HOME AGAIN HOME AGAIN
We left this idyll ?on Friday, had a fantastic trip home (totally uneventful):
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and we came home to this:
Our once gorgeous dining room
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This is what was once my wonderful lovely dining room. And what’s appalling is that all of this kind of mess covers all of the first floor of the house and it was all brought here by my family and neighbours. I have lifted nothing but a pen to write cheques. I couldn’t believe how bad it actually was before I saw it. But, as my son Chris says, “You shoulda seen it three weeks ago.” ?
What I also discovered is that my lower floor is a miracle of design. Going down there with it ?all empty to the walls with only new (and gorgeous) hardwood floors is that it’s a dumpy little space.
I don’t know how Lindsay and Gerry Anacleto who designed it could do what they did. How could see that cramped little space has any potential. But I guess that’s why they are winning the design awards. They turned this dopey little basement into a space into a bedroom/walk-in closet/spa bathroom which is so perfect, it feels spacious, accommodates every single thing I own without making it feel crowded. It has a feeling of peacefulness which calls me back no matter where I am.
I will always be grateful to them for the wonders they have accomplished. Scale is everything in design and they know about that in spades.
And my dear neighbours and friends. Good grief. If I was shocked at how much stuff needed to bring out of the flood. The guys who’ve been coming in and working are amazing. The new hardwood is beautiful the last coat etc goes on today. Stephen has started the painting. Karol has overseen some great guys; and Bill and his crew will be putting back all the complex series of cabinets that make this design work so well.
When I start feeling sorry for myself, because it’s pretty awful, I am weak with admiration for what everyone did for me: Robert and Andrew from next door who helped with the heavy lifting; and Lynn and David, and, Stephen (who’s now painting it all and bringing back its beauty), my dear kids Sarah and Chris and, especially cousin Paul who ran the whole recovery operation and did a fantastic job.?Soon it might be normal and now I have a good grip on what normal really is now.