Winning Streak

Recently we refinanced our house. For the first time, I think ever, we qualified for a conventional mortgage. After years of the Springfield debacle hanging over us like a cartoon anvil it feels so great to have that chapter of our lives fully behind us now.

So, in moving forward, one of the reasons we did the refi was to reinvest cash from the home back into the home. In fact, a little over 90% of the money we’re taking out will go right back into this place – kitchen (finally), laundry room (fucking finally!), attic insulation, duct re-sealing, screened in patio, solar tubes, closet doors, landscaping - the list goes on (and on, and on...).

Yesterday I put together a fully detailed cost estimate and materials projection spreadsheet.

Of course I did.

As a full-on “Monica” my level of organization and detail can actually be frightening at times.

Anyway, one of the things we’re doing around here is bringing a real beach vibe to our entire home both inside and out. Yeah I know we live in the desert now but we don’t have to pretend like this is the place we really want to be. Matt and I are both beach bums so it only makes sense our space reflects that.

And here’s where things start to get good.

After putting together the spreadsheet (with actual numbers from countless scouting trips over the past six months) I discovered we’re going to have some cash left over to do a bunch of the decorating and accessorizing that will tie it all together and make this place feel like we’re living coastal!

I know what you’re all thinking:

“I think we should probably go tropical with this thing. Like sand from wall-to-wall…”

But no, bajillions of grains of sand all over my living room floor would be fine if we lived in a floorless hut on some tropical island somewhere (bucket list?). I can assure you, the only sand we’ll buy comes in bags for the pool filter. Our house will be adult beach, not frat boy beach.

In fact that’s one of the main reasons we’re going to do a little redecorating. Almost all of our small furniture pieces are hand me downs from family or crap we acquired over the years as filler pieces that we don’t need anymore.

Very cool that they still function and all that but none of it is our style and for once in our lives we’re going to have our home reflect who we are and what we like.

Novel concept, right?

One of the reasons I’m so excited is I finally get to use that Interior Design training and schooling to breathe our life into our home.

Only issue? The movie posters.

My sister brought it up a few weeks ago asking what we were going to do with all of them and I didn’t really have an answer. Because I can’t imagine for even a second getting rid of them but they don’t exactly go with a beach vibe.

Then I started thinking about my office, full of sports memorabilia like my Packers coozie, plush Patriots football, Red Sox Scrabble game. None of which screams beach either.

Guess I have more thinking and planning to do in order to make everything flow. Not that I mind. I mean, other than taking a little time away from my writing life there’s zero inconvenience having me as the GC on this renovation project.

I mean, I’m here all day anyway.

And can I tell you a secret? Some days I really miss my faux finishing work. Painting. Plastering. Pouncing glaze. Transforming something dull and lifeless, damaged, or good lines/wrong color into something that works to bring the right feeling to our space always makes me feel good.

I can turn off my brain, turn on some music and totally transform a space in no time.

Music that won’t be playing, however? The Rolling Stones. Despite the fact that (I Can’t get no) Satisfaction was what I woke up with today I am not a fan. Say what you will about their staying power or whatever but I never grew an affinity for the band.

But regardless of what melodies are flowing out of the old boom box I’m actually excited to get back to tearing the house apart only to put it back together again.

Fresh colors, finished kitchen, natural light in my bathrooms?

Sorry, Mick, I can (and will) be totally satisfied when all is said and done.

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In addition to this drivel I also write books, both fiction and non-fiction.
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