living in a box

hello there

a jacket I made after Ian Curtis of Joy Division, in the movie Control (old school)

I haven't fully explained the living situation we moved home to. Since Jonathan and I left for the farm we have had two additional house guests. Wanda, the first, has been a life long friend of my mother, and after being thrown some of life's unexpected curves, she needed a place to stay, and my parents opened their arms. She has been incredibly helpful while we were away, taking the pressure off my mom with the cooking and cleaning. The second is my cousin, Billy, who came to stay about 50 days ago. We were reconnected after my grandfather's passing, when he was first trying to escape a bad relationship fueled by alcohol, while still caring for his two sweet children. What started as a weekend retreat away from the pressure of city life grew into an opportunity to become a family, despite being out of touch for years. He immediately showed his appreciation for staying here by taking on the outside chores to help my dad, as well as any other chores or tasks that need to be done. We have all loved getting to know Amy and little Billy, his two little ones, who have definitely become a permanent part of our family already. 

Jonathan is adjusting to the new room well

This is all great, but it would be greater if we had a bigger house (and it's pretty big already.) Wanda is in the smallest bedroom, which is truthfully more like a closet since it has no window. Billy has stayed in what was our bedroom until we left, as his stay wasn't expected to be permanent. There were plans in the works to build another room on a portion of the back deck, this would be my mom's new bedroom so Jonathan and I could move into hers. We threw the plans out the window when we came home two months early. My mother, always incredibly generous, offered her room to us, despite her new room still just an idea in the making. We made her a makeshift bedroom in the corner of our great room (the living room and dining room), separated by a dresser and a small decorative wall. Unfortunately, due to life's constant financial struggle, the room has been postponed in lieu of vehicle maintenance, and we are doing our best to make a livable space out of the mess we have created. All of our things are spread throughout various rooms and closets, in piles of boxes in corners and on porches. It's amazing how much stuff accumulates.

where did all this stuff come from?

Despite the chaos, we are still grateful to be home. We are enjoying our family, the mountains, the progress. 

my spider plant was thriving (until the kitties got ahold of it)

Speaking of progress, you can see more of that here: 

Until next time,

Angela Kelly