Saturday 5 July 2014

Forever and never

Hello there.

Things are moving ahead and the dust is literally settling down around here. Since I last wrote a proper blog post, quite a few things have happened. We have packed-up-or-trashed all our worldly possessions.
Empty, empty, finally empty!

We have moved into our temporary housing. It’s not top notch, but it’s temporary, so it’s ok. Our house has been demolished and the building site is being excavated to make room for the new house in which not only husband and I will live, but also our young ones who will have a separate apartment downstairs.
The gentle yellow dinosaur taking its first bite.

It has indeed been an interesting process, and I have enjoyed it very much, even the exhausting parts. Heading into this, I was debating with myself whether I should blog about the process, but myself and I agreed that it might be a bit too personal. I wish I had though, as it would make an interesting journal for me to keep.

You see, I had forgotten that a house does not make a home, people do. Some thing seems so significant that we want to hang onto them forever, and never let go, but forever and never are equally long and rather useless words to describe anything in the future, aren’t they.

Here are some of my forevers and nevers from the past few weeks:
- I never thought I would step away from my blog, and all other blogs, for weeks and weeks, but I did.
- I never thought I would draw on walls, but I went a bit marker-mad drawing smiley faces all over the first floor walls. It was so much fun. Not creepy at all.

- I never thought I would enjoy watching our house being demolished, but I did. I actually spent the morning sitting on a stool on the other side of the road, filming it. It was awesome. A two and a half week delay of the building permission helped; by the time we finally got it, I was sooo ready.


- I was feeling anxious about the move forever, but it stopped. I think I packed it into the first box. Wooosh, gone.
- I have let go of things that I would keep forever and ever.
- I never imagined making 20.000 decisions in a couple of weeks, but I did. Keep? Trash? Recycle? Donate? Store? Unpack? And this? And this? And this..
- I would never imagine how much dust and dirt that accumulates in a house during 21 years; now I know. Quite interesting, I’d say.
- Sometimes it felt like the packing/purging would go on forever, but it didn’t.
- I never expected finding myself walking outside in my pjs to take a shower next door, but I did.
- I never would have thought I would miss doing the dishes, but lacking a properly working kitchen sink, I do very much.
- It seems like the noise from the gentle dinosaur will go on forever, but the truth is that it will be done within the next week.

The rubble formally known as our house.

See the sewing machine which I drew on my former studio wall? Told you. Bananas.

The big hole in the ground in which we will all live in about half a year’s time.

Well, not in the hole as such, but in the rather funky new house. I was sold when I saw the face; who wouldn't love to live in a house with a face. 
Isn't the architect's model adorable, all those fabulous lines. Hmmm, how can I put this into a quilt..

I will not be spending too much time on my computer this month neither as I’ll be enjoying some hopefully-warm-and-sunny-non-house-related time with my family, starting tomorrow morning with a trip to Lillehammer to visit my family.

Have a lovely July and see you later!

7 comments:

  1. Wow, you are brave! But I am sure you know what you are doing and now you have a lovely new home to look forward to, and to share with your family. That's great! Good luck and best wishes!
    xx

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  2. I imagine this process has been very liberating. You sound quite contented.
    I look forward to seeing your new home.

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  3. Hi Nina Lise! Wow, what to say - Super exciting! Is there really curve roof on your NEW House? I hope you keep posting about the Project because I really would love to see! We have build our stone houses on our own and it was hard but fasinating time. Now sell them and will move in next few weeks. Lucky you having done already all that 'keep-save-store' etc. Have a great summer! x Teje

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  4. destruction and construction -- all part of the cycle of life!

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  5. And so the address will be the same! I'd probably just move everything. I love the cardboard your architect is using - templates!
    Hope you are getting in some sewing therapy. Keep us in the loop. I'd love to see the construction, and you will want pictures for posterity.
    Hugs

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  6. Wow - this is incredibly exciting news!!! I have also stepped rather away from blogging and visiting my blog friends, so I am very happy to have found some time today to go snooping around and seeing what folks are up to. You with the ambition prize! Incredible. I am so excited for you and your young/little people for a future together in what looks like a super cool new house. I look forward to updates when you feel like sharing. All the best of luck during this exciting process! It truly is the ultimate reason to purge and believe me, I am feeling like it's necessary to do the same thing here....not that we'd ever tear our house down, but a wholesale clean out would be so fantastic and freeing, I'm sure.

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  7. Goodness you've got some exciting events going on right now! Best of luck with the transition. I look forward to updates.

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