects:

roof, kitchen, master bedroom, main bathroom (sans shower tile), fireplace, hardwood flooring, windows, office, front entry, stairway

Ongoing projects:

shower surround, dapping/painting woodwork, ensuite vanity/lights/mirror, painting outdoor trim, finishing front entry tile work, interior door painting and hardware, decorating

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Remembering








Here I sit on a Saturday morning with my first coffee, waiting for my morning fog to clear.

It's quiet. I have an incredible view on the day ahead. As there are no window coverings in the house yet, I have a clear wide window (literally) of the new frost blanketing the surrounding lawns. The sky is clear and promises to be a bright and wonderful day. Perhaps that's why I couldn't sleep in. I just woke up and needed to be, well, up
.
The work on the house was fairly constant for awhile, especially when we executed a kitchen install date. I remember rescheduling my work on delay mode for around a month's time so I could keep up with the pace needed to get things done
.
And now that we're sort of at the tail end of the renos, it's quiet. Abit too quiet.

I was going through some older reno pictures a couple days ago, and I flat out laughed while viewing some and sniffed when I saw others. I go through them frequently. Because it's so quiet now.




Many mornings over the past 10 months I was up early on weekends to welcome in a group of eager working folks. I'd race around ensuring they had tools and lunch and drinks. It was like a reno party with many attendees. If you're going to have a party, the ultimate is the kind where you wear dirty clothes and test each other who'll get dirtier quicker! No good hair required! Oh gotta love that!!

Other mornings, such as this one, start out quiet and once I finish breakfast, I put on my workclothes and start to hack on a project I can accomplish on my own. And for company, I have my dog and cats and the radio as Cody is at his Dad's for the weekend. It's not quite the same, but once I find my zone after I force myself to pick up that brush or tool, it just happens. And I do enjoy it. And yeah, it's still quiet.




I suppose this was the ultimate hope for all. To get this house in a good place so Cody and I could simply live in it and enjoy it's beauty and functionality. And boy do we ever! We're following the plan by enjoying it immensly! I just didn't realize how much I'd miss my friends when that day finally came.

I go to these sign meets at Dan's to help out a couple times a year or so. The place is filled to the brim with design type folks like myself so we have much in common. It's a busy happy place with lots of laughter, and shared passion for something we love to do. In quiet Yarrow, this workshop becomes quite a big deal for my little circle. And when it's ultimately time to shut the doors and go home, it gets quiet again.

That's sort of what the end of the major renos feels like. Dan warned me I'd feel the 'letdown' after my reno friends went home too. And he was right.




But luckily, there's the magic of emails and phone. There ARE things that still need doing where my friend/s will wander back to polk around with. Just not at the pace it once was. I'm glad they're back home living the lives they need to, spending it with their own families. Right where they should be.

I'm proud of each one of them. I've bonded with many and have made true friendships this past year. Living in Yarrow has a fresh new meaning to me. It appears the more seeds you sow, the more roots take place. And I love that.

This renovation has really made me feel like a part of this community. Being only 3-4 years new in this funky little town, I'm finally now feeling like I belong. When I drive Cody to school, I wave umpteen times at folks I pass. When I drive through the town with one 3 way stop, I spot a few walkers I know. It's a good feeling!




So, I know there's no need to feel blue about where things are at. Having no sig other at home and being somewhat of a social person, I venture out if things get abit too quiet. I know where they're all at and I know how to do it.




And that leads me back to my Saturday today. I've gotta get my breakfast done so I can get to my varnishing so I one day have TIME to visit my friends again! Time to get going.

Thanks folks, for the wonderful laughs and adventures we shared! I'll be thinking of you today while I yet again varnish my wood for a bazillionth time and laugh at my silly old self. Alongside my radio and pets of course... sigh...