My word, it has been awhile since I’ve found myself here at my own blog. But I’m back, and all is relatively settled. Even our delightful pets have acclimated nicely to the new digs, as you will see in subsequent photos.
Yes, the two actually together!
A Herculean task moving many objects around here and there. I feel like the bloke in that Planet Fitness ad, the one where his only line is, “I pick things up and put them down.” And another guy shows him the door.
But here we won’t be exiting any time soon. We have become entrenched, and now have a lease in hand. All quite good, especially after grueling hours of picking up stakes and establishing a sense of order out of chaos. That, and the many hours spent landscaping the grounds.
A push mower for this?…
The entire lawn looked like the grass to the left.
The house we moved into was built 213 years ago. It sits on a pleasant plot of land, well-concealed for the most part. Directly behind us lies Route 84, a major highway. At times it sounds like the prolonged malevolent wails of wounded Wendigos, what with the endless stream of passing semis. But one gets used to it.
Built in 1800
In front is a well-traveled road, one that leads to a distant recycling plant. So here, too, do massive trucks rumble by, startling both humans and canine alike. The cats? They couldn’t care less. They’re ‘feline’ just fine. And even Miles, our two-ounce cat, thinks he’s barn cat now.
Miles the Barn Cat
The place is shaping up nicely, and here are a few pics of our refurbishing efforts. Julie found a great deal on these ol’ Candy Rocker chairs, and we sanded them down and added layers of Krylon to them. Pretty nifty, and they add a touch of retro flair to the yard, don’t you think?
Candy Rockers
I’ve recently arranged my writing room, as well as my art studio, so it’s coming along at a good pace. Not bad for less than a month of living in our new place.
My Writing Room
My Art Studio
The house is enormous. We used to joke in our old tiny house that we couldn’t hear the other person talking because one of us was in the west wing. But now, forget it; one can easily get lost in the labyrinth of rooms that branch about this colossal centuries-old farmhouse.
As I mentioned earlier in my ‘A Moving Experience’ blog posting, I was amazed at how much ‘stuff’ we have, even with many forays to the aforementioned recycling center. All of our ‘stuff’ sits comfortably in sundry places, and there’s still tons of room for more! The place is…huge.
A few more touches are needed, like tearing down old wallpaper and repainting some rooms (much to the dismay of my sisters and Mum) but that will take some time.
Curtains are a priority, so that is next on the ‘Honey Do’ list. Imagine that. Me, doing handy man stuff. But I’m learning. I’m sure there are much simpler remedies to vexing problems, but somehow I get them done and things remain standing. Like me, a tad off-kilter, but still upright.
The Very Old Homestead
Off for now, as many errands and tasks await me. Just thought I’d give you a random sampling of what the hell has been going on in the month of June.
Oh, and please do send along a photo or two of your own writing room, even if it’s just a clipboard at the kitchen table. I’m intrigued to see what place sparks your prose.
More to follow…
Note: Please do also visit Eric Alagan’s elegant site at Written Words Never Die. There is never a dearth of delicious passages and prompts there, and he would thoroughly enjoy hearing from you.
©Paul Grignon, 2013, All Rights Reserved.
Paul Grignon 