Life at home

It has been days since my best gals from college came to visit, and shamefully, months since I last wrote. Every fall the ladies and I reunite to catch up on a year's worth of life. We spend the time exploring our local scenery and enjoying the friendships we are so thankful to have. It was my honor to host this year's get-together at home, and a weekend I had planned for since we started moving in.

Once walls were painted, faucets, interior doors and hardware were installed. The garage was painted inside and out, and new utility pipes were trenched from the side of the house to the alley. I guess the one positive of a long, warm summer is that we had time to seed dirt with new grass before the first frost! As appliances were installed, the master closet put together, and dimmers put on light switches, the painters were touching up. In fact there were many days that I thought the painters might stay with us forever. I felt bad that their careful work was sometimes neglected by other subcontractors, but in the end, everyone's work shined through. The last component added to the house was audio/visual equipment and boy does it make entertaining fun! We have the power to control all audio zones from our phones and marvel at watching shows on a sleek, 3D TV. I am glad our security system is of equal design and intelligence!

We moved in mid-August with a caravan of friends hauling pieces of our apartment to the house. Many existing pieces of furniture were put up for sale and items no longer needed were thrown away. Clothes, one king bed frame and mattress, two occasional tables, kitchen items and a washer and dryer were the only items that made the cut. We have had fun picking out patio, living room and guest room furniture; and our dining table is a piece of art which beautifully accommodates up to 8 people. Tip: When picking furniture for a small area, look for light material or glass top surfaces that can reflect light and enhance the size of the room.

There is no feeling like being a home owner, and the pride you have for that space. Life at home is wonderful, and I am so happy to see family and friends around our table every weekend. And as I reflect on the visit from our first guests, I smile knowing that the bathroom mirror easily allows four women to do their hair and makeup at the same time; the grill and smoker cook delicious meals that can be enjoyed with Frank Sinatra playing on the outside speakers; and the kitchen can not only accommodate cooking and morning coffee but also serves as a mini nail salon.

front porch with my gals

my family in the new living room


cleaning the kitchen for move in