~a work in progress~

May 28th seems like a long time ago now.  Mike and I posed for just a moment that rather chilly May morning outside of our house in Montrose.  By the end of the day, the moving truck would be filled to the absolute point of critical mass.  The next morning we were on our way to begin a new life 800 miles southwest of the San Juan mountains on the plains of the great state of Texas.  Two days later we arrived and even though things didn't exactly go as we first planned them to, they went the way they were supposed to all along.  Instead of Wichita Falls we actually landed 10 miles up the road to the north in Burkburnett.  

The day that we moved into our new house, now more than 6 weeks ago, both of us knew that we had our work cut out for us.  This place hadn't been lived in for well over 3 years and needed a whole lot of attention and the least of it was cleaning it up.  The price was most assuredly "right" and since both Mike and I know how to roll up our sleeves and get to work, we took it.  This is definitely a "work in progress" and we should have no difficulties in finding something to do in the months that lie ahead.  There would surely seem to be aplenty.  One room at a time, things will come together.  

They always do.

We decided to tackle the living room first because it's definitely what a person sees the moment the front door opens.  As far as size goes, this house is significantly smaller than our one back in Colorado was.  The living room here is half the square footage of our old one.  We are thankful that we got rid of so many of our things back in Montrose but once we started to unpack here in Burkburnett both of us realized rather quickly that we should have gotten rid of a whole lot more.  I've said it before and I will say it once again.

We all live in the land of plenty.

The first thing we had to do was to take out an old wood burning stove that was no longer usable.  In fact it was in such bad shape that the recent rains had begun to leak though the pipes that went out the roof.  It was a mess but once it came out and the roof was repaired, it provided a nice place to put our TV.

It took a gallon or so of sage green paint to turn the once really white walls a different and more eye pleasing color.  One thing both Mike and I learned the hard way was just how difficult it was to get up and down off the floor.  Our knees don't seem to be as young as they used to be. Taping off corners and trim so that we could actually paint without making a mess was a necessity.  We were both thankful that the other was there to assist.  Getting up and down from the floor or on the ladder proved to be a painful workout for both of us.  I've long forgotten the times that I used to know where I could just pop right up from being on the floor.  Mike, who once was a cross country runner in high school, agrees and commiserates with me on this one.  

Although it is not fancy and probably would not qualify to grace the cover of a home remodeling magazine, it is our home and we are most grateful for it.  We can live here quite well and feel comfortable in our new surroundings.  The pictures below show how we finished the living room up.  

Over the years I have enjoyed collecting crystal and carnival glass.  Mike's father was a United States Navy veteran and his flag and medals earned while in the service are atop the cabinet.

Some day when we are old(er) and gray, I'm sure that Mike and I will laugh about the journey that sofa took to get here to our house.  2,000 miles from Lubbock to Burkburnett.  What an odyssey :)

The crate was actually an old coffee table that Mike's dad and step-mom once used in Twentynine Palms.  We converted it into this.  

We have a place now for all of our memorabilia from the sea and Mike's days of living along the beach in the California sunshine.

Mike's grandmother on the Renfro side of the family was an excellent artist and we are fortunate to have three of her paintings here.  They are nice to remember her by.  She had quite a talent for creating works of art on canvas.

A very important lesson that I have learned over the years is to be thankful for what you have.  Mike and I have grown to be happy with this place and the collective belongings that we bring into it.  Would we need to insure the house and its contents for $300,000?  Probably not but you know the thing is this.

We really wouldn't want it any other way.

In everything, in the least of things, give thanks.

From our house to yours~
Welcome to this good day!