This morning, the sunrise was particularly spectacular. A red sky highlighted the white clouds, gradually turning orange then blue. Immediately, my mind leapt to, “Red sky in morning, sailors take warning.” But you know what? No warning here. It is FINALLY a relaxing Saturday. The threat of rain and two previous days of yardwork and housework mean that this morning, my docket is blissfully clear. I am free to enjoy a brilliant sunrise, an obligation-free day and to claw back a little more peace than I was expecting. Sometimes, Fate really does intervene.
Gradually, I can feel this family slowing down. We are getting there. Perhaps more importantly, we want to be there. This time, we are perfectly in sync. There have been times I have wanted to get a project done and my husband hasn’t and then times when he’s declared something is “maintenance” and therefore had to be done and I just wasn’t interested. It didn’t happen often, but it happened. This time? Nope. Not a’tall. We are in sync and we both just want to be done. Who knows if it was the years of renovations, the difficulty of the deck or the sheer fatigue that finally set in? All that matters is that we got here. Right here. Right now. Man alive, it’s been a long time coming.
Yet, I have to say, I knew all along that fall would be glorious for us in terms of slowing down and we are just about there. The leaves are nearly off the trees, the yard and garden are under control and we just have a set of four steps to put in, for which my husband already has the template. What is best? The pressure feels like it’s off. Life is not perfect around here but it’s pretty darned good. And it all happened just in time. Yesterday, my husband had his vehicle fixed with the correct hitch for our new bicycle rack. Our fall plans include rides in the countryside, hikes at the state park, family parties and just a few relaxing evenings with a fire and a glass of whatever suits your fancy.
Time can stand still now. Seriously. I mean it. No more rushing through minutes, looking forward to some point in time when life is “good again” and no more scheduling weekends out in advance. Nope. Just let time stand still.
It’s hard not to imagine that this is a real and lasting transition in our lives. We’ve seen friends do similar and that helps me believe. Some couples experienced a true empty nest where kids were living on their own and making their own way; others left the two-career hustle-and-bustle behind for a more relaxed pace of life. As late bloomers, we needed to get these renovations done to address any delayed maintenance as well as to make it comfortable for ourselves. Now that it’s over? I truly don’t regret it – and I often feared I would. But would I do it again? No. Not a chance in the world. That was a time in my life – similar to being a CEO – that I’m glad I experienced. It was hard but satisfying work. But now? It really is time for life to be easy again.
I am so looking forward to our next chapter. To conversations that don’t eventually turn back to what else we need to get done in the house. To weekends where I can look around and say that there is literally nothing to do but to enjoy each other. To enjoying the completed projects – from the deck and catio (which the furries love) to the hardwood floors. To the dining room that comfortably seats 12 and to not spending sooooo much money on renovations and watching our savings grow a little faster than it did before. To finally enjoying the fruits of our labor.
In the hour it took me to write this missive, the brilliant sunrise has faded into a completely gray day. Yet, that feels so comforting and comfortable. In the immortal words of the Grateful Dead, “it has been a long, strange trip.” It was our trip and we own it. But this is our simple peace stretching out before us and we own that, too.
The Yuppie Homesteader 