Making a HOUSE into home

I am always amazed by those women that can have their entire house unpacked, window treatments done, furniture in place and pictures on the wall in less than 2 weeks. Having been in the Air Force for 22 years, I met many women like this. Most were SAHM, and I have no clue how they did it. I have a dog and a teen, and we are still living out of boxes in many ways.

"We" had the bedroom redone by a contractor, the previous owners did things that went with what they had, but did not work with our stuff. So, hired someone to do the hard work of removing stuff, repairing and refinishing walls (from removing stuff) priming and then repainting. It took a week for a professional, imagine if DH & I did it...

I am right now waiting for primer to dry in the powder room, a second coat and then I can repaint the entire room.

I have not yet begun to tackle the windows, other than for cleaning them. And as we remove boxes and move furniture into place, see that I MUST have the carpets cleaned soon!

It took over a year in our last house to "unpack" and then we spent the last two years there getting ready to sell. Having done what we wanted done from the start.

This house there is less "want to change" but enough that I am trying to come up with time lines and schedules of when to do things. Like change the cabinets in the kitchen, continue to repaint, finish a basement, and do different landscaping.

Again, I admire those women that by this time (3 weeks in the house) have already started on those things.

I play with the dog, work on my scrapbooks, read through books and magazines, as well as unpack, breakdown boxes, inventory for missing items, restock supplies, and hunt down replacements.

A book about loss and grief recommends that a person not make major changes the first year after a loss of a loved one. I am still grieving the lost of our/my "home" in California, and the routines and life that was built around it. Our daughter thinks she is the only one grieving the lost of her "place and space" and the life and friends she had there.

DH has his work, which is under much better conditions than he had before, less additional duties and headaches. He misses things about our old house, but loves what we have with the new one.

DD and I are sometimes having trouble with that, seeing beyond what we miss. The weather has been "California" like, warm to hot, with until a couple days ago, clear blue skies. Not at all the type of weather you associate with Fall.

So, I still have portions of our previous lives to finish scrapping, then maybe the grieving will be over and I can start on this new life here on the East coast.

Holy Cow Batman You've updated! Yep finally!!!

Okay, it's been OVER a month since the last update -- YIKES!!! Why did I think I have updated previously... oh yeah, I got drafts that never went public, okay.

Total update:

Early August like around August 6th, I went to a Two Peas - Pubster related crop in Michigan that my SIL Nancy (scrappyknees) organized. Met IRL some really cool gals, and also a bunch of the regular Pubsters, and yes they were the coolest folks to hang out with... except that I also used time AWAY from the Crop to "hang out" with my Uncle (Dad's brother) who has mobility problems (MS since the early 1960s) and my Aunt (his wife) that has multiple health concerns.

The day before we all (Brother, SIL and I) socialized and visited with our Aunt (Mom’s youngest sibling) and Uncle (her husband) that live in Howell Michigan and with another Aunt (one of Mom's sisters) that has Parkinson's and is still in a skilled nursing facility. Had dinner out and I returned to the facility to visit longer with her.

That seems to be how I visit relatives anymore, at least one has a serious health related condition. And I never pass up a chance to see them, it's at the point you never know if it is for the last time.

BTW - All relatives are doing well.

Next

DH goes to West Virginia to visit family, a cousin of his is about to have a serious procedure done and is more than a little worried that she won’t live through it. It’s a quick visit and he’s soon back.

August 10th, DD returns and once again the little suite at the hotel by the mall is cramped and cluttered. {Grrrr} I cannot wait for our house to be settled and final.

Finally we settle/close on the house and I begin to clean before we move in. It’s not really that dirty, and the work is less than anticipated, but more than I ever wanted to do (after having my house 110% white glove inspection ready clean when we moved out in June).

Saturday and Sunday we go shopping for things, and also start to back-up and out of the hotel.

Monday, the 29th (My 46th Birthday.) We are up and at the house before 7:30, (you must be there ready between 8 am and 5 pm thing), the movers don’t show-up till 4:34pm. And get this, they don’t have everything!!!! Yes, we want it all delivered today as promised! So… we are still at it at midnight.

By this time we do realize that many items are “missing” like a Sears Craftsman tool chest, the one with the drawers; some shelving; several boxes, our patio furniture and a work bench table top. {Grrrrrrr!} Among many other things.

Happy Birthday Sandy!
We return BACK to the hotel for one last night’s sleep on real beds (ours arrived but are not yet put together).

We still have no phone service, which also means no internet and no cable TV, until Thursday. Hey wait opps, the house was wired for cable company B; not cable company A! So cancel the cable from company A, go with company B and get their cable modem too.

So, it’s the 9th already. The boxes left in the garage from the second load of our stuff are finally down in the basement. TVs have cable connections and two computers are up and this time really networked! (Hurrah!) One more to go.

The lattice is off the walls in the master bedroom and we are closer to getting the room painted (scheduled for next week). Other “honey-dos” are getting done.

DD has even started on her road towards a G.E.D. (long story short -- most of her work from Vanden HS in California, DID NOT transfer for High School Graduation requirement for Maryland. She’s fed-up, Dad’s fed up, so she is going the GED to Community College track, while working (when she gets a job, interviewed by several, still waiting, still applying)).

We’ve had a couple home cooked meals and are almost feeling like this is “HOME” and not another temporary living situation.

Now, I realize that all our trouble, problems and concerns are nit-noy things. There were people literally fighting for their lives, that have lost EVERYTHING, including family members over the exact same time period. We have each other and most of our possessions so we’re in really fine shape actually. Every time we go to the store, like Home Depot or Lowe’s, we make a donation, every grocery store trip to restock, there’s another donation there, and DH has started an allotment at work as well.

We are blessed and lucky.

So when I scrap these last few days, the memories will include photos from on-line sources of the backdrop of our lives.

We pray that those affected personally by the events of Hurricane Katrina may receive strength and support and those involved in the rescue, recovery and rebuilding are blessed as well.