Some days I don’t want to go out. And not because it’s stormy or raining… just because I want to be in. I love my house… love the comfort of the things around me… love its unique smell. My son insists that everyone elses house has a “special smell” except ours. He doesn’t realize ours has one as well… ’cause he’s used to it. I love the way this place feels… the warmth it gives off… the comfort it provides.
Mine is the home where people gather.
I know I wrote the other day about things falling apart around me. I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate my father arriving to work on the list of chores and my brother dropping by with his box of tools… I love them DEARLY for it.
However, I was actually writing about the fact that I’d woken up that morning and took a look in the mirror to see what FORTY TWO really looked like now that the celebrations were all over! I was bagging and sagging in places I didn’t want to, had dark circles under my eyes that needed spackle to cover them, could do with a hair cut, had a wee bit of a twitch in one eye from lack of sleep, and have a huge bruise on my leg from squeezing myself out of the seat I’d been sitting in at Nelly’s, scraping it across the underside of the table and hurting myself in the process. I was talking more about myself… not my house… and guess it got lost in translation.
The simple fact that they arrived to help… tool belts on and work ready… makes me love them even more… that didn’t get lost in translation!!
There are a few things that need to be done around here… but they’re minor… and with the exception of the lock on the back door not working… I can do them myself (although I tried to fix the cupboard door once and don’t have enough strength to get the screw to go in all the way and I really could do with someone showing me how those plug thingys in the sink work.) The rest of the stuff will get done when the mood strikes me. When I figure out what kind of caulk to buy… and how to get it in that gun thing. I bought the paint for the lights, the stain for the front deck, and I’m borrowing a pressure washer (call me if you have one!) I’ll pick up a couple of knobs for the closet doors. I might buy a new couch for downstairs at some point and I Murphy Oiled all of the wood floors and washed the windows yesterday.
My beautiful home… with the exception of a few minor things… is freakin’ amazing!
My mother pointed out that I should look at all the things around me that I’ve accomplished… and not the list of things that need to get done… and she’s entirely correct. This house… my home… looks amazing. Nothing’s really falling apart or hanging off the hinges (except for that one pesky cupboard)! It’s perfect!
Friends gather here.
It’s comfortable. Sturdy. Strong. Put together. Happy.
Just in case you didn’t catch that… I’m talking about me now!
Drop by for a visit! No need to bring tools. I don’t really need a handy man… you know what I mean.
As a fellow 42 year old I hear you. I find myself making all these weird sounds when swallowing food that my brother and I used to make fun of our father for. How time just loves to throw a joke back in your face. Good for you for being so resourceful. I'm still shamefully useless with power tools.
Lets not get ahead of ourselves… so far I can only use a drill! But conquering the BBQ and Lawn Mower were big steps!