Refeathering Mon Nid

When we built this house seven years ago, too much of the structural design had already been decided by the builder. While it is true that we changed a wall here or there, we purchased a variation on a development theme. My home looks like a show home. Beautiful cherry cabinets. Brazilian tigerwood floors. Granite counters. Lots of beautiful wood furniture. I used to walk past houses like this when I was much younger and dreamed of owning one just like it. Well I'm here now. And I hate it. Hate is a little strong. Let's just say that this house doesn't really reflect who I am. It's stuffy and formal and souless. For the last two years, I have been lobbying Bob to move into something more friendly. He loves this house. He loves its access to Fish Creek. He loves his private office. He loves that he can look outside and see a beautiful forest. But this is a man who has driven the same vehicle for fourteen years with it's cracked windshield and rusty doors and a heater that has two variables - hot or not. He's a numbers guy and aesthetics just don't matter to his bottom line. My lobbying is in vain.

There are other ways to skin a cat. I could RENOVATE. I had the best designer ever come to my house today. That she had to come from Ireland will be problematic as we move forward with these changes. Perhaps I could persuade her to come back frequently? We went from one room to the next. She created beautiful scenes. I took notes. She knows me. She knows my personality. She knows how to parlay that into my home. Reimagining space and creating a new atmosphere are just two of Elizabeth Honan's strengths. She helped me see it. It's going to take some time, some serious cash, and some discipline but I am excited to put her plan of putting me in every room except Bob's office.

You know what I really wish? I wish there were a place where we could put all the feathers that don't work in our nest and exchange them for those that do. I'm sure that somebody would be delighted to have some of my feathers.