2026 - how did that happen?

The road to, I don't know where, is paved with good intentions, they say. I say that because I've intended to be here - almost every day in the last month.

I haven't.

Obviously.

Why?

Well, real life got in the way and I had to work hard to navigate it. It was mostly good although there were patches that were really difficult. Very. And from which I needed to recover. Sometimes emotionally. Sometimes physically.

I'll deal with some of the last, first.

The reno: Hanging it all up

Because friends were going to be staying for two nights over Christmas, the urgency to get the former void to a point where I was not inhabiting two rooms, was urgent. The final step was a place to hang my clothes so that I could finally liberate the storage space in what is to be the new guest room.

It took three attempts - over nearly three weeks - to reach a point where I no longer have to do a frog march to find a frock.

The sandbag technology has advantages, but a couple of disadvantages. Some are associated with the poor workmanship with this build, and the other is that one has to be creative when anchoring things to the walls. The Husband managed with some creative bolts and no more nails, to hang the utility cupboard above the kitchen sink. It's still there, not going anywhere.

Builder, B, with his first attempt to put up the rack, discovered hollow walls. The second attempt was J, my gardener and I, with blocks of wood and no more nails. After letting that cure for double the recommended time, I loaded it: a crashing, crushing experience that nearly had me in tears.

The third and final attempt, was a joint thinking effort between B and I and involved, with his son, A's help, rockset, more blocks of wood and long bolts through the walls and external anchors.

That rack is going nowhere. Not in my lifetime, anyway.

And on the south side of the house, for some who look above eye level, there is a curious conversation starter. It will be less obvious when the house is painted. Yes, that's also on the (long) list.

With that, though, I am really in. Yes, there's still painting and finishing touches, like the floor to be painted, the "hanging wall" to be upholstered and the bathroom finishing off, but it's more than liveable. I'm loving it.

The reno: preparing for its first guests

The basics are in place: what was The Little Room @ The Sandbag House is moving upstairs to become the big little room.

Although inevitably, as I fiddle about, things are already changing, but overall, it will have the same look and feel, but much more spacious.

I bought these director's chairs (there are 4), about 40 years ago. From Boardman's at Eastgate. I think they were around R125 each. Solid wood and originally, the canvas was cream. I replaced it once, also with cream: not a smart move when they were mostly folded up and only hauled out when we needed extra seating. So, a few years ago, my Clever Girl friend and seamstress dyed them chocolate brown. Now, they will come out permanently and live in The Corner. Well, only 2 for the moment - the others will go downstairs.

Oh, and that tryptich of animal batiques, I bought during a trip to Eswathini (then Swaziland), a few years later.

The new big little room is taking shape.

Lamps make the space seem more cosy and welcoming.

By Christmas eve, bar a fresh coat of paint, a carpet clean and new upholstery on the headboard, it was mostly done and ready to sleep its first guests.

Its "old" space is being reimagined and transformed into a private living area for the exclusive use of guests in the next while.

Yes, while this was going on, there was other stuff happening IRL. More of that, though, in another post.

In the meantime, my wish for everyone is a year that is gentle and the kind that allows us all to thrive.

Until next time

Post script

I blog here, on Instagram and via WordPress to my own website. I write for love and a living and you'll find out more about that here. Content for the first two, and sometimes the last, cross pollinate.

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Original artwork: @artywink

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