Footsteps back in time....................................

Always changing...........

.......but always the same.

When I look about my small home - usually described 

here as 'my cottage' - I'm very happy for the most part.

Of course it's not a true cottage like those I grew up

around in England, just a comfy, compact house that works 

for the two of us. We are doing our best to stay here

while many our age are moving on to condos and such...and 

in truth we sometimes consider doing the same.

We love having the garden, although we gripe about the

work it brings - yes the annual trillion Autumn leaves are 

starting to fall, the rakes are ready - and we have

enough rooms and storage, if we're tidy and the mister 

stops hoarding! Our bedroom is downstairs - that 

bathroom now has a walk-in shower which makes life 

easier, and safer, for the coming years.

The decor? Nothing is posh or over the top, it's more just 

an eclectic collection of things I love, little treasures

which speak to me in some way....have followed me home 

from near and far. I've never used a decorator, but always 

enjoyed input from special friends with 

whom I've scoured antiques malls, thrift and vintage 

shops - you special gals know who you are. When visiting 

England and France I've searched for small treasures 

such as linens, antique books, silver items which

fit in my suitcase - or can be packed in a little box 

and mailed later by family members. 

So, what am I up to now with no distant travels on the 

horizon and time to address home issues?

My floors have become bothersome, especially downstairs

where most of the traffic flows. Sadly our '80's home was 

not constructed with beautiful hardwood flooring. Under

the fitted carpeting are just plywood boards. We've 

re-carpeted a couple of times but are loathe to do it 

again. Keeping up carpet, even with annual professional 

cleaning, is a miserable job, and becomes physically 

painful as one ages and has problems pushing a vacuum 

cleaner - I've learned this over the past year as I 

 deal with polymyalgia rheumatica. 

Next week I hope to have floors I love (sample board above)

and can clean more easily, in my entry, dining and living 

rooms! These pics below are the look I'm going for - 

farmhouse, cottage, rustic, textured, not precious or formal.  

Wish me luck please.......hope it will be a project 

I'll enjoy sharing with you following the upheaval.