Written Date = Posting Date - Nine Days

As I’ve mentioned, our renters are moving. Tomorrow, in fact.

The opportunity to renovate 2522 is a double-edged sword. The positives most definitely outweigh the negatives – and in fact, there are no real negatives, only logistical and emotional challenges.

Well, today was full of gifts for the process :)

In order to better utilize our space, we will switch over to a stackable front-loading washer and dryer. Our research of these units led us to believe that the only way to accommodate them was by altering an existing closet and built-in shelves. Not only was the modification going to eliminate a healthy portion of our storage and (painfully) destroy a sweet historic element, but the process was extensive – requiring the removal of a wall, rerouting of plumbing, masonry adjustment for the addition of a vent… you get the idea.

This morning, on our way to look at replacement closeting options, Chad spied a new appliance center. There, segregated from their tribe like the leper – from the team, like the fat kid – was an efficiency-sized set. I never even knew they existed!*

*Now this poses an issue for greater than any structural project. My research only included trips to Home Depot and Lowes. Since I had never seen or heard them discussed there, I assumed they didn’t exist. This is both a sad reflection of my surrender to super-sized America, and my lack of exposure to such items and effort put forth to maintain my knowledge about them.

Yes, we’ll have to mindfully maintain smaller load sizes – but just barely; and no, we won’t save a bunch of money on the purchase because they’re smaller. But YES, we’re happy to make the adjustment – and NO, we won’t incur all the aforementioned construction pains (including loss of time and money). I am still somewhat in a blissed state of disbelief.

Then, we went to look at countertops for the Kitchen. When I’ve done this before, for other homes (more pictures to come, I promise), my taste has always demanded about four times the financial investment I could imagine paying – and eight times my ability.

This time, the big-box stores had absolutely nothing I liked – but I remembered a local counter company off Historic Route 66 (which was actually my first credit-card processing client). Our counter is small, so I hoped for the possibility of remnants – but this was really because I believed that the boutique nature of the retailer would leave me with nothing but the same experience I’d had before.

Laminate. I can’t believe it. The color, style (and price, of course) which I TRUTHFULLY like best at F.A. Highley was laminate. As of this writing, the sample is tucked in the back pocket of my jeans, and I’ll be looking for complimenting paint colors later this week.

I think I’ll go somewhere OTHER THAN Lowes and Home Depot ;)

C

Were I a teacher set to grade the execution of my resolution thusfar, I would give an A for the first week of January - and an F for the second. Fortunately, that still leaves me centered in the game (and really, I'm never out of it) - so here goes my upward climb.

I didn't go to the lake last week, and I find it to be a much more creative environment. Perhaps after the renovation of our duplex, I'll establish some artistic disciplines in the city.

Our renters have purchased a house and are set to relocate in under a week. It's a very exciting time for them - and us, as well. We'll be moving next door to 2520, and finally give 2522 the makeover she deserves. The spaces are basically mirror images of each other - so it will be funny that everything is essentially backwards for us.

Our previous homes only ever came to completion upon our plan to put them on the market. It's refreshing to think that we'll get to experience the finished product for ourselves. It's also refreshing to feel that our current situation is one we're content with, and able to envision as a constant for quite some time.

When I was at the lake a couple of weeks ago, I pulled all of my old pictures off the computer we used in Nashville and while living at 31505. I haven't taken the opportunity to flip through them, reminiscing (I know it will be an emotion and lengthy session) - but why not break the barrier and post a few, now?

In the spirit of this entry, here's our residential history, in photo frames.

The first house we bought - 199 Manchester Avenue. This was our first yard sale.


The Dining Room and Murray at 199 (our "Cantina").


Our Bedroom at 199 (and Josey).


There's so much to sift through (and I was right - I get caught up in the memories)! I'm going to save our other places for my next couple of entries.

Just Another Day In Paradise

Here’s the bevy of books my husband brought home from the Library, a couple of days ago.



Here he is, today, constructing a composting toilet for 31505.



Here’s the compost outlet I found this afternoon, upon arriving at the lake.



If you’ve read any of my posts from our first year in Oklahoma, you’ll know that we’ve had a long-standing high interest in sustainable lifestyles. When we moved from Shawnee to Oklahoma City almost three years ago, however, those focuses fell secondary to professional and personal wanderings.

On many occasions, we considered (and even thought we had decided to) sell(ing) 31505. But every time we’d get our feet back on the sandy red earth, our hearts would toll like cathedral bells – and there was nothing to be done.

Now, there’s plenty to do! “We’re back” is a cliché yet appropriate terming. Although I can’t say I’m equally as jazzed as Chad, with regards to the mechanics of our composting toilet – I am in complete agreement that our conventional systems leave a lot to be desired.

Here are some other pictures from my day at the lake, with Nieran.

I got our temple bell hung



... and was gifted a very delicate gem.

What Is

As it sometimes happens, today didn't go the way I wanted - or planned.

Now, I sit in the corner of our couch at 2522, waiting for Chad to get home from a show - not having too much to say, but finding this as good a time as any for an entry.

I was supposed to have a short shift at work, which would leave enough of the night to drive out to Shawnee and settle in. (Yes, I've driven out even later than it is now, before - but I had energy, then. This afternoon was so active and the night was so stressful at work, that I feel more wiped out than I would have anticipated possible.)

And yet... Nieran's nose is tucked to my left, my feet are warmed by the space heater and the rumble of Maize's snoring frequents my right.

At ease, soldier.

As I was re-reading the below, gearing up for another entry, I realized I wrote "five" instead of "four" - as in "I'll ask myself for only FIVE photos or entries a week".

Of course I realize this is going to sound like a cop-out (cynicism, be gone!), but I really DID mean to write "four"!

So does that mean I'm supposed to make five entries? If so, I feel like I'm already behind. But if I opt for four, I will almost feel like I've cheated.

I can get way too head-y about things...

No, thanks.

Another resolution I made of late (at Christmas, in fact) was to unsubscribe to all of the superfluous email newsletters, updates and advertisements I receive on an annoyingly frequent basis.

Some of these are communiques I subscribed to when the material was of high interest (or I was getting something for the submission of information). Some of it, however, found its way to my Inbox via spamming, hacking and who knows what other nefarious means. In either case, the load had gotten so heavy that I probably spent the same amount of time pressing "Delete" as I did reading valid messages. And somehow, this process had become so integrated in my day-to-day that I thought very little of it - until I did.

Suddenly, the reality of seconds adding up to minutes (and very likely significant portions of an hour) struck.

Well, no more! I have begun to reclaim my virtual sanity - and my phone and I are able to spend more quality time... apart.

And So It Begins

... a resolution to revisit the part of myself which writes, captures moments in a frame, expresses with color on a page.

I've never before been compelled by the concept of New Year's Resolutions - but 2011 has been filled with so much goodness, it seems a shame that it wasn't documented in some form.

Granted, it follows fast on the heels of a year that was... well, let's just say that in the typing of "heels" my subconscious yielded "hells" - but there's truth in even that which I know would serve me equally as well, would I allow its unveiling.

I'll be kind to myself - instead of expecting "365 Days" (a concept in which the participant posts a photo every day, for a year), I'll ask myself for only five photos or entries a week and allow the entries to occur at a minimum of once a week. There's something to be said for discipline, so this is line I've drawn in my virtual sand.

I hope someone will enjoy these words, lean more about me - and maybe themselves. It sounds trite, I know - but cynicism has no place in my 2012 :)