I can't believe what a different person I am in 2008. Today I am working
on my one personal room in the "family home". It's an old bedroom that has
been converted into my office. It wasn't just the financial expense I had
to endure. It was the emotional expense in terms of anger from my step
daughter who resented any change to her old home and challenge to her
memories. It was worth it. I love my office. It is beautiful--all cherry wood
with storage, shelves, special spaces for my memories which are discounted
in this family.
In 1993, I bought my own home. I was single and it was thoroughly me.
Sometime that year, I hung a collection of my needlework on the upstairs
landing. It took a weekend. First, I laid out the pieces on the floor. I
changed the display many times until everything was perfect. Then I
used exact measurements to space everything precisely. I believe my
tolerances were less than one-eighth of an inch. By Sunday night
it was finished. It was done.
Today I have two walls that I plan to use for anything that I like or is meaning-
ful to me. Most of these are little paintings or sketches that I have picked up
on my travels. So, I just started with a part of one wall. Within ten minutes
four pictures, one cross, and one icon were up. The spacing isn't perfect; it's
slightly random. I like it. And it will never be finished. There's lots of room
for new additions as I live, learn, and travel. I like the 2008 me better.