The distance is nothing;
it is only the first step
that is difficult.
Madame Marie du Deffand, 1697-1780
French host and patron of the arts
You know how they always say "people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones?" Well, there is another adage that goes, "impatient people have no business purchasing 300 year old homes." For the last three months, I have been overseeing the refinishing of many rooms in our home, and despite the great progress we have made, I still find myself feeling overwhelmed and frustrated that it isn't the way I want it. I see the image in my mind, I can feel the air, see the light and smell the coffee...but it just won't go fast enough. When I was younger, I considered this the thrill of the chase...but as I "mature," I find the chase less thrilling because I JUST WANT IT DONE!!! No more dust, no more spill clothes, and everything in place.
How easy it is to wave aside progress when we have certain ideals in our mind. We miss the little victories and forget to toast our accomplishments. Great philosophers have said we can avoid the frustration by staying aware of the present moment, and when you are creating a home what is more important than those little steps, that become big memories of the great things you have achieved? One thing I have begun to be more attentive to is to take pictures and start to document the before and after...so there is a visual reminder of the road travelled. Believe me, it helps keep you sane! In the same way, we need to look back at the memories of our lives...all those pictures and videos that document who you were...and celebrate all the steps that have brought you to where you are today!
You know how they always say "people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones?" Well, there is another adage that goes, "impatient people have no business purchasing 300 year old homes." For the last three months, I have been overseeing the refinishing of many rooms in our home, and despite the great progress we have made, I still find myself feeling overwhelmed and frustrated that it isn't the way I want it. I see the image in my mind, I can feel the air, see the light and smell the coffee...but it just won't go fast enough. When I was younger, I considered this the thrill of the chase...but as I "mature," I find the chase less thrilling because I JUST WANT IT DONE!!! No more dust, no more spill clothes, and everything in place.
How easy it is to wave aside progress when we have certain ideals in our mind. We miss the little victories and forget to toast our accomplishments. Great philosophers have said we can avoid the frustration by staying aware of the present moment, and when you are creating a home what is more important than those little steps, that become big memories of the great things you have achieved? One thing I have begun to be more attentive to is to take pictures and start to document the before and after...so there is a visual reminder of the road travelled. Believe me, it helps keep you sane! In the same way, we need to look back at the memories of our lives...all those pictures and videos that document who you were...and celebrate all the steps that have brought you to where you are today!
With the holidays behind us and most of the boxes unpacked, I am going to start sharing my home with you. The rooms are cozy, but there is much work to be done. Because I love to make a house a home, I am completely inspired by this challenge. Yet, I am waiting and watching for only the best. Why wait you may ask? I am waiting because over the years of redecorating rooms, I developed quite a habit of looking for bargains...great deals whether I needed them or not. When we moved, I realized just how many "bargains" I had collected...many no longer worked in my space. My "bargains" added up to more than one really good piece would have cost.
When we moved to Pennfield, I made a conscious decision to do it differently. Despite the great challenge to start changing and rearranging, I am taking time to learn this house in order to find exactly what needs to be here. It is the type of home that needs more than just the usual. Taking steps rather than "a room in a day" approach is going to create a home that respects the history and feel of this place.
But even with great restraint, there are things that cannot wait. First on the list is to paint all the trim...I can live in any house so long as the trim is in a beautiful soft shade of white. Historic colors are often mistaken as only these dark, dreary ones...but that isn't my style. As we make up the rooms we will show the progress, and I invite you to share your ideas.
Sorry for my absence! Many of you know that I just recently listed and sold my own house...and it went very quickly. Despite the advice that I was crazy for putting my house on the market just before the holidays, we did it anyway...and you know what? It sold the first day of showings! We were so grateful and were asked by many...how did you do it? After months of looking at other homes on the market, I have a little secret...it isn't the market, people are moving and looking for homes all the time despite what the newspapers report.
There are two main factors that affect a house in "this market"...
Here are some of the things we did to get our house ready:
Now that we have completed all the inspections and negotiations, it is time to pack up this life we have created here and move on to the next stop along the journey. I can't help but bump into memories of bringing home new babies and the great times we had in this space with family and friends. We are truly grateful and have much to celebrate this Thanksgiving!
