Renovations

Happy New Year to all my blog readers! My flight back to Arizona on December 30 was uneventful, and I was so happy to see Bob again. Auggie greeted me hesitantly at first, then enthusiastically. He proceeded to sit apart from me and studied me for a while as if he couldn’t quite believe that I was still among the living. I truly think he thought I was dead and gone for good.

I walked into our little home and was so excited about the painting Bob had done while I was gone. Here are “before” and “after” pictures.

The room looks so much brighter and I am thrilled. We went out on New Years Day to IKEA and bought a rolling kitchen cart. Now I have the work space I need to prepare meals.

We also purchased a couple of Lazy Boy recliners for the living room and a cherry butcher block countertop that Bob will be installing. More on that when it is in the kitchen.

Between shopping expeditions (which any woman will tell you is WORK) I’ve been going to the fitness center daily, choir practice, and Fiber Arts group. And am settling into this new place. I had only spent a little over a week here before I flew off to NJ so I had to re-learn where everything was. Bob and I have decided that once the kitchen is done and the Arizona room is set up, we will stop renovating until next winter. We want to be able to enjoy our new home!

We have started emptying out the Arizona room that will become my weaving and craft studio. The ugly sofa bed is gone and I’ve made several trips to the local thrift store, donating unwanted items. It feels good to have all that gone. Hopefully in the next week we’ll start moving the looms, wheel, sewing machine, marudai, books, and yarn into the space. I need to start sewing up some curtains, too.

Despite all the work, we have been enjoying the lovely weather and people here. Temperatures have been in the upper 70s and I actually considered turning on the AC today. Our neighbors have welcomed me back and told me how they had been thinking of my daughter and me, as well as keeping an eye on Bob and Auggie. It’s so nice to be part of this community.