Hobbling

You can see me a mile away.
If you don't know me, you can pick me out with a small description.
She is the one that is hobbling along ..


The bandages are off, things look much the way things like that look, shortly after being cut open then sewn shut ... not the prettiest of sights but happily, hidden under socks and behind protective leather boot tops.  With  my sweet husband   there for me to hang on to for dear life, I can march down the street and no one would know.
Almost a week ago I was so nervous about what was coming, hoping this time it would be easier and not look so bad.
It was not easier and looks bad but the outcome is what is good.
It was bad, it is gone, all is well.

It is cold. I mean ridiculously cold.
I am in South America.
Where , in my humble opinion, I should not need  to wear a tee shirt, a heavy turtleneck sweater, jeans, socks, boots, wool coat, gloves and scarf.
And still feel chilled.

We went to "our " cafe where we sat under the heat duct and I was toasting quite nicely.
The cafe is all windows and on a corner so I love sitting and just people watching, crazy driver watching, cute little children walking from school watching and funny people with dogs watching.

From that little cafe on that corner, for the cost of a cup of coffee, your afternoons entertainment is all there.

Then it was time to hobble back home, get off the foot, plan dinner and read a good book.

Tomorrow, someone might come look at our home.
Tomorrow someone might fall in love with it and buy it.
I will be so glad.
I will be so sad.

Before and After

When we bought this place, it was not in the greatest condition.
The owner rented it out and the lady kept it clean but she was obviously not interested in decor or updates.
She was just saving money to buy her own apartment.

We saw it as an adventure, a blank slate in a way, there to do whatever we wanted.
Whatever we wanted within reason, after all the repairs that kept coming to our attention.
By way of mold on ceilings that were not caused by steam in the shower as we were told but by a persistent leak from the plumbing above.
None of these things waited long for us to discover them, they announced their presence by the sound of dripping  ... the sight of water running down a newly painted wall ... the rush of water from the ceilings ..
There were days where I walked into rooms and looked up first .. dread was probably the look on my face most days.

Fear of water dripping might be instilled in my poor psyche forever.

We felt , in the beginning, that we were up to it all.
We were.
Now, I wonder.

The most satisfying of homes to renew are the ones like this, neglected, old and sorry but with the most amazing "bones" and that air of stillness, waiting, knowing that we were just the ones that these rooms were waiting for.

And here they are, the sad but now happy rooms that we call home ..


                                                                  Sad Kitchen

Happy Kitchen

The Bath of Gloom

Beautiful Bath

Sad Bedroom

Dreamy Bedroom