Sunday, June 30, 2013

Two Homes


# 9 is where I live. I'm told the richness of the soil in my yard is second only to a spot in Egypt. I have lived here for 8 years in a one story ranch house that is cozy. There will come a time when JB and I will move, probably to Provincetown and possibly close to my beloved Jessica and her family. But I will miss # 9. I will miss all the shrubs and trees and perennials I have planted; each season I plant like a turtle. I only do yard work that makes me happy. Because there are farms everywhere surrounding the college town where I live, I can buy hostas for $ 2-3 each and perennials for even less. Plant sales are abundant. Nothing could make me happier.


I am making progress. The yard is filling out.


In February JB and I came across a 1300 square feet house in Provincetown. We have had a condo in this town by the sea for many years, but this was a house! A rare house we could afford! We could make our own decisions, have more privacy.

We closed in April and put our dear condo on the market. Not a nibble so far. This is official high finance anxiety. We are so nervous we are ordering a Saint Joseph statue that comes with instructions to bury poor Saint Joseph upside down and then your house will sell. JB and I tip the odds when we can, so we're contracting with Saint Joe.


Meanwhile, we are obligated to rent out this house in Provincetown and in the past few months we are doing our best to get it cleaned up and ready for weekly renters. This has been a formidable task due to the fact that the house is old and I've been preoccupied with my Mother's move to a nursing home, my daughter's pregnancy, and my every loving ##@@&** knee problem that selfishly is demanding surgery.

But we've HAD to do what we can make the place attractive. We are on the home stretch. We've needed paintings and wall hangings. This is what we did today and it has been fun. These first shots are three ocean scenes painted on wood blocks. We've had them for a few years and finally they now have a home on our stairs Kind of an odd place but they look pretty nice.


 I am not doing this mixed media piece justice. The light was not right when I took these pictures. My  friend Joss painted and collaged this example of her fantastic South African art. She has earned success--how awesome! The true colors are so much more vibrant that I am showing you. But here it is above the sectional couch in this new house by the sea. How great.


And in the hallway to the kitchen now hangs Marianne's mandala, gifted to me because I just totally loved it and Marianne is a wonderful generous friend.


The little hall also leads to a back yard private deck. The house has very little yard but it has this deck. But first look here: how wrong that during a beautiful hopeful summer there is a crutch in this picture?!! Oh well. A time for patience, weight loss, and rehab. Oh well. Okay...I say. 


JB and I hung pictures, organized the kitchen, AND strung lights on that deck off the hall. I took this photo from the kitchen window through the screen. How awesome is this?! No doubt we and our family and friends will sit on this deck with the sparkly lights, look up to the ocean scented sky, and shout "Thank You, Thank You, Thank You." 

I'm not exactly saying life is easy: it most certainly is not. But there are moments when you get to hang the artwork of special people and string patio lights on a tall wood fence and that's quite lovely.

Here's wishing you some of the same. xo

Love
kj



15 comments:

  1. I hope ol' Joe on his head does the trick for you! I like the look of your weathered house in PTown but I think for me personally the insurances would ruin me.



    are you keeping #9? That would be shame to let go if you didn't have to.

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  2. Well said - those moments of gratitude and perfection are the stuff that makes everything else bearable! We contracted with St. Joseph with our last house sale and it worked like a charm. I bet it will for you as well!! He's now in a special corner in this house (inside) until we decide to move and he'll get to help again...

    Lots of love! Silke

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    1. I'm happy to hear saint Joseph came through for you, Silke! That is encouraging :-)

      Love
      kj

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  3. Mark, high enough so not in a flood zone so the insurance is normal. But carrying two houses is not going to be possible in the long term and until our condo sells we have three. Yikes. We've taken a calculated risk buying this house--believing that we'll be choked for several months but then expenses will fall in line

    We will not sell # 9 while my mother is in a nearby nursing home; thus there will need to be cape cod rentals :-)

    Love
    kj

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  4. Kj, Beautiful art for a beautiful house. I look forward to my painting being added to this lovely group.
    Kisses to your knee.
    xoxo

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    1. Thank you Annie. I look forward to the sweet little boat too :-)

      Love
      kj

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  5. I've lived in the same house for many years, raised my kids in it, seen many celebrations occur in it and many loved ones who are no longer with us have passed through it. I was just talking to my husband last night after throwing a huge party last weekend for my father in law, that houses contain the energy of those who have lived in them. No question that the walls of #9 contain a powerfully positive and love-filled vibe. xo

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  6. I totally agree, Amanda. The history is deep. Memories live forever, just like love :-)

    I love houses and dwellings. They keep and share secrets, no small feat!

    Love love
    kj

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  7. I have now bought and sold three homes and in each front yard at some point I have dug up old St. Joe feet first...So apparently it works...I bought them! I just want to say that place is looking fabulous...I just love your art work and the openness of the whole space. What a great place to spend time. I love it!

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  8. I am with Amanda on house energy - very strong energy there.
    St. Joe sold our house after 9-11, it took 7 months but was an old old house that kept playing tricks on us, and didn't want to let us go. St. Joe seemed to calm the energy.
    This might sound silly but you might want to have some kind of a ceremony of letting go, moving on etc - who knows....

    good luck. you'll pull thru, you really will I swear, I swear.

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  9. Ah, your tale of two houses (well, three, precisely). "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." All entirely Dickensian.
    I do hope you end up with the right amount of property in the right place(s). It sounds so wonderful, what you are doing with everything, particularly your newest acquisition.

    Blessings and Bear hugs, to you, JB, Chase and Joe!
    Bears Noting
    Life in the Urban Forest (poetry)

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  10. Thanks so much for showing us all the wonderful art- and mine too.it looks so right in your home. I never knew about Saint Joe and never figured you to be superstitious KJ, so good luck, now do your work Joe.

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  11. I ove the peace mandala. And any time you can have white lights strung up, that's cool. Sending good sales thoughts your way!

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  12. My friend Liza has had the magic of St. Joe work for her many times :)

    I know the condo will sell, and when the time is right a loving family will move into #9 and nurture the gardens you so lovingly planted.

    Looking forward to the day I get to spend some time under the twinkly lights, sipping a glass of wine and breaking bread with you and JB again.

    And that damn knee! I'm happy you're getting it "repaired/replaced." You''ll be stronger, honest.

    xoxo
    Lo♥

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