Have we been living in our new home for a whole year already? Time has flown by. All I know is my orchids have not stopped blooming since we moved here. They are very happy with their spot on the window-sill up in my study. I must say, they settled in immediately.
I have moved to new homes many times since coming to the States in 1988 - seven, to be exact. An average of about every four years or so. Each move brought with it confusion, strangeness, loss, fear, excitement, joy, and hope. Not in that order of course. Jumbled up emotions going back and forth between them all. Each time I tried to clean out the old and embrace the new. Sometimes, though, it was lonely and difficult, taking me weeks and months to discover the advantages and benefits, because each move was accompanied by a different situation in my professional or personal life journey.
Last year was the first time that it felt like this could be for awhile - last longer than the average four years or so. And, instead of throwing out, I started to accumulate things necessary for this new life - new abode. Furnishings, decorations, and a brand new flower garden!
Am I here to stay?
There are things I adore about our house - spacious rooms, interesting layout and decor with every nook and cranny pleasing to the aesthetic eye. I wonder how I will climb all our stairs as I become older, but for now it is excellent exercise keeping my body and bones strong, making me limber and agile. For the past year I have been thinking of bringing in someone to help clean the house. After all, it has three full storeys with three and a half bathrooms. And yet, each time, after I have worked for four hours or more, I sense that stroking and nurturing it with tender loving care reconnects me to my home over and over again.
Not all is perfect. The windows are sometimes difficult to open, and we certainly need a few more screens so that I can open them wide enough to breathe in fresh air. The house is situated on a very busy street. A cacophony of droning and bustle of every type of vehicle feels noisy at times, although I realized this morning that I hardly notice the sounds any more, and I do so like being close to the city and feeling connected to Mount Airy.
What I like most is that we have room for guests! Two full spare rooms and a large library with a pull-out bed. Yes indeed, we can host an entire family - with children and all. And so far, quite a few family members and old friends have already been to stay with us.
This is what I like best about our house. A warm and welcoming home - a place to share with others.
A year ago at Mining Nuggets: Write for ten minutes ...
A bit late for this!!! Thanks so much to all for these good wishes.
Posted by: tamarika | June 23, 2011 at 06:42 AM
and it is such a lovely home from the photos you published a year ago. the bathroom i remember being especially beautiful. i think it is a very good sign the orchids keep blooming! happy anniversary!
Posted by: Sky | June 20, 2011 at 06:53 AM
Congrats on the 1 yr anniv. in your new abode -- sounds delightful. I think what I valued most whenever I moved was all the new people I met.
Posted by: joared | June 17, 2011 at 02:52 AM
I can relate to the comment about the street noise in your new space. When we moved onto Chatham it was fire engines daily and lots of sirens...but soon I didn't hear them. I'm so glad this move feels different for you. And I'm looking forward to be a guest in one of your rooms one day soon!
Posted by: Marion Barnett | June 10, 2011 at 11:04 PM
Happy 1 year house-iversary. Lovely post. xx
Posted by: Fay | June 10, 2011 at 10:10 AM