When we moved in, I hoped we would be almost finished with all the remodeling by the first anniversary of our move. We have certainly made a lot of progress, but we are not almost done. It has been good to look back at the kitchen remodel, the carport move and other work we have done since last April.
However, it has taken me this long to start to feel at home. I think it is because our house has been in a constant state of remodeling. Up until recently, there was a path through the finished basement to the laundry area. It had not been touched and has just recently not looked like a storeroom. In honor of our first year, we invited out of town family to visit and stay over last weekend. This was the first time we had done this. Other than our children and grandchildren, no one has been over.
Suddenly, we were in a frenzy to get working on the house again. We had slacked off a little during the colder months, and on the warmer days, we had been working outside on the fence or clearing brush. Finishing the jobs that just needed final painting got moved down on the list. Unpacking boxes in the basement just kept getting pushed back.
In preparation for our guests, we unpacked a few boxes that had pictures and we hung some on the walls. We cleared out the unfinished sun porch and set it up to be used as a dining area. We cleaned up the guest room and moved some furniture around. Andy finished the new fire pit and prepared for a fire on Saturday night. It felt good to get ready for visitors.
We had a very nice visit. We walked a trail in a nearby park, attended a granddaughter’s soccer game and enjoyed dinner and sitting by the fire. Today, as I look back and think about the weekend and the preparations we did for our guests, I feel at home.
It is not perfect. It is still in various stages of remodeling and unpacking. But our downsized house has become our downsized home.