Getting Used to the New Homestead

Dad’s sugar was really low (34) on Sunday from all of the moving. Fortunately I had 2 beat-up jolly ranchers in my purse for just such an occasion. I’ve bought him some organic hard candy to keep in the house while I’m not there.

I’ve noticed I’m more disoriented in the mornings now because my usual routine is different. I have a bad short-term memory, so morning habitual routines help me to remember to do everything I have to do each day. Now that everything is different and separated, I have a hard time making sure everything is done until I get a new routine situated.

I also need to invest in some lamps. There’s no lighting at all in the office, and I have one light in my bedroom with a switch in the hallway. I’ve already started picking out lamps from Target and making a “housewarming wishlist” at the request of friends and family, which I will post soon.

Otherwise I am getting quite familiar with the house and settling in. I love the living room, and we’ve started hanging up a lot of our old west decor in it (pics will be forthcoming once I’ve fixed my USB issue).

My dad was able to meet one of the neighbors yesterday who came over to meet and greet. It was actually someone he already knew from the country restaurant, so that was a pleasant surprise. Apparently everyone else around is rather old, one woman down the street is 100! I like the idea of living in an older neighborhood because I think they will be more tolerant of our animals and things will be more quiet.

I’ve yet to go explore the woods or the abandoned house next door. I went to the organic market yesterday and didn’t get home till dark, and now that it’s getting darker earlier, my excursions will most likely have to be on weekends.

A woman I spoke to yesterday with the trash company says there is no recycling in the area, which I find hard to believe since I spoke to someone a few weeks ago that said there was. If there isn’t, I suppose that is something I can start being vocal about in the township.

I’m not sure what our next big project will be now that this round of painting is done. I do want to get some white paint to do trim and ceilings around the place, and I do want to start looking into the crown moulding/barn plank moulding I watn to do. Perhaps I will start looking into finishing my bedroom floor, which I will most likely sand by hand (glutton for punishment, that is).

I also plan to start figuring out how to do a lot of these things on the cheap. Painting was fairly cheap for me because I borrowed equipment (roller handles, paint pans etc) from my Aunt and we did everything ourselves. The supplies I did have to buy were rollers, paint, tape, and drop-clothes (which I probably could have done without and used an old blanket or something, but everything was packed). So for under $100 I was able to paint two rooms and have excess for touch-up or additional rooms and/or furniture as needed. I think the dark paint I may use on furniture in the guest room since I plan to eventually paint that more of a sage green.

Maybe I’ll start keeping a tally of these totals so I have a running list of how much I’ve saved updating this house.