Thoughts in an empty house in the afternoon

Long hassles with the moving company and the result is that we will have our things by the third week in August. Possibly. That's a topic for another day. Meanwhile, we're exploring restaurants (so far we like The Pantry and Blue Corn Brewery, those were both good for an informal meal).

And we're exploring the town each day, getting to know where services and shops are and how to navigate Cerrillos Road and where to turn on Zafarano. We're old, it takes us a while to orient, but it all seems pretty easy.

I've called a decorator to get advice and a quote on putting up drapes. I'll go in to the window blind store tomorrow with measurements of my windows to start ordering up the blinds.

And we went to the door store to get a replacement sliding glass door quote for the bedroom. We knew when we bought we would have to replace it, but the dang thing is eight feet wide with a two foot transom over that. It's huge, but it's leaking and broken.

Here's the door and transom that need replacing in the master bedroom.
Air mattress on the floor.

We're getting to know the daily light patterns -- in the morning shifting sunlight dances in the big dining room area so beautifully.  In the evening the hill to the side of the house where the walking path is lights up on fire for a few minutes as the sun goes down.

In the afternoons the master bedroom gets dappled light.

Even without window treatments on that big slider, the master bedroom is so private.
No one can see into the room despite having neighbors' walls so close.

The huge sliding glass door plus sidelights and transoms in the living room do not need replacing, thankfully. It's old but the door works and nothing leaks. But the screen and the screen track have to be replaced.

My big empty living room. The area outside the doors is a lovely enclosed patio.

This is my office. Its where I do computer stuff and fill out change of address forms and try to pay the new bills, all while sitting uncomfortably on the hearth.

The white styrofoam cup on the shelf has my daily helper juice.
Wine in a paper cup tastes okay.

The sliding glass door in the TV area is the only one that needs privacy, so we hung up a sheet. This door faces the street front of the house, so at night we do need it. The sliding door functions well enough and does not need replacement, but I do want drapes there.

Blue painter's tape holds up our fashion drapes.

We bought patio chairs and a metal table and pillows at Lowe's so we'd have something other than the
awkward fireplace hearths to sit on. 

How I hated buying stuff we don't need in the future. But we need it now.

We also bought a TV. We really don't need another TV, since ours is on the truck coming in a few weeks. But we have this little one now.

It's small, and impossible to hear in this echo-ey house with tile all around.

We are washing out styrofoam and re-using it. Why not. Meals are microwaved, or we go out.

The sink has styrofoam dinnerware drip drying for the next use.

Jim bought a barbecue grill today at Ace Hardware. We'll get it delivered tomorrow, so we'll have another alternative to microwaving prepared foods, and our meals will be picnic-style on styrofoam plates in a very private back courtyard in dappled shade.

We're good.

Oh, and I broke my glasses, snapped right in two at the bridge. So I am wearing Jim's readers now. What do you think?



Comments

libraryeducator said…
I think you are awfully good sports!! it's hard moving across the country and into a whole new world. You all hang in there - it is all uphill from here and will feel like home once your stuff arrives!! Karen
Laurrie said…
Thanks, Karen. I am feeling at home and like I "fit" here, but boy do I want my stuff!
libraryeducator said…
I meant to ask you - is that an ivy covered wall? That is nice to see green outside your doors/windows!!
Laurrie said…
It's Virginia creeper, which is very nice and very dense screening -- but it's growing out into the shrubs nearby and onto the gravel. I need to cut it back pretty aggressively! So I went out and bought pruners, even though all my garden equipment is on its way here in the moving van in a couple weeks. But I am itching to get at that rambunctious vine : )
DeeJayeL said…
I absolutely love all of the natural light your new house has. Hard to give that up, huh? I can't wait to hear what you decide to do with the blinds/drapes.

It sounds like the two of you are making the most of the new adventure. And I'm sure San Pasqual will agree that wine in any type of beverage holder makes it all okay!

The new neighbors have moved in but still not actual sighting of them. Oh the glasses - the big thick framed glasses are so "in" right now! :-)
Laurrie said…
That's what I needed to hear from someone with more style than me -- that those black plastic glasses are "IN". For once in my life I am on trend. (PS, I actually ordered my own new pair of readers and I got the plastic frames. . . but mine fit better and really are kind of stylish.)
Sue said…
Ugh a pain with the movers! From what I've heard, they are not the most reputable bunch. Despite it all, you look like you're adapting quite well. Wine helps.