We are renovating! For a week now we have been without the use of our washer, dryer, stove and basically our entire kitchen. The first project is replacing the old vinyl with the awesome tile that took me three months to pick out and next is the counter tops.

Everything thing is going well, except for a few problems tiling through the six doorways involved in the project. The contractor is even nice, considerate, and does an excellent job. But, (you knew that was coming didn't you) no one can describe to you how renovations can be so upsetting to a household. Laundry had to be done at the laundromat 13 miles away; a load was forgotten in the washer so we had to go back again to rescue and dry it while we twiddled our thumbs. My keys are never in the same place and I can only hope we've kept up on the mail. The fridge is on the back porch, the washer and dryer are in the foyer, and the stove, along with pots and pans, drawers and tons of plastic containers have taken over the dining room. There are so many decisions to make along the way that as soon as I get a project started I am called away to approve a threshold, figure out a trim piece or make sure the grout is the right color. Plus the cleaning and straightening that needs to be done when the job is finished will be monumental.

Today might be the day he finishes up but I'm not getting my hopes up. As we near the end my advice is never go into a renovation expecting everything to turn out as planned.

Porch Swing Wisdom

We just finished having our house painted. As a result, many of the creative, decorative things I usually do the the porch, deck, and other outside areas were delayed. I've lived for weeks with plants in pots and planters setting anywhere that's out of the way and normally comfortable spaces to sit and contemplate the world aren't even inhabitable yet. This was, of course, very hard for the control freak side of my personality. Hurry up and wait is not something I do well; and usually relaxing isn't either.

As we finally got the front porch in order so it could be enjoyed, my husband asked why I never like to sit in the porch swing? He and my daughter love it but I always decline. My reason; I am so short that I can't comfortably sit in the porch swing and reach the floor to keep it going. It makes me feel like Goldilocks sitting in Papa Bear's chair. From that discussion something monumental happened. We went to the local hardware store, bought more chain, and within half an hour the swing was lowered to an acceptable site for all. How long have I been living with the too high swing, 14 years!

My daughter and I set in the swing a couple of nights ago and relived our days, laughed, almost fell out and generally had a great mother/daughter time. I envision myself swinging along with a good book or just swinging and doing nothing any day now. I might even relax!

The moral is, look around your environment, your relationships, and your life. Often the smallest, easiest to do tweaking or change can make a huge positive impact. And a small change has a way of leading to more small changes and eventually big changes. Don't wait 14 years, do it now. Swing in your swing today.