I was chatting with a couple friends in the lobby area after church yesterday when one of them mentioned they were in the process of trying to sell their house. Thus began a conversation about lack of space (this family also has four children and two dogs), sleeping in makeshift spaces, children someday moving out (and moving back in) and all the reasons to live in a house bigger than what one currently has.
I found out that this family of similar size was living in a house with over 50% more square feet of living space than ours. The other friend in on the conversation (five kids, one dog) lives in nearly twice the living space as we do. They were both bemoaning their lack of space. I understand, and have nothing to say in opposition to their complaints, yet my stomach started its usual lurching as the talk continued. I always get to this point and start thinking about our small home, our lack of dining room, second shower, storage space, family room, bedrooms . . . I can throw a regular pity party on this subject, though we surely could just put our house on this extremely soft market and try to find larger digs. It could certainly be done, and summer would be the time to have done it.
Then I think about all the stresses of moving, having just watched two very close friends go through it all in the past few months. I just don't do stressful things very gracefully. I'm already on medication for chronic, low- to mid-level depression. I take care of our finances and am prone to worry, seeing way too many details and noting them all, over and over, each night while trying to fall asleep. I know I could survive a move if I had to, but do I want to put myself through that?
Then there's the mortgage rates. Our current tiny mortgage is at 4.85%. I am so proud of that. I don't want to touch that.
There is my own folktale theory that, at this point, wanting to avoid physical and emotional pain, I begin to apply strenuously to our situation. I call it the It Could Always Be Worse: A Yiddish Folk Tale by Margot Zemach lesson. (See link: http://www.amazon.com/Could-Always-Be-Worse-Yiddish/dp/0374436363)
The story opens thus: "Once upon a time in a small village a poor unfortunate man lived with his mother, his wife, and his six children in a little one-room hut. Because they were so crowded, the man and his wife often argued. The children were noisy, and they fought. In winter, when the nights were long and the days were cold, life was especially hard. The hut was full of crying and quarrelling. One day, when the poor unfortunate man couldn't stand it any more, he ran to the Rabbi for advice."
The Rabbi listens and advises the man, over several sessions, to bring more and more into his house, including loud, messy animals. Day by day the house becomes more and more crowded, messy and noisy. Finally, the Rabbi tells the man to take everything out that he had added to his hut. The man is left with his mother, his wife and his six children. He experiences peace. Love that.
So I become motivated once more to clean out the closets, basement and garage, donating to worthy charities and friends in need and simply tossing a good amount of junk. I go to the library and reread a book on simplifying your life. Then I visit one of my favorite home design websites to make myself feel like I already possess a ginormous estate: Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, specializing in homes "smaller than some people's closets." (See http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/houses.htm)
I remind myself of my smaller footprint on this already crowded planet, my little electric bill, and how quickly I can actually clean this place, were I actually to clean this place. As long as I can maintain my attitude of thankfulness and peace concerning my own home, and as long as I can get completely away from it a few times a year, I realize really how good we have it.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Dog Break
I just had to post a couple photos of the schnauzers. Buddy is a real sweetie and Lexie is getting used to having him around.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Fort Worden State Park, WA
Fort Worden State Park is located in Port Townsend, Washington. Here is the description from the Park's website: "Fort Worden, along with the heavy batteries of Fort Flagler and Fort Casey, once guarded nautical entrance to Puget Sound. These posts, established in the late 1890s, became the first line of a fortification system designed to prevent a hostile fleet from reaching such targets as the Bremerton Naval Yard and the cities of Seattle, Tacoma and Everett. Construction began in 1897 and continued in one form or another until the fort was closed in 1953. The property was purchased as a state park in 1955. Fort Worden is named after Rear Admiral John L. Worden."
Though I took photos at different parts of the park, the photos that follow were all taken in and around the cement bunker-type platforms above the cliffs, where the defense canons used to be mounted. This particular area was fascinating and gave me ample opportunities to frame old rusty doors, painted walls, graffiti and moss. I would love to stage an entire photo show based on the photos I got at this spot alone. I am rather stoic and not given much to this sort of description, but this place was magical.
Port Townsend, WA
Gallery posters along the main street
Sewer/street detail
My daughter beachcombing
The Palace Hotel on the main street
Port Ludlow, WA
Honeysuckle blossom along the shoreline
Empty crab shell on seaweed
Giant horsetail grass
Wild white blossom
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Clean that Dog!
Gave Buddy a couple good baths and cut a bunch of the mats out of his fur. Then I tried to give him a homemade schnauzer do, but I'm not the best groomer. He was good about it, though, and stood there nicely while I tried to trim him. He does look much better than before.
We were laughing so hard taking this photo. I wanted his ears to stand up in their full glory so I made this high pitched whining sound. They would just pop up in the air! It was so funny.
Monday, July 16, 2007
You've Got a Buddy in Me
I have a link to our local Humane Society which I check pretty regularly, always on the lookout for another mini schnauzer. I've been wanting a second schnauzer for a couple of years now, but they never show up. I checked Friday night, breezing through the photo list of adoptable dogs - no schnauzers as usual. Saturday morning, there was 'Brad', a one-year old male mini schnauzer. I grabbed Lexie and her leash and yelled to my husband that I was running to the Humane Society! A couple of the kids came along as well, which wasn't much help in making a rational decision. At first the staff couldn't find him and I figured he had already been chosen by someone else. I sat on the bench for a good long while and let the kids go play with the kittens. Getting restless, I wandered into the education room and found a computer with Internet on it. I went to the website again and sure enough, he was still listed. I went back to the reception area and asked again, and this time they looked in the back rooms where they keep dogs who haven't gotten out to the viewing rooms yet. They found him and let me meet him - alone first, then with the kids, and finally with Lexie. All went well and I brought him home.
The kids wanted to name him Wizard, and we tried this for a day, but it didn't seem quite right. Dad wanted to call him Buddy, which I think is boring, but my daughter had a good point when she suggested we let Dad name him with the hopes that he would feel better about me having brought him home. So, his name is Buddy, though I did add Grau for a middle name. Grau means gray in German, both of which he is, of course.
Lexie, our first schnauzer, doesn't seem thrilled with this development. She's not hostile, but she's not exactly friendly either. I already gave him a bath and sort of a haircut, and am taking him to the vet today for a complete check-up. I hesitate to post his photo because he looks pretty rough, but this was before his bath and grooming. Stay tuned for his updated photo after his vet visit, and then his groomed photo after his appointment at Pampered Paws in early August.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
This panoramic view of Seattle with Mt. Rainier in the background was created by stitching together 12 individual shots in Photoshop Elements. The problem with this blogger program is that you can't really post photos very large, making this panorama almost too small to be appreciated. On the other hand, at this size you can't make out most of the sneaky little things I had to do to get 12 photos to get along in such a small space. There was quite a bit of work involved to get it this far. If I may borrow a limb from a friend, on yet another hand, you can always click on the photo itself and it will blow up. Sounds like fun, huh? Just try and ignore the blending imperfections.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Kalaloch Beach
Note my husband walking on the driftwood in the middle of the frame. This stuff is gigantic!
Again, note the two tiny people on the beach.
The large flower-like root system of the dead tree in the foreground was easily 20 feet in diameter.
Ruby Beach
This was my very first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean. Ruby Beach is a gorgeous place to have done this. One of the most surprising things about the Pacific Coast was the amount of driftwood and the enormous size of the individual pieces. They were just huge.
Man's Best Friend
I found the Pacific Northwest to be a very dog-friendly part of the country. These pooches were in Port Townsend, WA.
Fauna at Huricane Ridge
Deer hunting is not allowed in the park so these guys had little fear of humans. Check out the toes on the chipmunk.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
More Locks
This blogger thing only lets me upload a certain amount of photos at a time, so I had to split this grouping up - here are some more from the Chittenden Locks.
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