Living Room With a View

I'm a private person. The moment dusk arrives, I shut all of our blinds and close out the world. I don't want anyone to be able to see inside our home. 

What I've recently discovered is that in shutting out the world so others can't see in, I have been hampering my own view to the world outside our window.

I have missed so much.

During this time of Great Renovation, we lost all of our blinds (aka: privacy) upstairs. The kitchen blinds were spared because they were already new. In fact, they may have been the catalyst to all that followed ...

In the past, when our living room window has been without a covering, I have rigged up sheets in the interim. The window is large, so one sheet wasn't enough. It was an elaborate affair requiring much fuss and ado. During the day, the sheets would remain hanging by one nail which would make the nightly ritual of "closing out the world" a little easier.

During a renovation of massive proportions, hanging up sheets at night was purely impractical. Living in a work zone, amidst a daily dosage of saw dust and relative disarray made the idea of leaving our window unadorned, providing an open concept to the world, outdoors the logical choice. 

I never thought I would say this, but I have been very much enjoying the view.

My morning rabbit spotting ritual has been made ever so much easier. This morning, our friendly neighborhood rabbits came together and put on a little show which I would have missed entirely, had the blinds been up and operational.

I find myself simply standing still and enjoying the view. Even when there is nothing to see. 

Our blinds are on order and our window will remain bare for several more weeks. In fact, I revised the size of the blinds to add a few more inches so when opened, our view will remain unobstructed by the opened blinds. 

Our view is not extraordinary. We look out onto a residential street which is sometimes adorned with a rabbit or two. As I snapped this picture in the twilight hours of the morning so I had an image to accompany this morning's post, I had a déjà vu moment. I've been here before ...

My view this morning

My view from Mom's house, the last time I stayed there

As the main floor of our home has come together, I find myself standing in the middle of all which is very familiar to me. Whether it is by intention or by accident, I feel like I have recreated the feeling I had when I was at Mom's.

The fact that Mom's belongings are sprinkled generously around our home adds to the sensation but I feel grounded and serene. It is as if our home is not only protecting us from the outside elements but I feel its warm embrace.

This house spoke to me from the moment we met. I could visualize creating a home here within these walls. I have resented the work and money it  has taken to maintain and sustain it at times, but at times like this? After gracing its sturdy walls with some fresh paint and loving care? I can almost here the walls say "Thank you, we needed this!"

Ever since I walked away from my marriage with little more than I could carry, I vowed I would never become attached to material belongings. That which can be taken away is not worth carrying a high value. Despite that fact, I have forged an attachment to this house enough call it "home".

I love the way I feel within these walls of ours. I love coming home no matter what state of repair or disrepair our house has fallen into. 

I remember falling in love with the feeling I had within the walls of the home I created in a time long ago and far away.

I recall the same feeling enveloping our home when we first moved to Saskatoon. Safety, comfort, warmth and a place to lay our weary heads at the end of each day.

It has always been about "home". Not the "house". 

A home can be created almost anywhere you feel safe and protected from the outside elements.

I am feeling incredibly grateful for this house which has been home to us for almost 25 years. It has provided so much more than the creature comforts of a house. 

It not only has a living room with a view ... it is home. A home with a view.