Good Valentine’s morning to you my friend by the sea,

Maybe it’s the time of year, maybe it’s because we had so much loss in our lives last year, maybe it’s my age, maybe…….it’s because it’s so much as in life that it ‘struck’ me. But I had to share.
Restoration is the gentle part of peeling back the layers of time, revealing the original intent of it's architectural design.
This sentence, taken from an article I was reading, struck me so as a reflection of us in life. Life throws us curve balls - which helps to mold who we become and in those changes, sometimes we lose the person that we were. If one takes those ‘curve balls’ and gently peel back the layers of ‘crud’; keeps the ‘bones’ of who we were and adding the ‘curves’ of what we have learned through the experience – we become as an old home. One that was perhaps in disrepair and sad to one of splendor of it’s ‘glory days’. One that someone has touched with their heart, soul and creativity.
I absolutely love that and wish I had the artistic ‘design’ within, and of course the resources, to travel on such an adventure. My husband grew up in an old farmhouse that was cold, drafty, and electrically not safe perhaps.…but that has been touched by modern additions and is now a cute house. The original staircase and such has been restored, but as with the times some things were updated and made modern. His brother still lives there and although I appreciate what he has done, I would have continued and given the kitchen a more ‘old’ feel and such..but it’s not my house.
I can have the appreciation through the antique furniture in our room, my grandmothers piano and the things that remind me of her when I was younger, etc. In the changes we hope to make to the bathroom we have salvaged an old claw tub to be combined with a vanity that is much like an old piece of furniture that is marble/granite topped. In doing the hardwood floors in ‘cottage grade’ a few years ago, I personally think our home is ‘warmer’ and more inviting. Boy when when begins to do their own work – man it’s work. Hubby and I put down the hardwood (which is various lengths/color variations) by both the nailer and by hammer – wow! We sure nailed that one