Resting in the Wilderness

We brought the rest of our possessions to Nebraska by Valentines Day, but it takes weeks -- if not months -- to convert a residence into a home. Each place we have lived in has provided new decorating opportunities, architectural delights and challenges. Resolving these to form an attractive, functional living space gives me great joy. This house is no different from the others; the furniture is finding final resting places, the drapes and curtains are mostly hung, everyday essentials have found accessible hiding places. I've established a reasonable daily routine. I've even hosted a couple of dinner parties. It's beginning to look good.

There were plenty of things that needed to be repaired. The wiring is still an ungrounded mixture of 12 and 16 gauge wiring, which led to the nearly-new dishwasher's digital module fritzing out. But, the telephone/internet installation guys are gone from outside my kitchen window -- after their third attempt to get the DSL to work at contracted speeds. My BH (Beloved Husband) Dennis has completed washer/drying installation in the basement, which ultimately entailed replacing the home's water shut off valve with a yard of brass pipe and miscellaneous fittings.The very guts of the parsonage refrigerator were detail cleaned, then dried in the dysfunctional dishwasher's rack, restoring it to former functionality. Finally, a young friend in the construction business donated and installed an older, but fully functional, replacement in our kitchen to complete the food-service portion of our home just last weekend. It's beginning to work!

Only one room remains to be installed and organized: my office/workroom/creative center. It's the room with the lonely pink velvet rocker from which I introduced the idea of this move. I am excited about having 140 square feet and a cedar closet dedicated to my purposes. This lovely corner-windowed verdigris green room on the South side is now congested with dozens of huge boxes, miles of cables and ebony office furniture. Yet, I write from my laptop in the cheery dining room. I struggle to (metaphorically) catch my breath, get my bearings, find a way to complete something I have had no opportunity to do for 5 years...