Weekend in Review: We're Cookin' Now!!

Saturday Elizabeth came over and helped us all morning to figure out where to place things on the wall in the living room.  (I will have to post pictures at another time, but I wanted to get things recorded while I still could find them in my brain.)  By the end of the weekend we had the living room complete--for this particular version at any rate.  Other than the work, the only expense to put together the room was the cost of two 36" floating shelves which we hung above the couch.  Eventually I would like to hang some sort of quilt or tapestry wall hanging on one little section of wall that needs something, but I am not in any hurry, and I want to find or make just the right thing.

The feel of the room is very peaceful, with the only splashes of color found in the red glass I have scattered around the room.  The rest of it is very neutral, with old gold being the underlying color/theme.  We had a framed poster hanging at Miller Manor in the living room for a long time that went perfectly on the mantle. I cleared the wall units completely and replaced only the few things I wanted to keep there. The entire room is filled with favorite things from long ago and our time together as a family.  There are a few photographs, all the old clocks, favorite glass pieces and hand-made items from Mimi and Annie Laurie scattered about. By removing all the furniture from the window-wall, we can now sit and look out onto the lovely flagstone patio.

When Ornery wasn't wielding his drill to install wall anchors for the mirror or shelves, or helping me move furniture in my studio/office, he was working in the library. When Elizabeth left at 1:30, he didn't have any paint on the wall, but by the time we left for church at 5:45, we had the wall where the book cases went completely painted, all the shelves set up and about 2/3 of the books placed in them.

As usual, we were glad to have gone to church even though it was hard to want to stop when we were making so much progress.  The theme (of course) was Father's Day, and we were reminded once again that whether our earthly fathers were good or bad in their roles, we have the ultimate example in God the Father, who loves us unconditionally and desires only the best for us. Ornery and I reflected later on the idea that God loves people so much, even when they are disobedient or misled. We are so blessed to have Him as our Dad. :)

Sunday morning, we got up early and started right in on the list.  Ornery painted and I unpacked stuff in the studio.  I had to re-assemble all the little shoe shelves I had used for storing things on my table, but after that was done, the boxes were very easy to empty. I plan to bring home the little book case from the antique mall booth and put it in there with the rest of the stuff that doesn't have a home yet. I truly don't know what we were thinking to have considered putting the sauna in that room.  It would have been really crowded and not very functional.

We had planned to wait until we could do all the renovations in there to unpack and move in, but I just couldn't stand to wait that long to have my "office" back.  I have been without my address book for weeks, and June is probably the busiest month of the year for birthdays and anniversaries--hence I have missed many of them.  The calendar is hung and the file cabinet is repopulated so I am happy and back in business once again.  One of these days we'll get in there and put down tile, close off the extra bathroom door and paint, but for now, at least I have access to all my junk. :)  Even the ugly fan is not as distracting as it was when the room was empty.

Eventually, Ornery got all the paint on the library walls--and managed to only have a few spots of it on his person! We positioned the rest of the furniture, hung up the things on the walls and put the files back into the file cabinet. By 9:30 we were completely done with that room and it is stunning. It has the feel we were trying for in our living room at Miller Manor, but couldn't quite capture. We've never had a dedicated room for a library before, but we are thrilled to finally have one here at Zoe Cottage. The "back" wall is completely filled with the four oak bookcases, and the little seating area at the "front" of the room is everything a reading spot should be!

We used a long narrow couch-table for Ornery's desk (used to be in our guest room) and other than a chair mat for his desk chair and a reading lamp to set on the file cabinet next to my chair, the expense to redecorate was just the cost of two gallons of paint.  There are still a few little things that need to be done in there--caulk around the window, wash the window and shutters, touch up a bit of trim-- but otherwise it is exactly as we pictured it the moment we walked into it the first time, only better if that is possible.

When I unpacked the boxes in my craft room I came across the missing red rugs, but I still have not located one of the framed posters we had in our bedroom before the move--it is certainly puzzling.  I am hoping it is stashed someplace in the garage and we'll uncover it when we work in there next weekend, but at first glance it appears to have been lost somewhere along the way. It is not that big of a deal, but I really liked the frame and unsolved mysteries sort of make me crazy!

This week I will concentrate on finishing my studio/office and clearing off the dining room table which became the depository for anything that didn't belong in the living room.  The bar in the kitchen is likewise filled with flotsam and jetsam -- tools, dust cloths, etc. The whole house needs a thorough cleaning, and there is still a bit of cooking that needs to be finished.  Once Flight Safety reimburses us for the travel expenses we incurred from the trip to Alabama, we will buy the things needed for the garage--tool bars for the garden tools, peg board, etc.--and begin working on organizing that.  Then Ornery can get back to his clock making. :)

So, overall, the weekend was extremely productive. We are wearing our Super Ta-Da capes today to celebrate. :)