A New Chapter…

In a few weeks we’ll be empty nesters…which hasn’t happened in a long time. Both our adult daughters have lived away from home at various times, but not always at the same time!

Most recently all four of us have been together again for a couple of months and it’s been lovely. For Thanksgiving and Christmas we were all right here! And most nights we hang out together–eating meals, watching movies and just talking. It’s been a gift.

Still it hasn’t always been easy having four adults living in a small house with two of us working from home! We do get in each others’ way from time to time. Privacy is at a minimum. Patience gets stretched.

So despite all this lovely togetherness, we are all looking forward to this new chapter when our girls will be moving out in a few weeks…just four miles away!

My husband and I will finally be able to undertake some house projects that would have been almost impossible to do with a full house. Starting with deep cleaning. (I’ve just signed up for Apartment Therapy’s 10-day spring cleaning helps.) Then repainting some rooms. And getting new blinds in the living room which are looking tatty. And eventually bath room renovations (likely next year). Perhaps even some new furniture! I feel giddy almost thinking about it.

It will feel good to get the house in better condition. Thirty+ years of living here have certainly taken a toll on it. Most of our fix-it-up money has gone to a new roof, a new sewer line, outside painting, chimney replacement, termite tenting, a new furnace and other rather boring (but necessary) stuff like that. It will be good to fix up the interior which is looking decidedly shabby in places!

And maybe, just maybe, after a bit of sprucing up we’ll do some entertaining again! Can’t remember the last time we had anyone over. Gosh it would be fun to host a cocktail party and invite some neighbors.

And bonus, it means we’ll have a spare bedroom which I’m hoping to use for some of my inventory storage as well as a guest room. Gosh it will be wonderful to have a guest room!!

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On the vintage front I’ve been plugging away–listing and a little sourcing–though this has a been a slow sales month. But that’s how it is. January was stellar. February good. March meh!! (At least so far.) Nothing is guaranteed.

Today at my neighborhood thrift store I found two delightful international items. First this vintage polychrome pottery cup from Peru. Turns out it’s an Inca-inspired Sacred Kero drinking vessel. Not meant to be used and it likely won’t hold water, but the hand-painted designs on this are fantastic!

My second item, also hand-made pottery, was so quirky. It had Italian words underneath including Caltagirone, but what was it?? Hmmm. Turns out it’s a Sicilian pine cone and one of their symbols for reproduction and good luck. Alrighty then!!

So two good, interesting “bread and butter” items. I’m happy with that.

Wishing you happy hunting!

Karen