Our New Digs ~ Kitchen, Dining and Living Room

May 26, 2011

Thank you all for your warm welcome, blessings and prayers for our moving journey. We're starting to find our groove sharing a home with my parents. And we're slowly, a little bit each day, finding all the essentials we packed at the end of last week - clothes, books, and art supplies.

The five of us are currently sharing a bedroom as my parent's home only has two bedrooms. This weekend Damien and I will probably "move out" (leaving the kids with my parents - tee, hee!) to sleep in the camping trailer on the property. The same trailer my parents lived in last summer and fall while building their home.

The sleeping arrangement is really no big deal though as we spend most of our days in the main open living area of the house. 

Unfortunately, this spring has been the wettest on record in Nova Scotia for the last twenty years (or something like that) which has somewhat curtailed our outdoor activity. But when your main living area looks like this you don't notice that you are indoors all that much.

You practically feel like you're outdoors in my parent's living room. Inspired by a ship's prow, the floor-to-ceiling windows push out from the front wall letting in copious amounts of light. These windows are also an amazing source of passive solar heat in the winter. It's a great place to view the river and frequent wildlife that passes through the front field.

Attached to the large living/dining room is the kitchen. Working in this kitchen is a homemaker's dream come true. My parents who value nutrition and food culture and my mom, who has spent much of her life cooking good food, planned it this way.  

From the wood block "penisula", where we do most of the food prep, you can look right out those huge windows. If this isn't a nature loving homemaker's heaven I don't know what is? 

Now you see of course why it doesn't matter where we sleep. When most of your living takes place in a room like this you're happy sleeping in any ol' place they find space to put you. 

I'll be giving virtual tours of the other rooms in their house as I have time. 

I think I've mentioned this before on the blog but my Dad is a professional builder. His whole adult life (from the time he was seventeen) he's been building residential and commercial buildings. That's all he's ever known.

When my parents moved to Nova Scotia four years ago Dad returned to his first love - small scale residential building. My Dad is an artisan, though not the kind you buy crafts from at the market. He is also a very hard worker, with an eye for detail. Quite frankly when it comes to building beautiful homes he's amazing.

That I get to live here for the next four months - in this gorgeous house, next to a beautiful river, surrounded by nature, hanging out each day with my mom - is well... awesome. Pinch me, I must be dreaming.

Sorry. I'm not meaning to brag. And truly I'm not. It's just that the living arrangements are quite the treat for this renovation-weary, urban home dweller who has lived far from her parents (and best friend Mom) for many years now. 

I'm happy in our new digs. Can you tell?

Maybe we could just build on a couple more bedrooms and stay permanently (just kidding Mom & Dad, we will leave the nest - eventually).

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  • Constance

    Constance on May 26, 2011, 6:44 p.m.

    Wow, what an amazing house! Your dad is wonderfully talented. Glad to hear that you're settling back into Canada nicely. Sounds like you're in the best place for recharging!

    reply
  • Jennifer @ kidoing!

    Jennifer @ kidoing! on May 26, 2011, 9:19 p.m.

    Beautiful in every way. Were you homeschooled? I do not have such a great relationship with my mom and I'm hoping to change that with my daughter who I will be homeschooling soon. Also, while we live in a nice neighborhood in an urban area, I am thinking my dream home will someday be built in a scenic place similar to your parents' house. Are they secluded or are they in a quiet area outside a town? What is your plan after the next four months?

    reply
    • renee

      renee on May 26, 2011, 9:36 p.m.

      Not homeschooled.

      Fairly secluded but not too much.

      After four months we'll move again to our own rented place, probably in QC. You can read those plans here. 

      reply
  • Anonymous

    Anonymous on May 27, 2011, 1:38 a.m.

    Lovely, lovely! So happy for you and the family to be able to spend time and have tea with your Mom!

    reply
  • Allison

    Allison on May 27, 2011, 4:58 a.m.

    What a beautiful home! Moving isn't easy, but this looks like a perfect place to stop along the way until you are finally settled into your place.

    I've been following your blog for a few weeks now - just wanted to say hello!

    reply
  • Beetnik Mama

    Beetnik Mama on May 27, 2011, 11:32 a.m.

    I just scrolled through those pictures about 5 times. Wow. I would be happy there, too! That's such a beautiful home!

    How nice that you get to enjoy it with the people you hold dearest.

    reply
  • Renee

    Renee on May 27, 2011, 3:33 p.m.

    That house, oh my that house. Thank you for sharing the photos. I just love it. Of course there would be a Saltscapes magazine on the coffee table, of course.

    reply
  • Penny

    Penny on May 27, 2011, 3:57 p.m.

    That is the most beautiful house, in the most beautiful location, ever.

    Wowzers. I think I'll go rearrange the furniture. lol

    reply
  • Maureen

    Maureen on May 28, 2011, 1:27 a.m.

    Hi Rene,

    I've been following your blogs for several months and just wanted to let you know that I enjoy them. Like you, we're a very "outdoorsy" homeschooling family that spends quite a bit of time hiking, camping and mt biking together.

    Just thought I'd say hi and let you know that I also love your parents' home. We're getting ready to remodel our kitchen and I'd like to get a hood for our stovetop. By any chance do you know what brand your parents' hood is and are they happy with it? (I really like it)

    I look forward to watching your adventures progess. Best wishes to you and your family!

    reply
  • Kyce

    Kyce on May 29, 2011, 2:48 a.m.

    I sometimes dream of "going home" and getting to be a daughter again, cared for by my folks. How sweet that you get to have this time with all the generations. I know you will all be cherishing it.

    reply
  • Rachel

    Rachel on May 30, 2011, 4:43 a.m.

    Oh I would like to live there too! My family is temporarily living with my parents too, and we're staying in the bedroom I grew up in. The mess is worse than when I was in high school!

    reply
  • Rambling Heather

    Rambling Heather on May 30, 2011, 12:33 p.m.

    I LOVE your new place! I have never enjoyed the process of "making home" before until we moved here and began embracing a more simple heart. Your home is inspiring! By the way... GORGEOUS table cloth!

    reply

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