Living in the barn.

I mentioned I would talk about living in the barn after we had done it for a while. Well, it has been since the end of July.

There are many aspects to this lifestyle I have had to simply get over. The biggest one is dust. Living next to Landus’ wood shop is just something I have to accept. Thankfully, the office space we are occupying is fairly air-tight so the dust only seeps in as opposed to the main barn where it fills the air and then settles on EVERYTHING!

The floors generally don’t show the dirt too much. The bathroom floors, however, are another story and a huge mistake on my part. I selected a white and gray basketweave tile. It was difficult to grout and I got most of the way through and then genuinely f’d it up. But the biggest mistake was making the selection of white and then leaving some grout on the surface and then construction workers walking on them before they were dry. What was I thinking? So this rustic barn workshop has a “pretty” bathroom? A good example of how buying on sale is not always the best thing. I’m sure I could have done better but it is done now.

The kitchen thing (ie. not having one) is possibly the most difficult part of living here. I tend to use it as an excuse to buy convenience food and eat out a lot. I could probably do better. Certainly, others work with far less! I’m sure if I did not see this as temporary, I would try harder to get used to it, but instead, I am enjoying the walks to the house to see progress and the trips to the local Mexican restaurant where we split our pitcher of Margaritas.

Most of my time recently has been spent purchasing lighting and plumbing fixtures. Making decisions on electrical was far more complex than I expected. The focus on fixtures on the walls vs. on the ceilings has increased the selection process a great deal. The options are endless and prices are all over the place. I won’t know until we try to install them if they work or are good choices or not. I have my fingers crossed that everything works together. I’m no interior designer which allows me to claim eclectic as my style. I also spend a great deal of time thinking through the next steps and trying to stay in step with Hansel Bray and team.

Thankfully, I am NOT at my wit’s end. I still enjoy stepping out to the barn and helping Landus plane down the white oak we plan to use as door trim and window sills. I envision what this space will be like when we move out and into the house. I envision us living in the house and in general, these daydreams keep me excited and happy.

We figure we have at least 2-3 months before it is done. The devil lives in the details and we are in those details right now. I enjoy every day and so far we’ve only had one real frustration. I have not written about it yet in hopes that it is resolved and I can discuss the solution at the same time.

I hope our friends know they can visit anytime. We are usually here and a quick call can confirm if it is a good time to drop by. Just don’t expect to find anything clean or uncluttered.