Come on in!

I ache with weariness, but I find it’s pleasant to be so tired. I accomplished a great deal today. I clea
ned and organized and now know where a great deal of items are placed. I’m down to a single box – it’s filled with books waiting for one last shelf to arrive. I put a few pieces of china on the dining room table. I decided where keepsakes should be and beamed when I found closet space for those I don’t want to display. I did laundry – I think 8 loads or so – of linens and clothing and towels.

A colleague said her son would puppy-sit while I was away. Hugely grateful, I'm paying him well and wanted to make sure everything was clean and ready when he moves in tomorrow. I woke at 7 this morning - my new version of sleeping in - and started to work. I emptied a few boxes and began to sit and actual consider where I wanted to put items that I'd continued to say "just leave them there - I'll deal with it later," when someone would ask what to do with any number of my belongings. With the pressure of arriving guests, I began to make decisions. Thrilled with my progress once the office was tidied, I continued to bustle around my house while cleaning and putting things away.

I shoved boxes toward the garage so I could recycle them next week and turned to beam at the way the shelves match the existing cherry woodwork. It's a little fussy for my taste, but I rather like the way books are everywhere in here. It's not the library I envisioned, but I do see novels quite often that I'd love to read again.

Last night, I did just that. I was tired so I nestled on the couch in the basement, had the television on but ignored it, and read a book from beginning to end. Stress nagged at me when I went to bed - there was a lot to do to get the house in shape and I desperately want a day of nothingness in which to be quiet. But once I started, the rooms emptied of boxes encouraged me to move on to the next space.

"Thank you," I said when my colleague complimented my home. "I didn't finish cleaning yet - I worked from the top down so the basement is still cluttered - but I love it here right now. Everything's so neat! It's like I actually live here now rather than am somewhere in the process of moving in."

There are still problems. The chairs don't match the table in the dining room. While I loved the latter, I didn't like the matching chair design. So I picked up a couple leather ones then moved old chairs from the kitchen to the dining room. I opened up space in the kitchen - which pleased me - but they don't really go in the dining room. It makes me frown at the problem for a moment, but not enough to fix it.

I finally have a guest room, I thought with satisfaction. I ordered new bedding since the room is so light colored all over. The new comforter should arrive sometime before I get home next week. I'm fluttery with anticipation! But I like the sparse decor in this extra bedroom. A comfortable bed, lovely linens and a few beachy animals - crab, dolphin, turtle - that match the photos I've taken in Florida and Hawaii.

I found sheer panels and took down the crayon-red valences and replaced them with the translucent, white fabric to cover the windows. I moved the alarm clock to the headboard and took cases off pillows so they'd be freshly laundered for my guest tomorrow.

I personally find the other spare bedroom rather comforting, though I realize it could translate into creepy for some of you. The ceiling is painted blue and clouds dot the surface. I considered painting over it - and actually have primer in the room - but I rarely go in there and think Little One might like it. So the clouds have stayed so far while my old friends - mostly CareBears - perch on shelves along one wall.

There are games and dress clothes in the closet. There is a giant plush dog at the foot of the bed, standing guard over that corner of the house. I remember opening some of those bears as gifts, tearing away paper from the distinctive box in which they sat before someone ripped away the cardboard to cuddle. I don't know why I wanted them out - I suppose it's oddly soothing to go in, curl up on the bed I used growing up, and look across the room at the faded toys and remember that I've grown up. At least a little bit. And somehow life feels a bit less scary after that. CareBears are powerful, obviously.

Chienne took a bath and I a shower. We had mowed the back lawn (well, she was of limited help, mostly observing my progress from the deck) and did some weeding before talking to a neighbor and his children.

"All moved in?" he asked before his daughter - an adorable blonde with short, shiny hair - sold me something for her swimming fundraiser.

"I'm down to one box," I proudly proclaimed, flushed from the effort of trimming Chienne's fenced yard and thrilled with the continued friendliness of the subdivision. So, yes. I think I'm beginning to get comfortable here."