Subject shmubject

My living room:

Now not everyone is excited about their living room, but I’m not everyone. In the past I’ve come up with little plans, items on a list that never really come to fruition. I was happy making my plans. I got to flex my creative muscle without any real work involved. Not to say I was happy never getting things done, but they were just plans, and how could I be disappointed? Well recently I’ve felt a wave of get-to-it-iveness and I’ve been pleased with the result. Our old living room was comfortable, but felt cluttered to me and like the space wasn’t being used to it’s potential. I was always looking at it trying to figure out what to change to make it better suited for conversation and less centered around the TV. I got new couch covers, tossed the old entertainment center, got an old wing tipped chair, moved the TV to the corner, and moved the loveseat to the other wall. I commissioned Jeff to make a cabinet for the TV/entertainment stuff that has doors that will hide it all. He’s finishing that tonight! I guess it’s not an award winning living room, but every time someone comes in they say “Wow, I like this room way better now.” Yeah.

Speaking of Jeff making things, is this not the coolest toy kitchen set you’ve ever seen? No he didn’t make it (i saw it at a cool store- waaay too expensive), but it got me thinking about all the cool toys we could make out of scrap wood and stuff. I know my sister wouldn’t mind gifts like that for Tuula. I’d love to learn how to make things like this as well. He’ll teach me how to use all the tools. 🙂

Speaking of Gretchen and Tuula… ah yes. I took this Monday at my grandparent’s house. They are moving to an apartment in an assisted living community. It’s all very sad for us really. My grandpa built the house by himself when there was only farmland around them. He did everything. Now we are helping them sort through things and consolidate. When we arrived my 89 year old grandpa (who really looks about 75) was blowing the leaves in the yard. My 80 year old grandmother (who looks about 70) was as chipper as ever. I have to admit though, I started to see their age that day. I asked my grandpa how he was doing with all of it and he said “Well, I feel a bit beat up really.” I think that was the perfect way to sum it up. They are moving because they know it is the smart thing to do, and they want to get settled before too long.
What I think is hard for all of us is the fact that they still seem so ageless. Everything about their lives is admirable to me. They took impeccable care of everything they owned- most of what they have is in perfect condition. My grandpa built so much beautiful furniture, artwork, etc. He made their front door and carved oak leaves in the front of it. My grandma has always been extremely resourceful and organized. She and my grandpa are in excellent health, and I think that has a lot to do with her gardening and cooking and active lifestyle. My other grandparents can’t even take out the trash and yet they are staying in their house. I guess it’s just a lot to adjust to. I’ll miss the smell of the house, the whole feeling of it. I’ll miss the woods out back and the leaves in the fall. I’ll miss the deer, well mostly how my grandparents were always excited about the deer, even though they saw them every day.

Speaking of the leaves… These are the woods behind their house. They own waaaay back there. We used to go exploring. Also, we’d make the biggest pile of leaves you’ll ever see and swim in them for hours. It was fantastic.

Belly. Is round.

Sometimes I’m amazed at the colors that nature can produce.

I’m not an advocate of dressing up your pets, but uh… who can resist the gansta-pup?