Welcome to My Home 2012

In 2011 I had a new roof put on my house.  It is tremendous.  So is the bank loan, but.....
That new roof brought many unexpected gifts.

 I had to gut my attic. My attic is huge. It is the full third story of my one hundred year old house. When we bought it in 1978 it was empty and immaculate. That was a long time ago. My late husband was a reporter with many hobbies. The garage houses some still, the cellar has a few remnants but the attic holds the records of all of his genius - plus a few artifacts from his life;  his hat collection, his photographs, his drawings, and his journals - All of his journals. 

We raised four children in this house. They also had many interests and many chapters in their lives. Some of the mementos moved with them when they married and - some of them didn't.

We are readers. When our book shelves got full downstairs, we put another one in the attic  My attic has a "finished" section and an " unfinished" section. I had to move or tarp everything from first one area and then another in order to remove all the old fiberglass insulation, throw it out a window onto a porch roof, climb out on the roof, shovel it onto the driveway and then haul it away. I did it alone one dark night into the wee hours and then I hired a kid.   I love kids. They are worth every penny they get. We shoved everything we possibly could into the "finished" section. That still needs to be gutted.

In 2012 I must reinsulate my attic.  .

You get the picture. 

I need to move all of those precious and not so precious memories out of the attic before they can fill in all the nooks and crannies of the very top of this old house.

 How many unexpected treasures do you think we will find? How many tears will we shed and how much laughter will ring out? How many dump runs will we make as we sort and pitch? How many bumps and bruises will we brandish as we carry down every single item from 33 years of "putting it in the attic"?

As the rain rains down, I love my new 2011 roof.  I also love the idea that it brings with it the choice  to bring order from chaos.

Welcome to my home 2012.  I am making room for you.
Love, bevelry