The Maxwell House
Tinto is an artist. While he may not be making paintings on canvas or creating lovely silk seen prints - his artistry appears in every facet of this house.
Can you even imagine returning to your home after a long absence...and your house is completely bare - totally empty? I can assure you it is MIND-BOGGLING. It is exciting and exhilarating, too.
Baseboards get scrubbed. Walls get washed and re-painted. We are literally starting all over again. Every teeny-tiny item that was boxed or wrapped and placed in large storage shed is being unwrapped, cleaned, and/or laundered.
This is truly cathartic. Items that I thought had disappeared ~ reappear. Items I never want back in this house will be sold or given away.
Freedom.
Relief.
Magic.
Purging and Purifying.
If I unpack 7 boxes and it fills kitchen cabinets nicely and we have all the utensils we need...I may not unpack the other 3 remaining boxes. See? Going away, 'camping' throughout Europe, then returning years later, builds a different mindset. It's all good.
RECYCLING. There are literally hundreds of beautiful pieces in South Australia that have been pre-loved. No more brand-spanking-new for us. Bring an item in - send an item on its way. These actions are GOOD for our planet and nice for the community.
Freshly washed pillow protectors hung on a line in the warm Australian sunshine. Okay...yes, new mattress cover, and sturdy, yet fluffy pillows wrapped in the pillow cases that were left out to bask in the glorious sun. AROMAS. Fresh, clean scents wafting through the bedroom. These are delightful sensations and bring big smiles. Crawling into bed with every bone in our bodies aching from the day of moving, scrubbing, creating, decorating, sanding, and continuing with everyday chores IS exhilarating. We release tiny squeals of joy when our heads hit the bed.
Some items we cannot find, but Tinto's gigantic shed IS filled to the brim. We climb on ladders. We crawl over boxes. Tinto's old relic of a Land Rover is packed; filled to the brim inside with even more STUFF - the (very) important stuff, I'm presuming. Hell, it will take us months to go through everything. Life is full of it! But...THE most important things we carry in our heads. Agree?
I/we don't want Maxwell House to be exactly the same again. We have changed and it will change with us. I used to call it the Maxwell Mansion because it was THE most significant place I ever lived. Every crevice was filled with love. Today, I feel the same way. No other house in my life has meant as much to me. The inside of Maxwell (its character) will still be filled with love and sweet memories, yet it the house will be lighter in spirit and detail. If this old home doesn't know how much it's loved by now...it never will!
Do you want/need an uplift to your home? Ha! I recommend emptying the house - go away for a good while, return, and watch what happens. You certainly will not NEED all the silly things you think you cannot live without. You will easily forget a lot of the STUFF you thought was necessary. Back to the basics is good for the body, the soul and spirit. TRY IT. Bet you have an electric can opener. My Gosh. Do you need it? Start tiny - work up to the BIG THINGS.
Breathe. Tinto and I are breathing and laughing through the renovation madness.
At least we are off the ground and back into our really nice fresh, inviting bed. It IS nice NOT to wake up and wonder HOW you are going to get off the floor - ever - again! Ha!
Met some wonderful people while joining the new world of Gumtree and the Barossa Community Marketplace. Most people are genuine and really want to help you; they want you to be happy. There are a few of the 'other kind' of people...but, they won't get a mention here.
After trimming the olive and peppercorn trees...everywhere we go or when Tinto and I slip off a jacket or a top shirt olives come rolling out of sleeves and pockets and hop onto our floors. It never ends...
Off to join friends and listen to some live music and enjoy a big BBQ feast in another old, yet wonderful pub. We are taking a much needed break today. I see a good 'full on' 2 months still ahead of us with renovations. Sometimes I (still) wish I had a personal assistant or I could clone myself. I know Tinto wishes he could be 2 people...because...every time I say, 'Honey, we need to do this or that...', well, he knows exactly what the word 'we' means.
And, last but never least, Tinto decided Henry needed an "off the floor" bed so he could join us for late night conversations inside. 'Wow', said Henry. Or was it 'Bow Wow'???!!!
I'll post more pics of the kitchen in just a few days because it IS my happy place.
My talented sister's paintings of cacti which are outrageously good have found a sweet home against the new white, bright wall. Constance did well. Always. These were painted while Constance camped out in Ajo, Arizona (Pima County) for at least 2 weeks. Population under 3,000 when Constance made a decision to draw the desert. Daytime - 100 degrees/nights 69 Brave. Woman. My. Sister.
Ciao!
Posted by Blanco because Tinto is doing all the REAL work.
I'm just having fun.
Tinto & Blanco of The Roaming Stevens on a sunny, lazy Sunday!
Constance's pics of her cacti are being stubborn/stuck in camera and decidedly NOT making an appearance today. So...'YAY' - 3 days later they make an appearance!
Lighting not right - I did not do a very good job. A bit disappointed.
Closer view is a bit better - the detail is quite lovely.
Exceptionally GROOVY to us.
P.S. ~ I'm changing the subject to: HAIR, of all things. See below. I am smiling; that never happens when it comes to my hair.
And, then...guess what? I/we have been incredibly busy. We do not stop. I have not washed my hair in 5 days AND this is the BEST my hair has looked since I was born. HA! So...here is a selfie of yours truly SMILING because after MANY MOONS on this earth I am finally pleased with my hair. Is that important? No. Does it make me smile? Yes, as you can clearly see. On top of this severe dislike/disdain of my hair, Tinto perks up at the beginning of our European Mr. Horace Adventure and tells me he has never really liked bangs (referred to as fringes in Australia)...so, I don't mind. I let my bangs grow, but bloody hard to get used to when you have had fringes since you could walk. My. My. Hair. The dilemmas of hair. Tinto is happy. Now...if we could only find Tinto a 'little more hair - just to top him off a bit!'
Moral of story: Don't spend time on negative energy. Whatever we were born with IS good enough. Plain and simple. I reject and discard all those years of negative thinking. You, TOO, can have good hair ~ just don't wash it! ONLY KIDDING!!!!!!!
HA!!!! This was a long PS and a great distance from the beginning subject matter of this post!
Can you even imagine returning to your home after a long absence...and your house is completely bare - totally empty? I can assure you it is MIND-BOGGLING. It is exciting and exhilarating, too.
Baseboards get scrubbed. Walls get washed and re-painted. We are literally starting all over again. Every teeny-tiny item that was boxed or wrapped and placed in large storage shed is being unwrapped, cleaned, and/or laundered.
This is truly cathartic. Items that I thought had disappeared ~ reappear. Items I never want back in this house will be sold or given away.
Freedom.
Relief.
Magic.
Purging and Purifying.
If I unpack 7 boxes and it fills kitchen cabinets nicely and we have all the utensils we need...I may not unpack the other 3 remaining boxes. See? Going away, 'camping' throughout Europe, then returning years later, builds a different mindset. It's all good.
RECYCLING. There are literally hundreds of beautiful pieces in South Australia that have been pre-loved. No more brand-spanking-new for us. Bring an item in - send an item on its way. These actions are GOOD for our planet and nice for the community.
Freshly washed pillow protectors hung on a line in the warm Australian sunshine. Okay...yes, new mattress cover, and sturdy, yet fluffy pillows wrapped in the pillow cases that were left out to bask in the glorious sun. AROMAS. Fresh, clean scents wafting through the bedroom. These are delightful sensations and bring big smiles. Crawling into bed with every bone in our bodies aching from the day of moving, scrubbing, creating, decorating, sanding, and continuing with everyday chores IS exhilarating. We release tiny squeals of joy when our heads hit the bed.
Some items we cannot find, but Tinto's gigantic shed IS filled to the brim. We climb on ladders. We crawl over boxes. Tinto's old relic of a Land Rover is packed; filled to the brim inside with even more STUFF - the (very) important stuff, I'm presuming. Hell, it will take us months to go through everything. Life is full of it! But...THE most important things we carry in our heads. Agree?
I/we don't want Maxwell House to be exactly the same again. We have changed and it will change with us. I used to call it the Maxwell Mansion because it was THE most significant place I ever lived. Every crevice was filled with love. Today, I feel the same way. No other house in my life has meant as much to me. The inside of Maxwell (its character) will still be filled with love and sweet memories, yet it the house will be lighter in spirit and detail. If this old home doesn't know how much it's loved by now...it never will!
Do you want/need an uplift to your home? Ha! I recommend emptying the house - go away for a good while, return, and watch what happens. You certainly will not NEED all the silly things you think you cannot live without. You will easily forget a lot of the STUFF you thought was necessary. Back to the basics is good for the body, the soul and spirit. TRY IT. Bet you have an electric can opener. My Gosh. Do you need it? Start tiny - work up to the BIG THINGS.
Breathe. Tinto and I are breathing and laughing through the renovation madness.
At least we are off the ground and back into our really nice fresh, inviting bed. It IS nice NOT to wake up and wonder HOW you are going to get off the floor - ever - again! Ha!
Met some wonderful people while joining the new world of Gumtree and the Barossa Community Marketplace. Most people are genuine and really want to help you; they want you to be happy. There are a few of the 'other kind' of people...but, they won't get a mention here.
After trimming the olive and peppercorn trees...everywhere we go or when Tinto and I slip off a jacket or a top shirt olives come rolling out of sleeves and pockets and hop onto our floors. It never ends...
Off to join friends and listen to some live music and enjoy a big BBQ feast in another old, yet wonderful pub. We are taking a much needed break today. I see a good 'full on' 2 months still ahead of us with renovations. Sometimes I (still) wish I had a personal assistant or I could clone myself. I know Tinto wishes he could be 2 people...because...every time I say, 'Honey, we need to do this or that...', well, he knows exactly what the word 'we' means.
And, last but never least, Tinto decided Henry needed an "off the floor" bed so he could join us for late night conversations inside. 'Wow', said Henry. Or was it 'Bow Wow'???!!!
I'll post more pics of the kitchen in just a few days because it IS my happy place.
My talented sister's paintings of cacti which are outrageously good have found a sweet home against the new white, bright wall. Constance did well. Always. These were painted while Constance camped out in Ajo, Arizona (Pima County) for at least 2 weeks. Population under 3,000 when Constance made a decision to draw the desert. Daytime - 100 degrees/nights 69 Brave. Woman. My. Sister.
Ciao!
Posted by Blanco because Tinto is doing all the REAL work.
I'm just having fun.
Tinto & Blanco of The Roaming Stevens on a sunny, lazy Sunday!
Henry's polka-dot lounge. Such a star.
Henry getting cuddles and tired of camera.
He always looks 'concerned', but he looked that way
when he first chose to live with us, too.
Hmmmm, now...well, that may make some sense!
LOVE THIS BOY. He looks like an old soul to me.
Constance's pics of her cacti are being stubborn/stuck in camera and decidedly NOT making an appearance today. So...'YAY' - 3 days later they make an appearance!
Exceptionally GROOVY to us.
P.S. ~ I'm changing the subject to: HAIR, of all things. See below. I am smiling; that never happens when it comes to my hair.
Ladies ~ Attention, please. For my entire life I have hated my hair. Truly.
Never have I had a good hair day. I have a 'I tolerate my hair because I do not have a choice' day. My hair belongs on the body of a cat. But...I found a French hair stylist. Does she have to be French? No. But someone HAS to understand what do DO with fine hair. That is a MUST.
SEE BELOW...
And, then...guess what? I/we have been incredibly busy. We do not stop. I have not washed my hair in 5 days AND this is the BEST my hair has looked since I was born. HA! So...here is a selfie of yours truly SMILING because after MANY MOONS on this earth I am finally pleased with my hair. Is that important? No. Does it make me smile? Yes, as you can clearly see. On top of this severe dislike/disdain of my hair, Tinto perks up at the beginning of our European Mr. Horace Adventure and tells me he has never really liked bangs (referred to as fringes in Australia)...so, I don't mind. I let my bangs grow, but bloody hard to get used to when you have had fringes since you could walk. My. My. Hair. The dilemmas of hair. Tinto is happy. Now...if we could only find Tinto a 'little more hair - just to top him off a bit!'
Moral of story: Don't spend time on negative energy. Whatever we were born with IS good enough. Plain and simple. I reject and discard all those years of negative thinking. You, TOO, can have good hair ~ just don't wash it! ONLY KIDDING!!!!!!!
HA!!!! This was a long PS and a great distance from the beginning subject matter of this post!
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