Learning to live with and without…

“Mum! Mum! There’s a problem!”

Youngest son burst into the lounge and I wondered what catastrophe had befallen us now. From the tone of his voice this was obviously a serious emergency.

“The door handle on the fridge is broken.”

My first irrational but fleeting thought was, “oh no now we need a new fridge!” 

On inspection the handle itself is easily removable so it stands to reason I can order a new one on the internet. 

Fridge handles are interchangeable so fridge door can be opened either way to suit the kitchen space. We have a large fridge and freezer next to each other with door handles together in the centre like a huge white wardrobe with yoghurts and fish fingers inside.

This “incident” happened a month ago and the door handle is still hanging on by its top screw alone but as it still works I haven’t bothered to order a new one. There are more important things I would rather spend my time doing, checking my blog stats and updating my facebook page!

Oh how different things would have been had Andrew still been around!

Yesterday my gardener had her first visit of the year.

“We really should remove that dead tree. I have a bow saw now, so I’ll do it next time.”

“OK.” I agreed, not really caring either way.

“It doesn’t look that good.”

I suppose she has a point, it is on the corner as you drive in and it does seem a shame to have a dead tree in the middle of a tidy patch, not the best feature for a potential buyer to spot on a crucial viewing.

But I no longer notice it. Just like the wonky fridge door handle it is something I have got used to and accept.

Not everything is quite as simple.

Year two of being a widow is in some ways more challenging. I think the peaks and troughs are far more defined, I can’t remember my moods being so erratic last year. I was far more worried about getting things done.

Now I live with imperfection quite happily, taking the attitude I’ll do that tomorrow. Nothing is as urgent as it once seemed. Minor inconveniences are of little consequence in the grand scheme of all we’ve lost.

Some things I am learning to live with and some things I am learning to live without.

Twelve Tonnes of Gravel and a Lick of Paint

Busy day today. 

 

Up early with my dad to move the cars off the drive in case the gravel delivery came at half past seven. 

It didn’t! 

It was gone nine before the big truck arrived with 12 tonnes of the stuff.  Before lunch we had raked it all out.  We did have help, the driver spread most of it gradually in a very neat and tidy fashion as he drove along.  Also Wednesday is the day my cleaner comes.  Mum’s been helping out keeping on top of the housework this week so the cleaner was quite happy to be outside with us in the sunshine and shovel gravel – she helps out at her local stable so is used to shovelling sh…… something else!

The driveway once more looks grand in every sense of the word.  And the crunchy sound of tyres sweeping down it is magnificent.

In the afternoon the decorator arrived.  He is in charge of giving the windows, front door and porch a lick of paint.

We are creating “kerb appeal”.  That elusive element that will stop a potential buyer in their tracks and immediately induce them into making an offer. 

 

Put “kerb appeal” into Google and you will even find a website dedicated to the very topic, it is the art of “improving the façade of your property”.

I’ve been thinking that tarting the place up to sell is a bit like getting ready for a night out and wanting to look your best.  The gravel is the perfectly laid out dress you place on the bed before hopping in the shower and the touch up paint job is the flick of mascara and poutingly perfect lipgloss.

But thinking of yesterday’s post about getting my blog noticed maybe the gravel is the background picture, eye-catching but not too distracting and the paint is the carefully crafted words.  Just as the decorator has skilfully only painted around each window frame allowing you to see through perhaps my prose frames a view into my world?

The art of promotion and getting noticed is to be attractive, stand out in a crowd, displaying that something special you can’t always put your finger on.  It’s commonly accepted that – FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT - whether that applies to your house, yourself or your blog!

By the way any ideas what the background picture is?  The answer is another post – perhaps tomorrow, I’m quite enjoying this writing little and often lark.