Springtime fades into summer all too quickly here on the Treasure Coast, and the busyness of life can often cause us to miss out on what is directly in front of our eyes. A few days ago, I intended to ride to the gym for a workout, then return home and continue sorting the last few stray items that don’t seem to fit anywhere in the new house. At least that was the plan. After a few blocks, I had a change of heart. I rode my bike back home, grabbed my camera, and started out again. I eventually got to the gym, but not before making at least a dozen stops to soak up the beauty of Spring.
Getting Things Done
Feelings of accomplishment and getting back to a routine have helped us settle and accept that we made a practical decision about moving into my MIL’s home. Most of the heavy lifting is finished, the boxes have all disappeared, rooms have been tidied and we are starting to relax and enjoy being home. A few loose ends and a couple of DIY projects remain, but we will get to those – eventually.
I had hoped to provide a ‘before and after’ of the projects we have completed, but unfortunately, I couldn’t find photos in my archives. So I will do my best to describe the ‘before.’
Rose loved lavender and purple and used them liberally in her decor. The bed and curtains were purple and lavender florals, with accents of dark purple pillows. The carpet and walls were beige, with yellow tones, and the room was chock full of knick-knacks and collectibles. Her French Provincial bedroom set, circa 1950, was original to her first home in Philadelphia and the yellow and gold velveteen setee and Queen Ann chairs were acquired in the 70’s. The room contained seven large pieces of furniture, a decorative mirror, and a TV/TV stand. We hadn’t fully realized the room’s size until we removed everything, added the new floor, and painted.
We lightened the space with white and off-white/beige juxtaposed with the new dark wood floor and repurposed /merged the dresser from the second bedroom which contained Malcolm’s childhood bedroom set. We had the cushions on the wicker chair recovered to swing both ways. It can easily fit into the family room when we need extra seating. Artwork, flowers, and a pop of color will complete the room. But for now, I am happy to have an uncluttered, peaceful room to retire to after a long day.
We also carried the ‘lighten up and minimalize’ theme into the family room. The room had floral curtains, (lavender and purple) two red recliners, a beige leather sofa, and a multi-colored (red/blue/gray Iranian rug. We donated the sofa and repurposed the recliners to the office. The airy moss-green linen curtains (Wayfair) provide minimal coverage, allowing light into the room.
The house is fully private in the back as it backs up to a nature preserve. Speaking of nature preserves, we had our first ‘Bobcat sighting’ two days after moving in. Of course, I wasn’t fast enough to get a picture, but Malcolm saw it up close since he was outside on the back porch. It was a draw as to who was most startled.
Once again, artwork, indoor plants, and a rug (not the red, Iranian one) will warm the space, but with two storage units filled with STUFF, I am inclined to shop there first. One step at a time….
We kept the living room and dining room pretty much as is since this was furniture from our previous home. You may recall that we used some of our more current furniture (20-year-old pieces to replace her 60-year-old pieces) to redecorate my MIL’s home three years ago when we sold our large home. Are you starting to understand my illustration (in the previous post) of adding water to a condensed sponge?
I love the warmth of these two rooms, however, the dark, oversized chairs and heavy rug do not fit the new, lighter direction. Should we decide to stay long-term, I can envision changing the window treatments, recovering the chairs with a lighter, fresh pattern, and adding more color, layers, and depth to the overly light family room to create balance. Of course, those changes would lead to updating the kitchen and renovating bathrooms. All ‘big ticket’ items that we are not opposed to doing, but only if we make this our permanent home.
The painters did a nice job with the exterior paint and we are pleased with our color choices. The photos don’t show a discernable difference between the two colors, but trust me, it’s much improved. The old paint had become dusty and yellowed after fading in the sun for twenty years. The old front door was brown, drab, and uninviting. The new door color brightens the entry and makes more sense in our warm climate. The landscape, however, is in dire need of attention. Unfortunately, that is how things go with an old house – one project finished, leads to another.
Malcolm made a Herculean effort in the garage and we can finally park one car there. I still can’t show photos of the carnage, but at least it is ‘somewhat organized.’ The goal was to have a ‘lock and leave’ residence that is minimally furnished, but functional and comfortable by July. We are ahead of schedule, which makes me very happy.
Maintaining a Routine
Keeping up with my regular routine, tennis, gym, and mahjong (my fixed dates) proved challenging amongst the chaos, as I forgot my Wednesday tennis game two weeks ago. In fact, I woke up thinking it was Tuesday. Scary stuff. Thank goodness I have very understanding friends.
Not so routine was saying goodbye to a friend from my Mahjong group. She and her husband have health issues and need to be close to family, who all live in New Jersey. It was sad to see her leave her home and friends, and yet another reminder of the challenges of aging. Fittingly, she won the first hand we played with the 2024 card that just came out in April.
Going Places
Between getting things done and establishing a healthy routine, we took some time to plan another adventure. This time, we are headed to Nova Scotia. We love road trips and this one should be mammoth. The plan is to drive there for four or five days, explore the area for two weeks, and slowly meander home. Of course, there will be leaf peeping and waterfall excursions along the way as the trip begins in late September and extends through mid-October.
We booked lodging in five locations (spaced about 3 hours apart) which should allow ample time for thorough exploration. I have watched dozens of YouTube videos, read countless blog posts, and consulted trusted blogger and RV travel experts Raven and Chickadee, also known as Laurel and Eric for advice. If you want to learn more about Nova Scotia, its culture, and geography, please read her delightful series of posts. To do that, click the link above, go to her site, and type Nova Scotia into the Search Box.
We are also putting the final touches on our July trip as we flesh out points of interest in the lakes region of Germany. With hours devoted to YouTube videos and blogs on this topic, we are making progress. In addition to the lakes region of Germany, we will visit parts of Italy and Switzerland by land, Croatia, and Greece by sea. It will be a month of planes, trains, automobiles, and a boat, so once again, I will put my packing skills to the test. This will be especially challenging since the cruise portion will require ‘dinner clothes’ (and shoes) that I will be stuck with on both sides of the cruise.
Relaxing
I will leave you with these cellphone pics taken at the beach recently. We joined friends who were surf fishing for Pompano. It was a lovely, quiet evening of sipping wine, good conversation, and entertainment as our friend (and sometimes one of us) chased the five lines he had set on the beach. Unfortunately, no one is faster than a shark, and several ‘hits’ were lost due to those greedy little devils. Our friend eventually surfaced two nice-sized Pompano that he will add to the freezer.
As surely as darkness falls, light returns..All is well….
Picture Retirement 
Hi Suzanne – I love the fresh looking rooms and can only imagine vaguely what they would have looked like in purple, lavender and yellow…. Going with a soft, off-white background and main furniture colour allows for all those little pops of colour and texture without overwhelming the room. You’ve done well to keep up your social commitments (with only one small miss) and to be planning two good sized trips as well – go you!
I hope you and Malcolm are feeling settled and happy in your MIL’s home and adjusting to a new life without her, while making changes that I’m sure she’d be pleased to see freshening everything up.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Leanne, just picture an explosion of dark colors and you’ll get it. It was put together nicely, but way too dark for Florida living. I think her style was a spillover from all her years of living in the frozen north, i.e. Philladelphia. I do think she would like what we have done/are doing with the place. Have a great week.
LikeLike
The new colors are lovely and make the new house yours. I can only imagine the hard work involved, and I wish you luck with the garage and the storage units. I know you are up to the task. 🙂 I’m not sure how you’re managing your busy schedule, house renovations, and planning two trips, but it sounds like you have it all in hand. I hope 2024 continues to be a great year in all areas of your life.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Judy, the trip planning has been energizing as it gives us a lot to look forward to. We have never planned this far out or for this length of time. It feels odd to be in this position, but we will take advantage of the window of opportunity while we can.
Coming home to a comfortable, tidy place keeps us motivated to make it so. The garage is doable, but the storage units – arrrrgh! Have a great week.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Suzanne, your new home is coming along nicely. Enjoy it! After living in the same home for over 40 years I can’t even begin to imagine how much work it is to pack up and move into a new place. I’m glad you are able to keep up with your regular schedule and enjoy time with your friends. Your travel plans sound great.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beth, I can’t imagine 40 years in one place, although my mother has lived in her home since the 1960’s. She maintains it pretty well – not much clutter. We (her children) are all grateful for that. I think my ‘schedule’ is what gives me energy to do the things I need to do. Without those outings to look forward to it would all be drudgery and I’m not good with that. Have a great week.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your new rooms look wonderful – clean and fresh and soothing. I am sure it was a Herculaneum task. Your coming trips sound wonderful, and I will be along for the ride. And kudos to you for keeping up with your regular routine – you look fantastic! Best wishes as you go forward!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Betty, first, thanks for the compliment. I can still ‘clean up nicely’ when I make an effort – which isn’t often! Most days I have gym clothes and sweaty hair. I like how the rooms are shaping up. We have more to do, but phase 1 is finished. The plan is to let it merinate for a while. We believe our answers will surface in time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Moving can be so overwhelming. The updates that you’ve made thus far are perfect and refreshing. Sounds like quite the upcoming travel adventures. I’ve always wanted to visit Nova Scotia thus I look forward to your posts and fall should be beautiful. Your floral images are lovely and were worth returning home for the camera.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Ingrid, moving three times in three years has been challenging, but we have learned a lot about what we ultimately want from a ‘forever home.’ I suspect we are not done yet. Anyway, I can’t wait to discover Nova Scotia in the fall. I hope we have it timed right for seeing lots of color. Have a great week.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the fresh light look you’ve given those rooms, they look very relaxing and welcoming. And I’ll look forward to hearing about all the travels you have planned for this year but especially Nova Scotia as it’s somewhere we’ve considered a few times but never actually visited.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sarah, I am excited about our month in Europe, but I have to say that the idea of Nova Scotia has me over the moon. The possibilities for adventure are endless.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting travels coming up – I look forward to following along 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep, quite the contrast, but interesting nevertheless.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love seeing all the progress in your MIL’s home, as well as how you’ve transformed it. I remain impressed that you accomplish so much in managing life and still enjoy it with socializing, traveling and blogging. I’ll take a little of that energy please!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Tracey, I’m motivated. I don’t want to go away for a month and come home to disorder. That would seriously mess with my zen. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week.
LikeLike
I believe you are doing a fine job of once again merging to homes into one and making it workable until you make your final decision on where and what you want to call home. Your trip to Nova Scotia in the fall will be wonderful, we did it with friends year back and the scenery is lovely.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Karen, it’s definitely becoming home. There are soooo many projects I would love to take on, but if the ultimate goal is to sell, why bother? We still don’t know which way we will go, but every day I find more reasons to stay put.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You have a lot on your plate! The house looks lovely. We found driving in Nova Scotia to be a joy. The folks up there are so friendly.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jan, we are looking forward to driving Nova Scotia. I am anticipating amazing vistas and will have multiple cameras and lenses on hand to capture it all.
LikeLike
Your new home looks very nice! Where is the Treasure Coast?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ann, the Treasure Coast is on the East coast of Florida, between Sebastian and Jupiter. It got its name because of several Spanish shipwrecks back in the day. You might have heard of the Mel Fischer museum in Sebastian which houses a collection of gold and other artifacts from multiple shipwrecks along our coast. All of Florida’s coastal areas have distinctive names like Emerald Coast, Gold Coast, Cultural Coast, Forgotten Coast and so forth. The name tends to reflect the culture and history of the region.
LikeLike
Hi Suzanne the new home decor looks so calming and relaxing. I love the lighter colours which are similar to what we have. I’m so pleased you grabbed your camera as I always enjoy your photography and the flowers are stunning. It is hard to keep to routine when doing home renovations isn’t it? We did a cruise from Quebec City through Nova Scotia a number of years ago and I would love to visit the area again. Take care x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sue, we did a New England cruise that stopped at Prince Edward Island, but that is as close to Nova Scotia as I have been. Everyone says that it is an incredibly scenic drive.
Maintaining my routine has taken a lot of effort while settling into the house, but it is also what saves me from going bonkers.
I love how soothing neutrals can be, but it tends to get boring without some color and texture. I think rugs will help ground both rooms, but I haven’t seen anything I care to bring in just yet. Have a great week.
LikeLike
Hi, Suzanne – Your closing quote is so true.
You and Malcolm have done an awesome job on your new home.
Enjoy Nova Scotia and all of your upcoming travel.
Vancouver Island is also very nice — just sayin’! :D
LikeLiked by 1 person
Donna, the quote seemed appropriate for our mood of late. Coming out of the darkness…Vancouver Island is very nice. You never know when I might show up on your doorstep – just sayin’!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Suzanne,
“Eventually” is soon enough. Love the work on your home. It looks very livable and so tastefully done. Congratulations! I envy your trips, especially Nova Scotia. You’ll be glad that you are driving and moving about on your own schedule. We lived in Germany for three wonderful years. I miss the country (and the beer). Your “stop and shoot” flower pictures are great. We visited the Great Smoky Mountain NP last week and I photographed at least 10 species of wildflowers. I will post them on EA…eventually! Have a great week! Joe
LikeLiked by 1 person
Joe, ‘eventually’ has become my new favorite word. It implies that there is a plan, without actually having to commit to one. The house keeps us on our toes – this week we changed the rusted out garage coach lights, and replaced a leaky dishwasher and two bathroom sink faucets. Malcolm finally found a product that cleans hard water stains in the toilet bowls. He got a big “atta boy” for that one. Never a dull moment.
The Magnolias have been blooming like crazy for the past couple of weeks and won’t last much longer, so that was a now or never opportunity for this season. I’m sure you found an abundance of beauty in the mountains. I’ll look forward to seeing your photographs. Take care and have a great week.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, you had me at the gorgeous florals and good for you that you stopped to capture them, Suzanne! I must have missed the post where you moved into your MIL’s house. It sure looks like a great move with the changes you made compared to what you describe. I love those green airy curtains, I’ll have to check out Wayfair!
Aging is daunting, isn’t it? I wake up a lot having to tell myself out loud what day it is, LOL! Easy to miss otherwise. I guess that’s the beauty of retirement. On that note, your road trip sounds amazing! I would love to see that part of the US and Canada. Nova Scotia means New Scotland, and I would love to check out where some of my Scottish ancestors may have landed. Thanks for the fabulous update and have aa great week!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Terri, we have not fully resolved that this was a good decision, but the timing made sense, so here we are. While we debate sell/not sell, we have trips to look forward to and can’t do anything anyway. In the meantime, we are making it comfortable.
My ancestors are Scottish too, but they were part of an English settlement in Florida. If I dug deep enough, they might trace back to Nova Scotia, who knows. We are looking forward to a great drive, fresh seafood and lots of history. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.
LikeLike
I enjoy interior design, call myself an active amateur. I like how you’ve made this place your own and if you sell it, it’ll be freshly painted. Always a plus.
Nova Scotia is somewhere that calls to me, too. My ancestry is Scottish, but I don’t think anyone ended up there. However I’d still like to go there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ally, I have a terrible sense of style, both with clothes and home furnishings, but I do try. Comfort comes first.
We are looking forward to driving Nova Scotia and have fingers crossed that we alloted the right amount of time at each stop. We have had this drive, along with Michigan’s upper peninsula on our ‘roadtrip list’ for a long time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Suzanne, I’m always amazed at how much you accomplish in a seemingly short period of time, and how well you balance your life. I love that you turned your bike around and went home to retrieve your camera so that you could capture the beautiful images of spring in your neighborhood.
I’m so glad you reached out to ask about Nova Scotia, and I’m glad that our posts were helpful to you! As you know, we loved our time in the Maritimes, and Nova Scotia was our favorite province. We would like to return, so I’m looking forward to your posts now that we’re no longer traveling via RV. How wonderful that you’ve created a calm, beautiful oasis to return home to in-between your travel adventures. You’re an inspiration!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Laurel, thanks for your travel suggestions. We are looking forward to discovering this unique environment and eating some scrumptous seafood.
I appreciate your compliment regarding getting things done. Balanced living, or mindful living is what keeps me going. I have had the same practice for so many years that it just comes naturally. Mind – body – spirit. When things go sideways, it’s pretty easy to identify what’s missing and get back on track. I’m sure you have similar practices to stay grounded.
I heard you and Janis had a meetup planned that didn’t get to happen. Sorry to hear that. I think you two would be two peas in a pod.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comparing your after pictures to the description of the ‘before’, you have worked wonders. What light, open, clean spaces you have created. Your MIL’s house is now your home and I hope it is beginning to feel that way.
Enjoy making the plans for your adventures. I haven’t been to Nova Scotia since I was a child. We stayed in a 100-year-old house on Prince Edward’s Island with the bed and breakfast’s almost 100-year-old hostess. I remember fields of Queen Anne’s lace growing along the road and being enchanted by how delicate they were.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The house is getting comfortable, but it will take a lot more to make it ours. We are not sure if we want to invest the time or money to go there, so…. we will see.
I love your childhood memory of Queen Anne’s lace and its lasting impression. I hope we will encounter fall foliage that will be just as memorable. Thanks for stopping by.
LikeLike
Suzanne, I was away for two weeks and am catching up on blog reading. You’ve accomplished so much and have done an awesome job on your new home. Your photos of spring flowers and scenery are beautiful. I had done a road trip in Nova Scotia several years ago (similar to your route plan) and enjoyed it very much. I went in June though. I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Natalie, thank you. We have settled in and are ready to get on with our travel plans. I’ll look forward to reading about your latest adventure. Have a great week.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Our Year In Review – 2024 – Picture Retirement
Pingback: Focus on August – a Recap – Picture Retirement