Gosh, I love this photo!
And I love our house. Yes, there’s not a day that goes by where I’m not muttering about the lack of storage space or wishing we had a mud room or another bedroom or a garage; but when I see the light pouring through the windows and the wood floors and the colors and our favorite things, I smile.
I’d like a new sofa and chair for the den. The floors, after 11 years of playful dogs, need refinishing. All the walls need repainting, which I have been successfully avoiding for about three years because I hate painting. I’d like a dishwasher that works. A vintage stove.
These are all wants, however, not needs. The truth is, it’s just fine here as it is. It’s our haven. It’s got a lot of personality, color, quirkiness, and vintage. Dare I say that’s a good description of Don and me? Even down to vintage?
Ahem.
For those of you who don’t use Instagram, this photo has become quite popular:
We were raking leaves, which is a big job around here. We rake them onto a tarp, carry the tarp over to the edge of the woods and dump them.
Don decided to fall backwards into the leaves. Twice.
I have to say he made me laugh out loud, that scamp!
I didn’t watch the debate last night. Instead, we watched the Cubs vs. Dodgers game. But I followed along on both Huffington Post and Daily Kos. Both sites were live blogging the debates. So I knew what was going on and read choice excerpts to Don while we watched the Cubs stage a comeback.
I sort of like ‘watching’ a debate that way; at least, during this election cycle. I simply can’t stand to hear his voice or watch him anymore. Good to know, however, that there continues to be no depth to which he isn’t willing to go. Good to know.
Remember, we evicted him from our heads as of yesterday.
Happy Thursday.
I love the way the light streams into your home which makes it seem so warm and comfortable. I would want to just sit in your living room and soak up the warmth. And the picture of Don made me laugh. We watched Worst Cooks in America last night instead of the debate. I did flip to the debate to see what was going on then back to the cooking show. For our house I would love another garage and a screened in porch. And live out in the country where we would not have to have a fence. About two weeks ago I did see a groundhog in our backyard. Which was interesting because we live along a very busy street. Oh I have another book suggestion for you. The name of the book is ” In the Shadow of Gotham” by Stefanie Pintoff. Also set in New York. Wouldn’t it be funny that I came across this book because of your review? because I don’t know how I came across it. Anyway I enjoyed it.
No, I didn’t review that book, Trina! I’ll definitely put it on my list. Thanks for the recommendation!
Yay for groundhogs!
He sees a pile of crunchy, squishy leaves and the kid in him just has to jump in! Must have been everything he had hoped, so he did it again! Love the playfulness in the midst of a not so fun job. And so many things to love in that shot of the cottage…my green clock, the doily lamshade, my vintage garden chair, the table, the table, the table. As a whole, it’s so lovely.
Ah, thank you, Shanna.
I want another of those vintage garden chairs! I’m putting it out the the Universe!
What a fun photo of Don! My husband had the debate on,…I sat for about 2 minutes and had to leave the room.
I totally understand. I’ve seen two, I didn’t need to see three!
That picture of Don’t is great! We all like to be silly and stress free like kids! I am cleaning my living room to be as neat as yours. I love your room!
Thank you, Doris! Now to clean out my closets!
Lucky you, I watched it. My son in Chicago voted early so he could be done with the whole mess. I like the festivity of election day and will wait until then to vote. Then I’ll come home and try to figure out how to download some music. I’m thinking Stevie Nicks…..Landslide.
Perfect! Get ready to download, Kaye!
Great pic of Don! What a ham! And I like that pic of your home too. I think it’s that warm color on your valance in the kitchen, and it carries all the way to the loveseat. Yes…I have a list of wants too…I would love a screen porch…don’t know if that’s in the cards. One thing we will have to deal with, is a new furnace and air conditioner. Always something isn’t there? ;)
Always. We did the furnace/oil burner replacement a few years ago. It’s never inexpensive!
I really like the new look to your living room. It’s still cottage-y with a clean, modern vibe.
Thank you, Laura!
Oh, the leaves photo is the cutest; one thing I’ve never known…to fall into a pile of leaves or do a snow angel. I feel deprived!
Last night, I was totally prepared to watch the debate. Even had snacks. But this is what happened: I find it very fatiguing to listen to other people argue and shout at one another. (Fortunately, my husband and I don’t do it TOO often, between us, and I was lucky my parents rarely sparred [as Dad said about him and Mom, “we get along; always have”].) Anyway, in short order, watching the debate, I early-on fell asleep on the sofa; so, I actually missed most of the debate, and I think it’s just as well. I saw enough clips later to make me want to puke.
Back to your house, when we refinished floors at our other house, the little cottage, we still weren’t moved in yet although it’s one of the last things you should do. So, there were about three months from refinishing to move-in where that chemical/poly-u smell could settle out of there; otherwise, I’d have never have been able to breathe it in; toxic. We’re facing it now with our current house, which has wood floors everywhere except the kitchen; we’ve pulled up most of my parents’ old carpet. What my husband is actually doing as he finishes his other work on each room, is just cleaning the wood floor by hand (on his knees) really well…basic cleaners…and sort of just letting it be. We’ve found we prefer this to the ultra-shiny floors. He did the same thing with the floors of the cottage ten years later when we sold it, once we’d moved everything out of there…and at one point we’d had three dogs (weighty, large-breed dogs) who’d scratched the heck out of it but, gosh, even with that, the floors looked lovely with a certain dull/glow-y & aged patina once he was done. Point is, in the end, there was no need for costly (and dangerous-to-breathe) refinishing. Also, my neighbor worked on his 60-year-old wood floors and wound up just cleaning and rubbing a light wax into them by hand. Think about it; google it; you might NOT need to have a huge and disruptive (and expensive) refinishing job in your future, Claudia.
Speaking of, any tips on how you keep your wood floors free of the usual dirt and crap that rugs often catch? I’m going to have to go pretty much rugless because my husband cannot stand throw rugs. Not even in the bathroom! (He and I are going to have to meet somewhere in the middle on this subject!) Do you just vacuum? Sweep with a broom? I find wood floors a lot harder to keep clean as compared to former days when all I had to do was run a vacuum cleaner over a wall-to-wall carpet.
And segue to a throw, I love the way the rich color of your fringed afghan on the love seat picks up the colors of your facing chair. Looks so nice.
We really can’t refinish them, even though I say they need refinishing. We would have to move everything out and we simply can’t do that! We have used wood cleaners on them before and will again, but the combination of rugs being on the floors for so many years and the damage done to the non-rug covered areas makes for a very unevenly finished floor.
I just vacuum and use Swiffers. I love Swiffers – they really get all that stuff up and off the floor. Our floors are very, very old, so there are sometimes large spaces between the wide plank boards. I use one of the vacuum attachments to suck stuff out of those spaces.
And what I’d learned was that refinishing is finite; you can’t keep doing it. At our cottage, which I mistakenly said we sold ten years ago…it wasn’t ten, it was three…from what the contractor could determine, the white-oak floors had actually never been refinished (or was it that they’d only been done once; I’m getting to where I can’t remember all the details!). So I guess you can bring in the professional sanders maybe tops, three times. After that, you can’t take the wood down any ‘thinner’.
What I’m dreading is that we’re going to have to be tented for termites soon; a fact of life at least in Southern California; should be done every ten years. It’s like moving each time, with having to protect your food et al being the least of it, and you’re out of the house for a couple of days (I’ll stay away a week); a royal pain in the tush. We were doing fine but then our neighbor, who has subterranean termites on top of ‘the regular kind’ …and who refuses to shell out the money to have his house treated (it’s expensive; like $2,000)…has infected us although, truly, it’s an inevitability here and a menace; termites can destroy a home (they love soft, old woods). I was recently talking to a gal who had a termite inspection and her eaves and other structural supports are compromised by termites; her estimates obtained for repairs are running around $17,000 (and this was a person who was not a careless or neglectful homeowner). Any homes sales have to have the tent, to my understanding but, you know, if you’ve had your home for awhile, it’s likely not getting done. The house on the other side of us will be sold soon and that place has never been tented for termites in 60 years; so, we’re getting slammed from adjacent houses end to end. It feels pointless to me to suffer this expenditure/inconvenience when my one neighbor won’t address the issue but my husband (along with other advice we’ve gotten) says we can’t wait for him.
I go through periods sometimes where I wonder if home ownership is worth it. This kind of stuff is really difficult once you’re on a fixed income in retirement. My husband and I are continually evaluating because our retirement will be frugal. Our rear hillside/yard alone needs about $3,000 a year set aside for weed abatement/lot clearing. Even with my agile/active husband, who’s a weekend warrior/DIYer ( although he’s aging!), it’s a task which needs a team.
I well remember tenting from our years in San Diego. Luckily we were renting, so we never had to incur that expense. I did have termites in the walls of my first apartment though and the landlord had to take care of it.
Just love the look of your room with all the glorious light streaming in! It looks so comfortable, warm, and welcoming; it mirrors its owners’ personalities. It has been so HOT and dry here. A cool front is supposed to be coming through tonight, and hopefully, it will bring some showers our way! I’m so ready for cooler weather, but not really ready for winter just yet. Love the playful picture of Don. Wish my hubby had that attitude! My husband says he is waiting to rake more leaves until it rains because it is so dusty. My cast comes off my wrist on Halloween and then maybe I can help him rake. Maybe I’ll be the one to fall in the leaves!
I bet you’re looking forward to getting that cast off, Dottie!
It’s supposed to rain today, tomorrow and Saturday – but so far today…nothing. We really need some rain!
I was looking at the picture and saw the light in the kitchen. I believe that was the first post of yours I ever read…. about how you made that lace shade. And I remember your post about repurposing the dresser/ buffet piece into your island. Time flies!
I hope you “Hombres” enjoy your Thursday in a “bigly” way. U N B E L I E V A B L E. (blergh)
Truly unbelievable. The mind just boggles.
Always enjoy a pictorial visit to your and Don’s cottage, Claudia. We skipped the debate in favor of Call the Midwife and Death in Paradise, even though they were reruns. Haven’t been following baseball lately, but go Cubs! Hope they make history.
They hadn’t been playing well for the past two games, but last night they came alive. Fingers crossed!
Primarily I am a NY Mets fan, secondly Red Sox ( I live in RI). Thirdly who doesn’t like to say ” Go Cubbies” Hope they make it to the World series. Don must be a ” hoot” to be around! I did not watch any debates, maybe a bit on the news, I just wait for the SNL skits so very funny.
We love the Red Sox, then the Mets (that’s mostly me). But the Cubbies! We want them to win!!
Love both photos. The sunshine on all your vintage treasures and the feeling of airy spaciousness is wonderful. Don’s photo – great !
Joy
Thanks so much, Joy! Sunlight is so mood changing. And, of course, falling in the leaves!
Your photo of Don in the leaves sent me back on a laser beam to the times my Dad would be out in our yard, right around this time of year, raking the leaves from two MASSIVE oak trees we had. I know it’s partly because I was small myself, but those trees truly looked like sequoias to me. Anyway, the lawn would be thick wit leaves, and we would be playing while Dad raked. Then every once in a while, he’d let me and 2 of my two little brothers run and jump into a giant pile he’d finished. The 3 youngest kids were too little to be out playing in the yard with us, but they did watch from the house sometimes. And it was SO MUCH FUN. Now that I’m older and know how much work it took to make the pile in the first place, I can appreciate [even more] what a loving Papa move it was to let us jump in, because it only made MORE work for him. Thanks, Dad!
It was a great dad move, Janet! Letting his kids jump and play in the leaves. That’s what memories are made of.
May I use one of your photos for a screensaver? It’s an absolute great picture depicting fall. I think it was one you posted Monday. It’s the leaves on the grass shot. Great picture and just reminds you totally what season we are in.
Sure. Though I don’t know what it will look like when it’s made big enough for a screen saver – might be blurry.
Thanks. I did it and it looks great. Not blurry at all.
Oh, good!
Your home has the best light! I love the floors and the cozy furniture and your pottery and and and!! Don in the leaves cracked me up and I needed that for sure! I did watch the debate but each time ‘HE’ spoke it hurt my ears, I’m ready to vote and be done with it just have to read up on some local issues first. I got to see Tiger play soccer last night, so cute! He thanked me for coming to his game. He is quite the gentleman at 5 yrs old! My back is hurting from the plane ride so I’ve got to baby it for a few more days. Ugh! Reading is my refuge these days. Hugs to you and Don.
Take care of your back, Linda. Reading is my refuge, as well!
Claudia your home is so beautiful and cozy it makes me smile-my kind of place. I too have the same style as you and Don and I smile every time I come home!
Thank you, Chris!
Your house looks like a very comfy place! Isn’t amazing though how you can think of lots of things to fix or change? That’s what keeps life interesting and also makes us grateful to have a roof over our heads. Whoa, that’s a huge pile of leaves! Ours are still mostly attached to their trees, despite the “winds” we had last weekend. It’s still rainy here, however, so this fall there is no talk of wildfires like there were last year, thankfully. I too will be extremely glad to have this election over with and am sure hoping for the predicted landside.
Me too, Judy. November 8th can’t come quickly enough!
What wonderful pictures today Claudia…kids come in all sizes don’t they..lol..
They sure do, Nancy!
My son was at the game but rooting for the other guys :D
How neat that he was there, Suzan!
I love the leaf picture! We enjoy doing that with our grandson. The sun filtering into your home looks so inviting. I can see why it is a favorite of yours. I can’t tolerate watching D.T. anymore either. Heck, I can’t even type his name. Ugh.
I know! I can’t watch him, listen to him, and barely can say his name!
Love that first photo of your house! My little home needs so much work, too and has its little faults ~ but I love it anyway. It is home.
I haven’t watched any of the debates. I won’t subject myself to that kind of nonsense and stress. Brian’s a huge Cub’s fan – has been since he was a little boy. He grew up on the north side of Chicago. So, he’s been glued to the games. I’m not a baseball fan, so I just poke my head in the room once in awhile to see what the score is. We’re riding high on the hopes that the Cubs win on Saturday night!
We are too, Melanie! We’ll be watching!
Oh my goodness, Don looks like he is having so much fun. Great way to make the work, not so “work”.
Your cottage looks as if I could walk right in and feel loved and hugged. No wonder you always love it. I used to have a home that felt like it hugged me every time I walked in. That little green clock is so adorable. Wish I knew what it was called and where to get one of my own.
Thanks for a great post.
Sandra
Thanks so very much, Sandra!