We will get there again.

This has been a crazy week, with the stock market going up, then down, then up…then, who knows? Then, there’s the snow issue.  I’ve written about April snow before and well, I don’t like it one bit.  I have sweet little primrose blossoms trying to push their way through and it isn’t going well for them, nor all the daffodils that sprinkle the woods with their smiley yellow.  What did they ever do except look precious and sweet?

Good news is I am watching robins daily.  Now, I am keeping an eye on the light fixtures around the house to prevent nests from appearing.  I know some of you would just say “Oh, let them nest on top of that light!” but, you know, its just not my thing.  I like birds but really don’t think they need to nest on the house.  Especially not my new light fixtures.

 

I am still struggling with the right piece of furniture to put on the front porch area.  I’m now just without anything out there.  The wicker settee that I had moved there came back in to the screen porch last week for a party and has not been moved out.  The screen porch is the next project to be completed, is about 90% and awaits the arrival of the ceiling tongue and groove boards, and the shiplap to complete the project.  Yes, shiplap.  I drank the kool-aid and admit I kind of like the look, at least for now.

Another project I am undertaking this next week is the top of my desk and the office/guest bedroom closet.  I am just going to have to bite the bullet and buy another tote for Christmas decorations that can go in the attic.  I couldn’t possibly squeeze another box in this closet, and I feel like I have condensed as much as I can.  Now, this is from the lady who doesn’t put up a tree remember?  Yes, and still has that many boxes of Christmas stuff, and there may be just a bit of Halloween crammed in that closet as well.

  

Construction is going on all around me this spring as the neighbors across the way are finishing their garage, the house next door is being renovated and the big project – the brand new house.  Its going to be noisy and not always the most convenient perhaps since we share a yard and driveway, but, we are all so excited to see that house get underway!

I am looking forward to it warming up just a bit more…to longer days and being able to sit on the deck, with a fire in the firepit, or down by the bonfire. Maybe with an adult beverage, a cheese or two, as we say goodnight to the day.   

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We've remodeled. Now what?

Halloween decorations are down, and no offense to those who feel otherwise, it’s too early for Christmas to come out, but, oh I am excited to bust out the Christmas soon.  Besides, I am concentrating on getting some storage solutions around here before I get more out, so quell my excitement I must.

    

The remodeling brought more room, yes, for people, but not necessarily things.  I cleared out an antique china cabinet, for example, and those items are boxed up and in the guest bedroom.  For the last year and a half the things I have boxed up, or just needed to find a new place for, have ended up in the guest bedroom.  I’ve watched a lot of HGTV over the years and I know a guest bedroom, if you are lucky enough to have one, can turn in to a storage unit. Last week, I set my site on the guest bedroom, developing a vision of how I’d like it to be, making a list and tackling a little each day.

I don’t mind the big – okay, too big – black dresser but I do need to organize it.  The closet is a mess; my prom dress actually hangs in there.  My.Prom.Dress. Also, my son’s size 6 Levi jean jacket.  He’s 37.  I think I can move on from that, too.

I decorated this room a few years ago for my more mature and grown-up role as a woman with an empty nest, and it coexists as an office.  It is nice, it is utilitarian, and it remained so until the remodeling, sort of.   My 18-month old grandson slept in his portable crib in the guest room last weekend, pushed up against my desk and with full access to everything on the surface, which ended up on the floor or in his crib.  Nothing really of value, but nothing he needed either. That’s probably my impetus for getting this under control.  He didn’t really need my tweezers in bed with him. Yes, I do pluck my eyebrows at my desk, thank you.  The light is really good here by the window.

So, the guest bedroom is a fall/winter project.  Before moving the bed 180 degrees, I placed leg extensions on the bed frame, moved a storage box or two underneath the bed, including one filled with Halloween decorations, and replaced the bedskirt to accommodate the new height.  I’ve made headway on moving out some of the overflow to the attic, recycled catalogs and product pages, filed away manuals and warranty info for new appliances and tried to make some sense of the many receipts and invoices from the construction.  Do I need to keep all this paper? I try to do just as they advise in all those articles on organization and sort by keep, donate, toss. 

Tossing is not my nature, folks.  The struggle is real. 

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Speed it up just a little, though.

My postings usually contain happy musings, random, rambling, recreational thoughts.  Oh, occasionally I have dabbled in opinion, but, rarely advice.  I’ve talked about personal experiences and how they made me feel, or maybe my reaction to an event, the importance of home and family.

 

I’m struggling here, folks.  I have strong thoughts as I know many of you do, too. Please know I am struggling with pain, hurt, disappointment, confusion, even fear.  However, my blog is about the less controversial, less negative, less confrontational and way, way less political.  I do not want anyone to believe I have buried my head in the sand for I most certainly have not, my focus here is on home, lakes, families, humor.  Come to rest here, to laugh here.  Look out my window with me. Some are staying off facebook these days…I get that.  You don’t have to go to facebook to find me..save my link, cindiswindow.blogspot.com/ and become a follower of the page, check back often (I typically post once a week), relax here with me.  I play nice.

Our son is home for a few days as we prepare for a family wedding, our nephew, his childhood best friend.  I always enjoy having him around.   The girls will be coming in over the weekend and while it’s hectic, and the house will be full and there will be a line for the bathrooms, I am excited for everyone to be here for a couple days.  My daughter-in-law flies in for a quick stop but for a brief time, they will all be here. Our soon to be nine-year-old granddaughter has a part in the Nutcracker performance in Indianapolis this year.  Oh, she is excited to be a toy soldier! She and her daddy will be late arrivals to the wedding as she has rehearsal on Saturday afternoon, followed by a two-and-a-half-hour drive. I remind myself to stay in the moment, that it doesn’t happen nearly often enough, to enjoy every second.

 

So this week I am concentrating on getting a few small things around the house in order.  There are some missing switch or outlet covers, for example.  Some touch up paint, a light fixture to hang.  I don’t guess I will be seeing my cabinet hardware installed or the stone put on the fireplace quite yet.   Yes, that’s right.  The fireplace is not yet done.  I can have a fire and by golly, I am decorating for Halloween this year…cement board and all.

Except for two boards, both front and kitchen porches are done.  I have pots of mums and decorations on the doors, have swept down spiders and cobwebs, and sawdust.  The lights are hung and the result of the soft glow is exactly what I hoped.  I washed windows yesterday, and moved a couple of plants.  My son and I moved ladders and scaffolding, and carried an old piece of furniture up for the garbage (or anyone else) men to take. Slowly but surely, things are finishing up.  

Sometimes I forget what the house looked like before we started and well, that’s okay!  There is still so much to do, small things, and a few bigger things, but, we are nearing the end and who said it was a race. 

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Mums the word.

Last week I wrote of the summer season coming to a close, the lake houses are beginning to shut down, the boats coming out of the water and headed back to a driveway, garage or pole barn.  It’s sad to see the bright colors of summer leave the lake, for sure, but I am an autumn girl, an October birthday.  I love the colors that are just around the corner for us. The way the sun hits the yard…I’m looking forward to a beautiful fall.

Mums.  That’s my big project this month. I think it’s a bit early but I am watching for mums.  Last year, I was drawn to mums at my favorite place to shop in Indianapolis, Sullivan Hardware, and thought “Oh, those are so fancy, so expensive.  I am going to pass.” And, I did, maybe even against my better judgement,  and regretted it the rest of the fall.  I’ll be going to Indianapolis next week and will stop in at Sullivan’s to check out the mums.  Truth is, the mums were only one or two dollars more than others I saw closer to home, but, those mums were different.  More vibrant, more lush.  I may be imagining their specialness,  but, I want mums from Sullivan’s this year.

Some progress made this past week on the exterior of the house…only a few pieces of siding left to hang once an outdoor faucet is moved. There's still a long list but,except for two boards, the porch overhang is complete, the lights are hung, the skirting is almost done and I have shrubs to plant.  It is the most complete this side of the house has been since we moved in and there was no door, and certainly not a porch, on the roadside, just a lot of overgrown shrubs.  I am way excited, and yes, already have fall and Halloween decorations for this new porch – just no mums.  Yet. 

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