A few winters ago we experienced a severe winter storm that lasted almost a week. During the days that the snow kept falling while the wind toppled trees and blew ice across the windows, we were stuck in the house. Since the power had gone out, all our digital distractions (tv, computers) had ceased to function. The storm forced us to stay inside, to be still and to watch the world be silently covered in white. We kept a large fire burning in the living room fireplace. We read a few books. We talked about our future.
By this time, we had lived in the house for about four years and had completed a lot of the restoration work including replacing the roof, resurrecting the in-floor radiant heat, remodeling the kitchen, painting the exterior and polishing the concrete floors. The house was finally starting to feel like a home, not a project.
Since then there have been a few more changes to the house, including some new drywall and the installation of some classy dark walnut panelling in the living room. We even planted a few trees in the yard.
As for the future... The master bedroom and two bathrooms could still use a bit of work. Maybe it is time to bring out the drawing board once again? There will be more changes in our lives, of course. With some understanding and planning, our heart will once again find its home.