We all know that I am currently ill, and abed atop a hot water bottle.
However, I don’t want to talk about that today. Today, I resist torpor and complaining. Today I only want to talk about beautiful things.
I have to thank my dear friend, Madame K, for asking about my projects, and how things are going. It reminded me that I am not made of illness. I am made of creativity. She always knows just the right thing to say.
You see, my trade is creating beautiful things; whether that’s a cottage kitchen, live music, a flower garden, students excited about the possibilities of music, or a musical based on a 1728 play. And, I am privileged to have been able to spend my life as a creator.
So, with illness and frustration aside, I walked around the house today and took photos of things I’m working on that I find beautiful.
O
The front yard flower garden. I’m definitely an English cottage garden type person. (No surprises there.)
O
A (mostly) finished corner of the kitchen, with our now-exposed huge beams. I had to fill in the space at the top of the wall, of course. I stained new rough-hewn wood to match the old beams.
O
Another kitchen wall. Still needs some paint work, but I left the little cellar door rough on purpose. I like to see the history.
O
A staircase wall in progress. Because I decided to go with stucco in between dark-stained beams, (Tudor-style), I went with artwork that reflects that.
O
And that’s all I know about that! I’m off to rest and have a little bit of dinner. Yep, at 4:00. =)
Not much different going on around here. As I’ve said, I’m a half inch better every day. At this point, I’d say I have 3 feet to go. Considerably better though.
I notice it in the little things. I realized my tailbone was healing because I can now lean back in a chair, rather than sitting stock straight upright like a schoolmarm on alert. I’ve been making my own food. Meds have been lessened. I can sit on the bed pretty much however I like (because it’s squishy).
Speaking of, Jonathan had the thought and is leading the charge redoing the master bedroom. Big changes actually — we are taking out a large section of the built-in closet/king bed/shelves. It’s a big room, so we’re going with the old-fashioned “bed in the middle of the room” thing. Of all styles, we arrived at Scandinavian. Simple and cozy.
The new bed, lamps, and rug (on my blue wood plank floor =)
O
I’m excited to be going back to work in a few weeks — to both the church and teaching. I’ve pulled out some fancy organ music. You all know very well I wouldn’t play my first Sunday back without some pomp and circumstance! Although, not the actual song that title. That would be weird.
O
Hope everyone is well, and as always, thanks for your comments and kind notes. They’re very much appreciated!
It’s been one day, and I am already, “Are they out of my house yet?,”
Tomorrow is what I call “Mezzo Buildio” — taping, spackling, finishing up some drywall issues, wiring the lamps.
As you know, I kind of exist in a “I never really feel well” state, so I have been managing myself pretty well. =) Haven’t tried to help, haven’t carried anything, continuing to rest up and recover from the few days of prep. Needless to say, the dogs are a challenge where construction is concerned.
There’s an organ in the kitchen. A LazyBoy by the pantry. A bedroom’s worth of furniture scattered all over the house. Our living room looks as if Little Nell might crawl out from underneath the piano at any particular point.
“When putting on accessories, take off the last thing you’ve put on.”
—Coco Chanel
Eh. Coco lied. Pile it on.
There’s an iron bedstead and a mattress in my living room. There’s four boxes of vinyl tile in my kitchen. There’s two boxes of accessories and knickknacks sitting uncomfortably next to the front door. The grandfather clock has been moved because the circuit breaker panel was behind it. There’s a large braided rug rolled up and leaning against my piano. There are cardboard boxes … everywhere.
Our contractor is now hammering and painting and sawing and wiring this weekend.
O
One of my favorite things I’ve found shopping is my crazy curtains. They’re made by a shop owned by ladies in India. They make them from surplus and seconded sari material.
Part of the fun has been taking a month or so to choose very particular items, discover clever new things. (I know a bit about rough gemstones now — I bought a 1500 carat Lapis Lazuli Buddha sculpture. LOL) It’s fun to hunt up better prices, take the time to look for exactly what I want.
O
I found a good price on a quilt! The pattern works with the room too!. Handmade, queen size, and very well sewn. This one’s from eBay.
Needless to say, I have a lot of work to do before Sunday, a little more prep — pulling nails and screws and filling in the holes, going to buy the paint, getting all the materials together for the guys. In the time in between, I have fun unpacking things and and telling Eli how much I like them any why.
Eli
O
O
Let’s be honest. It’s a tapestry on a fluffy pillow with a unicorn, a lion, bunny-cat-dogs, and alady playing a tiny pipe organ. This was going to get bought no matter what. The young lady helping her is pumping the bellows. =)
One thing that’s kept coming to mind during this process — there are too many retail things! I absolutely do not need twelve pages of crown molding to choose from. Or forty pages of curtain rods.
Know anyone who keeps a box of antique reproduction iron hardware around just in case he needs it? I have a box of salvaged mid-19th century iron nails too.
98% sure it’s going to be the big hinge.
O
The pantry is nearing completion; enough that I’m getting ready to build the doors. My drying rack arrived from the UK today!
I’m mulling over whether I want to go buy lumber right now. I’m tired, but if I do it now, I won’t have to go out tomorrow. Also, it’s raining. On the upside, the store would be slow. On the downside, I’d have to load lumber into the SUV in the rain. Plus I want to make some crème pastissiere and choux pastry. We’ll see. My tired back and cold toes will let me know soon.
Of course, like most things in this house, the pantry has taken much longer than anticipated. I’m used to it and fond of it. I’ve been known to build things purposely crooked so they can live in harmony with our slanting floors, crooked doorways, and cobwebs. So, everything takes a while. It’s a small price to pay for having the privilege of owning a 180+ year-old, super crooked Weasley cottage. =)
Out of curiosity, I just looked up a photo of Molly Weasley’s kitchen. I hadn’t realized it specifically, but that kitchen clearly sunk in and stuck in the back of my brain — it looks very much like what I am building right now. She even has my plate rack.
Sit Still Phill 