Progress

Just so you know, I am very aware that the problems I've been agonizing over are problems of privilege. Having enough money to have a renovation, and all its inherent annoyances, is a First World Problem. Since we have family in the Third World, people we love and are connected to, the contrast between my "problems" and their problems is never far from my mind.

But I'm still going to complain, some days, about the dust and the noise and the disruption. 

But today I'm celebrating! We've had some little successes; little things that have gone a long way towards making this new house feel "normal".

Like home.

We hung shades!

The floors are looking beautiful!

And, we had a fun play date with some friends. Kids laughing and making messes: home.

moved

Years and years ago, at the mature young age of 19, I helped a good friend move to her first apartment. We loaded up her father's car with all her belongings: a couple of cardboard boxes, a mattress, a big suitcase, a dresser, a teddy bear.  She was renting a bedroom in an apartment in Queens. We were so grown up.

When we arrived her landlady was nowhere to be found and the kitchen looked like a scene from an insect post-apocalyptic horror movie, if cockroaches made films.  We set up her bed and her cardboard boxes and unpacked her suitcase into the dresser. We ate some take out sitting on her bed and watched TV and then lay down to sleep on her mattress on the floor.  It was summer. It was hot. It was a long night. Mostly because I spent the whole night making sure that not one inch of me was touching anything other than the mattress. Certainly not the floor. In the morning I left and she (my wonderful, amazing friend), started her independent life. Which, thankfully, no longer involves cockroach infested apartments in Queens.  :)

Fast forward 2 decades and a husband and two kids to last night.

We moved. We moved into our dream house. Or at least, the glimpse of our dream house. No dishwasher yet, no laundry room yet, no AC.  We dug our way out of the cities of boxes in our living room and lay down to sleep on a mattress on the floor. (Our box spring couldn't fit up the stairs.)  It's summer. It's hot. It was a long night.  All four of us trying to find some rest and comfort on a mattress on a floor.  As I did so many years ago, I desperately tried NOT to touch anything other than the mattress. Certainly not the filthy cat hair invested carpet.

Just when you think you are all grown up something propels you back in time. I'm 19 again, hoping to grow up and not quite sure if being an independent grown up is worth the sacrifices and hard work. I'm 37, not quite sure if having a "dream house" is worth all the sacrifices and hard work.

And then I found myself going shopping for an AC and some more paint and a thingy to hand our towels on...

So I guess here we are. Starting our independent life. Again.

What's your favorite (or terrible) moving memory?

It's all happening so fast...

I'm heading, it seems clear, into my second night of moving-related insomnia.

It's just all happening so fast, all at once! Packing, shopping, list making, calls, painters, contractors, electricians. It's all good, but my God, it's so much.

Here was Daniel's room on Wednesday.

Here is Daniel's room Saturday. 

Wow, huh? I'm so happy with those greens. The floor needs a bit of TLC still. 

We move Tuesday. I have about a weeks worth of things to do in 3 days. 

Daniel said today, "please don't make us move again." 

Never sweetie. NEVER again.

Our Old House

We just came back from seeing our new (old) house.  I'm now in need of some hand holding and some forehead stroking and some general "shhh, honey, it's going to be okay baby, don't worry honey."

Please.

they have no idea how much work is involved in moving

scary basement kitchen

scary basement hallway

scary basement bathroom

actual kitchen, not as scary

This built in cabinet is the entire reason we are buying this  house. That, and the driveway.

Lily checks the plumbing

Should we keep it?

1940's era lovely main stair

umbrella stand not included

Lily checks the view from the front steps

giant garage that will be torn down and replaced with a garden