I have fallen in love with my house.
I started out liking my house. After all, I had moved from living in my truck and tiny camper into a 2 bedroom house.
-
- I had a garage to protect me from the elements while I exercised
- I had a real fridge vs a tiny 12V portable.
- I had running water! And a toilet.
- I had unlimited electricity, heat and A/C.
- I had a stove and a microwave.
- I had closets for hanging clothes and drawers for storing them.
The juxtaposition from my crude life on the road was monumental.
Right off the bat, I modified my house based on my many remodels of previous homes.
-
- I hung rings and a pull-up bar in the garage.
- I ripped out the carpet and had rustic laminate floors installed.
- I replaced all the door knobs with levers.
- I replaced the locks with keypads.
- I painted the garage.
- I refinished the bathroom and kitchen cabinets.
- I sanded the front door so that it opens and closes with a fingertip.
- I replaced the leaky kitchen faucet. (And soon after, the dishwasher and stove).
Over the next two years, I’ve made little modifications that bring me great joy.
-
- I installed a gutter by my bedroom wall so the rain doesn’t drive me nuts pinging off my A/C fan all night.
- I replaced the leaky front gutter.
- I does some inexpensive “smart home” things with fans, outlets and lights that make my everyday life immeasurably more convenient.
- I removed two stabby plants – a giant rosebush and a huge evergreen bush that stabbed me everytime I bumped into it when mowing the lawn.
- I cut down the weird Asian Pear tree that dropped hundreds of inedible pears all over the side yard – which Wiggles consumed by the dozens.
In other words, I’ve created a home.
Recently I realized, I am here to stay.
In the past 30 years, I’ve owned 7 homes and lived in at least 6 others. The longest we ever stayed in one place was 4 years.
This time is different. I didn’t move here for a job. I didn’t move here to be near Ellen’s son or brother or hometown.
I came here to build a life.
There’s always a nicer house. There’s always a better location.
I covet a two car garage, a huge shed or a south Florida winter. I look at pictures of homes for sale around here and see beautiful interiors, new bathrooms and updated kitchens. I wonder what it would be like to live in a city condo, surrounded by people, places and activity.
But now, when I think of these things, I think – “But I’ll miss the kitchen cabinets I worked so hard on“.
Or “I love my floors even better than those real hardwoods“.
And then I think, “I’ve got exactly what I need right here.”