April 28 - Massachusetts

We are actually getting a "real" Spring this year! As fellow New Englanders will attest, that does not always happen. Some years we go from the cold and snow of Winter directly to really warm temps and humidity of (early) Summer. There have been years when I have had my A/Cs in the windows by now; other years it is still too chilly to even crack a window (and it snowed). No in between.

This year we are getting that in between: Spring! And I (and the cats) love it! Throw open the windows and get the fresh air :) After being cooped up all winter, who does not look forward to Spring? This year it is very welcome. In my new yellow house with flowers blooming all around outside. Here is Panda enjoying the kitchen window. And Phoebe & Percy fuzzing up my bed.

Panda napping in the sun

Phoebe (L) & Percy (R) napping

Yes I am still unpacking. Found my every day plates, and more glasses than I realized I owned. And still ruthlessly purging.

I kind of overdid it between Wednesday and yesterday and am unfortunately paying for it today. Washed and put a lot of kitchen things away. Straightened out the bedroom closet (clothes & shoes), put towels and winter coats away.

Went through curtains - where did they all come from?? 99% of them ended up in the trash as they will not suit here. Too bad, as some of them are really quite nice and a few looked to be brand new. A lot were from my "yellow & black" phase - yellow living room with black curtains. Made a dramatic statement at the time (and looked darn good!), but the spaces were a lot larger as well.

I will paint this place, but in softer tones. I want a light grey (on the bluish side) for the living room, and have not quite decided on the kitchen color. Not blue, not white. Maybe a darker grey with a small red accent wall. Currently the living room is an odd shade of bright green, and the kitchen a bright tropical shade of teal. Not my style!

The hall / laundry area and my main bathroom are pink. Why??? Unless one has small children, what adult deliberately paints rooms pink? Bathroom will eventually be a very soft yellow, and I am leaning toward lavender for the hall & laundry area. Best part is I already have the yellow, and the lavender will only require a quart :)

The previous owners were gardners of a sort, and I am reaping the benefits of that in my small yard. The daffodills are a welcome addition, and the tulips (which just opened) are stunning. I love both! I think there are irises out there as well (which I love), and there are 2 small rose bushes. I used to love gardening, and will add to the selection of spring flowers with crocuses and hyacinths, which I adore.

Unfortunately there are hostas coming up as well. You either love hostas or not. I do not. They overtake the garden. And unfortnately - their roots are rhizomes, and without an herbicide they are difficult to eradicate. I will find the correct herbicide. I will eradicate them!

I leave you with some pix of the daffodils and tulips I am currently enjoying. Spring! :)

Daffodils

Tulips

Tulips

 

Tulips close up

More tulips

April 24 - Massachusetts

Boxes. I empty them, fold them up for trash pickup, and slide more down. Thought I only had 3 more kitchen boxes. Ha! Double that. Take a look!

Kitchen boxes

My most awesome brother came over on Sunday. Went grocery shopping - we usually go on Saturday but he had to take a friend into the airport. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by the boxes. As mentioned, this has been a tough move-in for me.

He rearranged a lot of boxes for me, got them in their proper order, and all is feeling much better in my world as a result. Makes it much easier on the unpack. I was feeling verklemptelated by last Saturday. No longer thanks to my brother's much valued assistance :)

Before

After

Still ruthlessly purging. It actually feels pretty good - lighten the load. No I am not a "tiny house" candidate! I do need and want my space :)

My brother also hooked up my rainhead shower assembly for me; THAT feels good :) Opened some of the unmarked boxes the other day and found my towels. Yay! Also found a bunch of Christmas decor that can be put away, and have started a box for donations of the nicer items I have and no longer need.

I can see the light at the end, and it is all good. A few boxes I have come across will require replacement furniture (wine glasses, things like that). Much of my nicer pieces of furniture did not make it through the fire.

They will have to wait, along with my books now neatly stacked against the wall :)

My books

April 21 - Massachusetts

STILL moving in!

Good afternoon! Still pecking away at boxes. I think I am almost at the end of kitchen items - at least what was marked. I have come across some very oddly marked boxes; one says "Family Rm Mix & Match". I am a little afraid to open that one yet! I have come across more than a few that are not marked at all; who knows? I may open a few tonight just out of curiosity.

Just to give you an idea of what I am dealing with in regard to the packing material thus far, I took a few pix. While I certainly appreciate fragile itmes were wrapped so well, the Tupperware containers and metal baking items - not so much.

Unpacked box (pans)

Another unpacked box

It has been challenging finding space for everything. I have always had a separate cabinet for my "dry goods", but the cabinet did not make it through the fire. Food takes up a lot of room! I have been absolutely ruthless going through items and tossing what I do not need or will not use.

I had wanted to have the kitchen done this week, but some boxes were buried under others, and it has been slow going. Unpack 2 boxes' contents onto the counter, wash, put away. Repeat.

As far as I am aware, I only have 3 more kitchen boxes. Still in search of my everyday plates, but I think I know where they are (finally). I have been making do with paper plates, but it would be nice to eat a real meal on a real plate!

Here are a few pix of what I have accomplished.

Glasses, coffee cups & cat food

Very blurry pic of dishes

Food!

I would like to cook some actual real food for a change! I have been making do with leftovers from going out and microwave dinners. Getting rather tired of them, and they are not good as a steady diet. I plan to be cooking my own food once again in a few days :)

Get back on my normal schedule. Laundry is all caught up; have not located my box of towels yet. Although I did take enough up to Maine with me that I can make do for a few weeks (had the presence of mind to pack towels at least).

I did order a dresser that fits the footprint I have, and I quite like it! Need that in order to make a lot more headway in the bedroom, which is my next big project. Temps are supposed to shoot up next week, and I have yet to locate the box containing all my decent T-shirts. Here is a picture from the website.

Dresser I ordered, sans mirror

I am also the proud owner of what I think is the world's largest refigerator. It has the freezer on the bottom, and large items (containers of 1/2 and 1/2 etc.) go on the door of the fridge. I am still getting used to it and not 100% sure I am in love with it it. One could fit a body in this sucker!

Fridge

It beeps if the doors are open too long; annoying but useful. Figure this thing could hold more than one Thanksgiving turkey!!

Did not do much yesterday. Aches and pains caught up with me, and I cannot push it. I need to function :) Caught up on paperwork instead (and washed some dishes!).

And my silverware is all sorted out neatly :)

Silverware

More silverware

Stay tuned!