For years, I’ve referred to our home as “here at the ranch”. We didn’t actually live on a ranch, or even a farm. And in architectural terms, I’m fairly certain a 2-story home with a partial basement is in no way…a ranch. But we did live in a rural corner of the city, and we were surrounded by fields and farms. Now? We’re in a cottage. Bonafide pitched-roof, stone exterior with clapboard shingles COTTAGE. My 2 favorite homes are Cottages and Colonials, and now I live in a Cottage Exterior with a Colonial interior. I’m almost in heaven (full-on heaven involves this house being situated just off of Surfside beach in Nantucket).

I keep receiving requests for pictures, and WOW, do I ever want to share pictures! But of what? The furniture matches nothing. So much so, we’ve put most of it in the basement, which now looks like a used furniture store. Everything above the basement is slated to be sold or completely refinished, so some rooms are just empty. Others are very hodge-podge. VERY. While the unpacking has gone well, the decorating is going to take some sweet time. In the meantime, let’s do postcards. Small shots of life in this house I’ve loved since it was only a dream on paper. Before the first box was opened, I was HOME, and even in its state of complete mismatch, I love it down to the studs.

I’ll do larger posts of furniture refinishing and the doing of each and every room. I’m starting one this week (guest room goes first, because it’s easy, and hard to screw up). Please come along with me. Little posts, bigger posts, medium posts, we’re sure to have a lot of laughs as I work my way through this now-empty house. Trust me, as soon as I start stripping antiques, we’re going to pee our pants with laughter. Why? Because me against an entire dining room of “stuff”? That can’t possibly happen without some drama. I might even do video. My sister thinks I’m funnier in person. I’m just glad after 42 years of putting up with me, she still finds me humorous. I can be a handful. No need to feign surprise. I live with me EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.

Let’s get started! I’ve got my blue painter’s tape in hand!