Hey MissCris! Great question.
At this point in my life, I've now lived in 3 very different areas of the USA. I lived in my first home for something like 15 years. It was also the house in which I had lived with my then-husband... and went through so many horrible fights and sleepless nights alone, as we were living at opposite ends of the house for a very long time during our marriage.
When I first left my home state, I pretty much went into shock. It was such a huge adjustment that I kept having what I think were anxiety attacks every day, often several times a day. But something I came to love about my second house, once I got used to it, is that I finally realized how emotionally "clean" it felt there.
This was a brand-new place and a brand-new start--there were NO memories of yelling, fighting, slamming doors, or harsh words in this house. I could walk into any room and not be reminded of how much negativity I had been through for such a long time. But the funny thing was, my new location was a state that I had actually been to with the ex-husband and, several years later, a boyfriend, so it held a few wistful memories as well. And then, I wound up moving again...
Something I've been very thankful about in my new location is that this really IS a blank slate. No bad memories here, and a completely fresh start!
* I love that each of my major rooms has an accent wall painted in the color of my choice. When I moved in, the movers would say things like, "This box goes in the purple room. That lamp goes in the blue room. And the desk set is for the red room." Bright colors make me feel alive!
* I love the "artsy" feeling in this house. Because of my work schedule, my parents had to make some choices for me, and they did an excellent job (even though we have completely different tastes.) In my kitchen, I have two small hanging glass lamps that are a marbling of red and peach with blue accents. My dining room table has a hanging light that's actually 3 lights connected by a framework that makes it look like a bridge in a major city.
* My couch is cranberry-colored, and I have some unique wall hangings, such as a clock that looks like a giant pocket watch and two glass "bowls" that look like they're filled with flowers. Between all the bright colors and interesting things to look at, I always feel like I'm living in an art gallery, which I love.
* I have more inner peace than ever before in this house. I am also very excited that for the first time ever, I have a linen closet!! YAHOO!!! I have a tendency to "collect" things like shampoo and lotion when they're on sale and until this house, I had to put it all in a couple of drawers (so every time I opened a drawer, at least 5 bottles would fall over and sometimes spill.) Not in this house!! I have a specially designated cabinet just for extra towels and all my bathroom bargains.
* It's taken a long time, but I think I can feel myself "coming back to life" in this house. I've felt more alive here while working on creative projects than ever before. Part of this is probably personal growth, but I also think there is an atmosphere here that motivates me more than at my other houses.
* I'm thankful to live in a very safe community. It has a gated entrance with an attendant most hours, neighbors on every side, and patrol cars that make regular rounds. I usually drive to work "in the middle of the night" and a security truck is almost always roaming through my neighborhood. I also have family that lives just minutes away. This is the kind of place in which nothing happens without everyone else knowing about it. This is great for accountability... but not so great if you don't want everyone talking about you!
As much as I would love to go on a Crazy Mad Macing/Tasing Spree (reference to another thread)
, this obviously isn't the place where I'll see much action.
* One thing I've been thankful for in my single life is that my homes have always been seen as a place of refuge to others, sometimes to a friend who needed to get away for a weekend, or maybe for another single gal who just needed to talk and shake away the loneliness for a while. All that's missing now is a LACK OF CC VISITORS (hint, hint, hint!!)
I have to admit though that lately I've been kind of fascinated by the "Tiny House" movement I've seen and read about. I won't choose a piece of furniture that doesn't earn its keep (either it doubles as something else or has a built-in storage space) so I'm amazed by these places that utilize every last inch of space.
Part of me dreams about paring everything I own down to 2 suitcases, a backpack, and everything I could fit into an RV (though I'd have to hire someone else to drive it!) so that I could travel the country, visiting family and friends.
But in the meantime... I'm retreating to "The Blue Room" and curling up with a good book.
