When my two 80-something-year-old in-laws (Pop and Mars) and my family – husband, two kids, three dogs and a cat, all chose to move in together, we had grand plans for expanding our space and re-doing a home that while nice, needed some refreshing.  Enter then the great feat of getting Pop set-up and ready to retire and the crashing of the economy and suddenly home improvements were pushed to the bottom of the list.  That was three years ago…

I haven’t pulled out the architect drawings of the 1,200 square foot expansion for some time but I remember the gist of it.  Adding a room upstairs so that my immediate family all had a room of one’s own (my husband and I currently occupy my daughter’s room and she sleeps in her brother’s room on a toddler bed she is about to outgrow).  Pushing out the rooms downstairs into one grand Master Suite with expansive closet/storage, bathroom to die for with 10x10 tub, double vanities and separate walk-in shower and living space to have more than just a bed but also sitting and entertainment area for Mars and Pop.  In all, a massive undertaking which was made further complex by a septic tank that would have to be added on to and the relocation of us for 5-6 months while the back of our house was peeled off for construction. 

The initial plan was overkill and we have since come up with some new strategies for a simpler addition.  In the meantime, I find there are times I get caught up by the fact that we need new floors and I’m staring at stained carpet, have been waiting on changing out blinds and need new paint all because of this pending addition which never seems to come to fruition.   

Then enter the powerwasher.  My ally, my friend, my sanity.  I pulled the powerwasher out this weekend to clean off the gutters and spray off the cobwebs, mud splats and other blemishes off the exterior of the house.  What a wonder to watch what water at high pressure can do – a near miracle.  I finished and looked and marveled because we have come a long way with the house.  The gardens are beautiful, the newly sealed deck is transformed and even the creaky garage which needs to be replaced looks decent again.  We have created a home – a bit imperfect but never-the-less full of us and our life.  The addition will come one day (hopefully sooner versus later) but for today, I’m proud of the home I’m in and the family that surrounds me. 

I need to powerwash more often.