Thursday, October 13, 2016

Day 380

Do you know what you have a lot of when you build a house?

Dust. Also nails, bits and pieces of wood, fly-away product spec inserts, and more than a few half empty water-Gatorade-Propel bottles, but mostly, DUST. Since the installers were scheduled to start the floors this week hubs and I spent a big chunk of last weekend sweeping, vacuuming, and bagging up those half empty water bottles that somehow did not make it to the dumpster.

The dumpster that sits a few feet up the drive.

The one they have to walk right past on the way to their vehicles.

Our crews have been absolutely fabulous, but some clean up after themselves better than others. Some I'm guessing had bedrooms growing up that looked a lot like our job site. ahem

It was a gorgeous fall weekend and it felt good to make the house all 'Spic and Spain'. That's how my girls used to say it when they were small, and how we say it still. Of course 'Spic and Spain' is a relative term when you're talking construction site, but Hubs enjoys vacuuming and I dislike a mess so win-win.

The house looks like a house, and I need to say that because I wasn't sure it ever would. We're there now though, and I cannot wait to pour myself a cup of coffee in the kitchen and sip it on the back porch. There's still about three weeks of work that needs doing, but we have counter tops and cabinetry, the sinks and tubs are set, there's electricity in the lines, fans on the porches, and chandeliers hanging from the ceilings. We are happy.


This house feels good to us. We cross the threshold, look at each other, and we smile.

Hubs and I have lived in a bunch of houses, but our most favorite by far was our England house. We didn't own that house, but we did call it home for six years so it felt like ours. Every room had a door and a key and there were no closets and there was chintz on the bedroom windows that my oldest never could quite come to grips with, but we all loved that house and the home we made there.

Our house hunting trek to England was a whirlwind. We set some kind of record with the relocation company in that we viewed twenty five houses in a day and a half. Ours was the last house we saw but as soon as we crossed the threshold into the front room we looked at each other and we smiled. We fell in love with the beautiful beams and trusses running across the ceiling and the windows with a view that made our hearts sing.

That house wrapped itself around us and whispered 'this is home'.

Lake town in the Palmetto State is a far cry from a small English village, but our new house? Well when I step through my new front door-


...for one brief moment I flash back to my old front door and a house across the pond. The one that spoke home to me in a hundred little unexpected ways. I walk in and I look up. I see the beams and all the wood and a view that makes my heart sing. I feel this new house wrap itself around in me in a way that feels familiar....


I hear her whisper, 'this is home'.

21 comments:

  1. Oh, so exciting! Hubs got so tired of the work crews leaving trash. He even had a man to man talk with them. As you said, they walk right by the dumpster several times a day. Know you are going to have many happy years with your new house.

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  2. Oh Joyce, how beautiful! And I'm so glad you have a home that feels so much like you!!! May the dust settle soon, the workers (and their crapola) be gone, and the settling-in process begin!

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  3. Ahhh, I see England! Can't wait to see it in person! x Cricket

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    1. Yes : ) Except I don't have that super cool doorbell with the pull handle like I did there. We did put some of that same wood paneling we loved so much that was in our front room on the bar wall in the new house, and I love it. Can't wait for you guys to be here!

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  4. You are gettiing so close!! I'm excited for you!

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  5. What a lovely description. Wow. I'm picturing a huge Christmas tree standing under that sweeping ceiling with the amazing beams. Another wow!

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  6. Absolutely love the beams and the view. There is nothing like stepping inside and knowing you are "home." I feel the same way about ours.

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  7. I've enjoyed watching the progress on your home. It's beautiful and the setting over the lake is stunning. Can't wait to see the finished product. :)

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  8. Just gorgeous. A place to call home.

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  9. You must be getting so excited. I know it's hard work right now sorting out all the details but it's going to be so worth it.

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  10. This is wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Joyce.

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  11. So beautiful! When we had our roof done the workers would throw their empty bottles off the roof. I thought it was odd but think it is common for work crews. They paid my kids to clean up the wrappers and bottles so I guess it worked in our favor :)

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  12. Your new home is so lovely. I really look forward to the coming months as you share more pictures of how you have decorated it.

    When we had a house built many years ago in Virginia, we were going on a walk-thru with a home inspector just prior to signing the closing papers. Among other things, he had turned on the furnace to see if it was working. Shortly after that we smelled smoke. It turned out to be paper products in the duct system that the workmen had carelessly let drop. When the furnace started up, the paper caught fire. The problem was quickly dealt with and there was no damage.

    When you say those plastic bottles in your house could have been so easily dropped into the dumpster out on your driveway, I hear you. I really do.

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  13. Beautiful!!! I am so excited for you to have that first cup of coffee. :-)

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  14. I haven't stopped by anyone's blog for a while. Wow, what tremendous progress! The beams are gorgeous, and that view straight on through. Home is one my favorite words in the world.

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  15. Oh man, it's fabulous! Love the view, the beams and that ceiling..is that a porch/deck? Love it!

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  16. Yes, indeed, that view would whisper "home" to me, as well. I'm so happy for you! I haven't forgotten how messy home building is either--even a small home improvement project brings a mess with it :)
    Kathy (Reflections)

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  17. I am so happy for you. It is a special blessing to be able to walk into your house and feel such a loving feeling. These last three weeks should fly by!

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