this house ain't talking zen no more {renov #25}


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i'm not kidding. i'm down to the last downstairs room to be renovated and i am glad. who wouldn't be? 
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still, it has been far from clear skies, and like the rain that has fallen excessively lately, my moods fell accordingly.

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today wasn't a good day. the walls in this dwelling are old, too old. they should have been fully replastered. 
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what i'm doing is, doing the old plaster up. it has the advantage the dust stays manageable. the biggest downfall however, these walls are a-l-i-v-e.

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thus i was rolling my pin over a moon landscape {craters, dales, hills}, when all of a sudden brown dust starts flowing downwards. like blood, like a flaming river, it kept coming. 
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dust, horse's hair, starched plaster. 
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i stared at it, i stared at my roller. i kept calm, but didn't carry on. it dawned on me. i'd had enough!

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there i stood, on that ladder. how many thimes have i mounted that pesky ladder? as many times as i've pesky descended it. 
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and guess what? 
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i'd had enough. 

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what with this internet keeping me from updating my shop too. i've had enough. 
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all this daily pocket worry, preparing new booklets to be added and none of it. 
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there's only so much any person wants to take. 

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and now this house starts vomiting too! 
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so now we've had enough, this house and me both
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so today, we quit. 
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we've had enough.

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guess what we're doing tomorrow? ☻
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on a different note though. 
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we are coming closer to before & afters. 
what a long haul, hey? 
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20 comments :

  1. oh woolf, i magine your house not wanting to play along! doesn't she understand you're gonna make her pretty?!

    i love your voice, your attitude, your character that shines so brightly through your words.

    and for the kindness felt through the ones you leave for me, i am grateful.

    chin up...

    ;)

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  2. Yes, dear Nadine, you've had a long haul! I admire you for tackling such a huge project.
    I admire you for keeping going when I would have quit. I admire your strength and determination.
    Maybe it's time for a cupcake and latte! xo Excited to see the afters!

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  3. Oh Momma I wish I could come help.....look like you have done a lot....

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  4. Dear Nadine, I really feel with you - as I moved 4 month ago and did only a tiny part of your renovation before (and making it a home is still a process), so I know how you feel and how distraous your feelings are! I agree with all 3 ladies above - and come with Carole for a cupcake and coffee - or alternative with Ariane, Patrice and Julia ;)
    Hope to see you soon - and I'm really curious about your house!
    You're wonderwoman don't forget that!
    xxx Barbara

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  5. Smiling my way through this Woolfy. Wishing you courage and fortitude to continue. How many cliches have been written about where you are now? Light at the end of the tunnel and all that...Don't lose heart, you're nearly there (it's so much easier to preach than practise) but forget the coffee and cake, it's time to open a bottle I say!
    x

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  6. Just to add to what all these wise women before me wrote. I read in 'Scientific American Mind' recently that the ability to say 'I've had enough' is equally rewarding to one's self as to 'hold on'. Makes perfectly sense really; to be the master of one's decisions can spark new energy.
    If I were close, I'd help you out.
    x
    Lilli

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  7. I esp. agree with Kylie and Lilli. I would choose a bottle over coffee and cake---nah, I'd choose the cake then the bottle; forget the coffee!
    I have found that our 'gut' tells us when we've had enough and it's extremely important to listen to that wise 'gut', friend. Breaks are necessities if a)you want to keep your sanity somewhat in tact and b)you want to eventually get the job done right.
    So enjoy the brief break and get that camera ready for the afters!:>)

    I'm sitting here chuckling at your wall 'vomiting'--I love your expressions! I thought perhaps something was going to crawl out at you when you first said your walls are alive. I thought the brown ooze preferable to crawly things or God forbid an actual animal(I'm thinking bigger than a mouse for some reason). Oh my my mind is lively this morning!

    I wish I could bake a luscious cake(probably more like buy one at a fantastic bakery) and bring a marvelous bottle of something to make us giggly while we sat and talked. Instead, I am sending you Internet hugs. 000(3 of them)! ♥beth♥

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  8. i hope you've gone someplace wonderful. even for a long walk, followed by a rest in a cafe (and hopefully a nice cup of tea. you know it's my remedy for almost everything.)

    i've lived in my home for over 20 yrs now, and it could use a second renovation right about now... but i well remember our "patching up" endeavors. hideous mirrored tiles pulled off the wonderful old plaster work, which of course had been nearly ruined by the tile glue. i remember patching and patching and patching before we painted... but happily for us, the walls did not bleed! the beautiful oak flooring had been hidden by awful mustard colored carpet, so we ripped that out and pulled up hundreds of carpet nails, then (because we didn't have the money to refinish the wood) we used treewax, applying it with fine steel wool, and buffing it up after. (we hid spots from the previous owner's dogs with throw rugs.) we also wallpapered the kitchen, which we decided we'd never do together, again, if we wanted to stay married ;)

    i hope your house will learn its lesson. if it doesn't cooperate, the owner won't play... but hopefully the owner DID play, a bit, and get refreshed?

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  9. Nasty old house. Needs a good spanking, that one.

    And as for you: two full days rest. Doctors orders!

    Nicki

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  10. Ha, listen to Nicki! And then return with new energy!
    And tell your house: "You don't have feet, dear. You can't escape. You'll get your FULL make-over. I won't finish until it's finished. And now: don't rock the boat!"

    Sometimes old houses are just like old people, they fear change...

    What a pity I'm not living closer. I'd bring along my wobbly old ladder, put my paper hat on and give a helping hand in plastering. Sounds more fun than getting dusty, doesn't it?! ;o)

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  11. hey sweetie, you know what, in the end it will become such a marvelous Nadine place, no doubt about that, hope you did something totally relaxing you brave lady so the battery got loaded once more,ik duim voor je, altijd, xx

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  12. Dearest Nadeschda,
    as all this wise women told you here (and before) I'll tell you too:
    Your so very brave and keeping up!
    And your house is speaking to you... its very lively, spirited isn't it? And even that ladder... I can hear the squeak.

    So please, take your time
    ... and you've already finished the theme of Norma for this week's drawing challenge ;)
    wow.
    Adoringly,
    yours Ariane.

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  13. Hang in the Woolfy, just take it day by day.
    I know you wont want to hear the next bit Im about to type but I figure that your family and friends wont say it because their ears are in close vicinity to you and I have the luxury of distance so feel I can say it. In saying that here goes.........Ill whisper it so it wont hurt your head too much........."do the damn walls the right way ok?" I know its a b@mmer that it has to start spewing out brown stuff right at the end of the reno but if you dont do it the right way and replaster p-r-o-p-e-r-l-y it is going to harrass you and remind you and irritate you everytime another plop of brown crumble hits the floor or your plate of food etc;
    Take a day off shout yourself to a spa, massage, alcoholic beverage, present all of the suggested then work out how you are going to manage the extra cost and extended timeframe.
    It is very painfil for us too who have been patiently waiting for the before and after pics but we will sacrifice and suffer on if it means that you will suffer less in the long run.

    your very distant (locationwise that is) friend and muse (or not so musing) Helen ;)

    PS: please feel free to call me a variety of colourful endearments or suggestions on places I can go after reading this comment.
    PPS: Also please salute me when you are at the bar with your drink in hand!

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  14. oh dear friend, maybe you take a day OFF. do something totally different (maybe a trip to hamburg!?), even wonder woman needs a rest! sending you power with love, julia

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  15. I just want to say that your a brave woman taking on such a task. A task that would give me the shivers. But wow, what a feeling you'll have when all is accomplished. And soon it will be! I can't wait for the video tour once completed. :)
    I wish we could have one day of your rain. It is dry dry dry and hot hot hot here.
    Love to you and that house!

    Rachel

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  16. yes, time off, time apart sounds just the thing. a change of perspective to remember why the two of you loved one another in the first place. xoxo

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  17. those little pocket notebooks are amazing !! i love them ... i must have a look to see if i can find a link to your shop ....

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    1. thxs bonnie! it won't happen anytime soon that link, though. i've closed down the shop for said upheavals. promise i will announce the reopening far and wide! ;)))
      n♥

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    2. i will be watching for it ! :)

      also ... you are the second person to comment that they'd like to draw that bird on my blog ! i would so love to see it if you do !!

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  18. Arriving late when the drama is [almost] ended, but want to send you a huge hug, and tell please carry on. Just take a couple of days of rest to do your things, take time for yourself, and then kill it, get rid of the brown thing pouring out or it will come back later. I agree, the house is speaking to you, just take your time to listen, usually, albeit annoying, houses speak truth. Augh!!!!

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