Sweet Solitude

Sorry to disappoint, this post may seem boring in comparison to the last, but to me it is a little slice of heaven - no home projects, no dead animals and no slave driver Andrew...JUST ME:)

I love hydrangea season. My favorite. 

I used to relish at the idea of pure, uninterrupted alone time. Whether it be traveling, a good book to read, or a Sunday afternoon.  In fact I used to prefer it.  For the past two years I have done a 180.  I now prefer company and the surroundings of those I love.  I have to admit that the idea of solitude and time away from Andrew for the summer has terrified me.  It has been a dread in the pit of my stomach - not wanting to leave him, our new house, and the life we have created together in Rhode Island.  But, girls gotta make a living.

If I told you this was my place for the summer, would you not hate me?!

And so this week has been a welcome surprise - sweet solitude.  The past two months have been a blur - weddings in Virginia, moving, house renovations, job prospects, keeping up with friends and starting our own businesses, blah blah blah.  It was like coming in on the yellow brick road in The Wizard of Oz when I arrived on the ferry to Nantucket.  Nantucket has a way of doing that - welcoming you bACK.

Thanks Stephanie for the book recommendation...love it! 

The last few days have been time to unwind, enjoy the summer breeze and just BE.  I can feel the knots coming out of my shoulders and the worries melting away.  This chance to reconnect with myself and actually enjoy the summer is here.  I have read books, taken walks on the beach, tried to erase my body's white glow and caught up with my photography work.

Dionis Beach at sunrise

Hello Morning

We all need this time. This time to unwind, catch our breaths and be good to ourselves.  This week has been my opportunity.  I know after this week I will be working 7 days a week and then some.  But for now, I am enjoying this solitude and time to reflect, refresh and renew.

Nantucket fog

Dryer Kill

When your boyfriend comes to you while you are reading in bed and says, "you might want to grab a trash bag, gloves, a face mask and maybe your camera because I think I know why the dryer smells" you know your night just took a turn.

I can't even make this shit up.  Four days ago I asked Andrew why the dryer wasn't drying.  Turns out our dryer is from like 1980 and I was unfamiliar with the lint trap.

This was also the day I heard some weird noises in the basement and thought it was the raccoon under the living room.  Then today I went to do my last bit of laundry before Nantucket and was appalled at the smell in the dryer. I am telling you it was rank, but I figured it maybe was the blanket that Andrew left in there from three days ago that was still damp. WRONG.

Instead of road kill we have dryer kill. The poor fellah found his way into the dryer vent and we cooked him...literally.  I have never NOT wanted to do something as much as I did not want to unveil that animal from the hose in the vent.  You can imagine the scene - Andrew with pliers trying to get it out, me screaming and half closing my eyes like we are in a horror movie.  And then us laughing hysterically about not wanting to throw up from the smell.  There is only one other time Andrew and I have laughed so hard - when I totally botched his lemon meringue birthday pie (for the 2nd year in a row I might add) and he was spitting out seeds and lying about how good it was.

And then we started wondering if we could sell the dryer with the preface that there might be a unique scent that lingers here and there.  Any takers?!? Anyone...

Ironically enough we had looked at washers and dryers at Home Depot just 2 days ago. I of course thought it was an unnecessary purchase as ours are old but work fine.

Guess we're getting a new dryer.

Have A Heart

Andrew was right.  I hate admitting that because MOST of the time he is right. I guess its the 12 extra years of life that he has lived.  Either way it results in him doing an "i told you so" dance. Obnoxious.

I hate to say it y'all, but we have a raccoon living under our back living room.  Well...we can't exactly confirm that its a raccoon, but something has made themselves a cozy home below.  The rustling at the back door and when I walk down the stairs to do laundry in the basement are the indicators.  Andrew has started talking to it through the vents in the back room - "do you want some nice cold Budweiser"...yeah, I know, we need to get a life.

So the other night I was asking Andrew how we are going to get rid of this raccoon.  My parents and I are not the biggest animal lovers, so I know what we would do.  However, I live with someone who prefers animals over people. Go figure.

In comes the "Have A Heart" trap. Apparently you entice the animal with some food and it goes in this nice little metal trap.  Then you let it go.  Am I the only one who thinks this sounds ridiculous?! These animals are clearly not stupid. Where are they going to go once they are released?! Oh yeah, right back to their "home" under your house!  Unless...you drop them off at a friend's house;)

But in all seriousness, we have to add "get rid of raccoon" to the list of projects.  The list is slowly dwindling for the back living room.

There was SERIOUS progress this past week.  We used Egyptian engineering and installed nice french doors out onto the porch and two new windows.  Sheet rock is completely put up and we are 3/4 of the way done with mudding, taping and sanding. Andrew even put up some primer and 4 paint samples on the wall yesterday before our little house warming party! This part warms my heart as I have been thinking about paint colors for the past month - in fact it is a weekly question to Andrew.

Pre Sheet Rock

Our little helper Fiona

The french doors had to go through the window hole

BEFORE

AFTER

Lots of mudding

FINALLY picking paint colors! 

Option #3 it is - "Morning Fog"

I leave for Nantucket for the summer in 2 days. Andrew will now be left to his own devices to finish up the back room and start on the garage/basement for his new shop.  I am oddly enough not worried about the house - I know that it will look great no matter what he does.  What I am truly worried about is the 3 month old Newfoundland dog that our friend's dad found. I am scared shitless that Andrew will adopt this dog while I am gone.  I do not really want a dog, never mind a 150 pound furball that drools so much he could mop the floors.  To which Andrew says, "Have a heart".