Wood you believe it?

The beauty that lies beneath the paint on these doors is well worth the effort and time to strip them. These are from two sources, our original broken, tear-down house and a job site where Bill worked eons ago. He has saved materials from job sites for years, and they are about ready to make their debut as beautiful finish details. 

My punny valentine

We recently moved our spinet piano out of storage and look forward to getting it cleaned and tuned after the holiday rush. (Who knew that piano tuners are booked up months in advance?)

We winced when we tried to install the piano's music stand and realized that we did not have the vintage screws that hold it upright. Eventually, we will find a new set, but there hasn't been any structure to hold up sheets or a music book.

This morning, we unpacked several sets of dishes, some of which we do not recall at all. We stacked up some of these dishes and their matching cups on top of the piano to clear our workspace as we opened even more boxes.

Me, walking through: "Looks like you got yourself a music stand."
Bill: "Yes, a CUP-ple of them."
Both of us: {silly giggling}
Me: "You're learning 'Linus and Lucy'? squeeeeeeeee!"

A precious gift, a valuable role model

As we have approached this point where we unpack long-stored items, I have been waiting patiently for the moment when I could see this art piece again. It was a gift from my father to my mother, and it hung on the wall in our living room in the house they built for us. I don't know the history of the piece, but the hand-forged nails that hold it together might be a clue.

With all of the similar-style memes all over the internet these days, I have thought many times while it has been in storage about this woman and how she is teaching the men to drink. She's a great role model from long ago, a woman who is leading, teaching, and offering her, ahem, expertise to younger men. Thanks to my parents and especially my mother who taught me to be strong and independent, just like her. I am also deeply fortunate that my boy loves that type of mate.

That fellow on the right looks like he's about done, eh?

The 10 days of Christmas

Today, we unpacked several boxes that have been in storage for some time, our very own time capsules.

Over the course of my childhood, creativity was always encouraged. Lots of projects were going on year round, but especially at the holidays. One year, we bought a set of cookie molds featuring the 12 Days of Christmas, and then made ornaments from them. Today, we found ten of them, and it's doubtful that the other two are still around. {Have you started singing the song yet to see which ones are missing? When you figure it out, let us know :-}

The little drummer boy's head has fallen off while in storage, but he still adds a fine beat. 

Contem-plating our storage

Today, Bill is deciding on the layout of our cabinet shelves, installing the side panels and trim pieces on our kitchen cabinets. There are always many more steps than you might think, and the detail decisions that we make together are many. Well, actually, I often say, "Whatever you want! You've done this much more in your life than I have." His eye for design is impressive and his ability to install things beautifully wows me regularly.

O Captain! Her Captain...

We recently moved some old boxes around as we continue sifting through lots of old stuff and this very old box ended up right next to my drum set. As I stared at it tonight, memories of my last San Francisco roommate and her boyfriend whom she later married, a captain in the Army, came flitting back. So long ago, but some moments so very clear.

I did a quick Google search to see if we could re-connect with them and I was stunned to see that he died in a car accident a few years ago. They had been together through undergraduate and graduate degrees, two daughters, and lots of years. At age 51, gone. All the plans they had to grow old together, cut short. It's somewhat poetic that I should think of them as I sat down to practice something I put off exploring for so long. Be all that you can be, now rather than later.

Enjoying a lovely cab

We have been working on some fun final details, including finishing the kitchen cabinets. It is always fun for me to see the process, especially when I return home to find the drawers up-ended and resting while they wait for installation. The hardware underneath intrigues me so this is a great chance to see it up close. Our kitchen is getting closer to completion, but enjoying the journey is what's most important to us.