The View From Here...and other things that keep me going

October 10, 2017

Fall is my favorite season!

One of the things I love the most about the apartment I am living in now is undeniably the view. The front room faces the street and features four large windows, which are nearly floor to ceiling. Because we live on the third floor, I have the most superb view of the mountains, the trees and the sky. Sunsets, rainbows, rain storms, snowy days and the like are breathtaking from my perch on the third floor.

Books, plants, pictures...

I recently reminded my daughter that in order to motivate and bring happiness to those blah days, I think we need to surround ourselves with the things we love. This area of our home is my place for surrounding myself with what I love. The windows are not covered by curtains, because that would be crazy. There are shades, but they're not used a lot. Obviously. There are boatloads of pillows, comfy blankets, books, movies, magazines stacked up, picture frames a plenty with family and favorite photos, and plants. There are an absolute ton of plants. I love plants - how they look, how they make a room feel homey, how they promote healthy air, how I can grow them with very little materials, how they listen to me rant and don't judge, how they are a product of my own two hands, TLC, air, water and sun.

So what happens in this front room I love so much? Pretty much everything.

This front room is where I work. I work from home and while it can be a bit mundane, making sure my desk faces a window so the view is plain to see makes the day much more bearable. There's usually music in the background or a favorite TV show droning, just to keep me focused. Golden Girls is one of my favorites - it's my go to stress reducer for when I am having a tough time. Then sometimes, it's The Pioneer Woman- love her sincerity, or Unsolved Mysteries - love those reruns, but more often than not these days, it's sappy love songs. More about that in a minute.

I read, I write, I study, I pray and I daydream in the front room.

I read. I have always loved to read and I love books. I have them in print and electronic form and I read as much as I can. But not enough.

Plants, movies, pictures...Believe

I love to write, but don't make time to do it nearly as often as I like. Silly, really. You gotta do what you love, right? Hmm.

Lily looks on as I study

I study. I avidly watch Joyce Meyer on TV and Joel Osteen on Sundays and I read my Bible, study scripture and pray in the front room. My Bible is close by - rarely ever makes it back to the shelf, devotionals, inspirational books that I have read or re-read or have yet to read are always close by.

Lily on the left, Lila on the right

Oh and Lily Boo and Lila Lou also live in the front room. These are our guinea pigs and they bring love, entertainment, endless amounts of cleaning, various squeaks, weeks and begging for food, and snuggles to our lives. They perpetuate cleaning of the front room that is endless...but it's worth it.

Liz with Lily ...on a good day

Liz with Lila...on a not so good day

I worry in the front room. I realize since I said I pray and study, I shouldn't worry, but I do. I am the single mother of a teenage girl who has several chronic health conditions. I worry. It is what it is. The front room routinely witnesses my frustrations, my sadness, my anger, my tears, and my exhaust ion. And the front room does not judge or tattle on me when I am on edge.

I mentioned sappy love songs frequently playing in the background. There's something else I am newly doing in the front room on a daily basis. I spend a lot of time in the front room...thinking about, daydreaming about, and talking to the most wonderful guy I rece

ntly met

and became involved with.

This type of serious relationship is new to me.

I've been divorced for man

y years and have sworn off serious relationships vehemently. Until now, I have managed to keep things very casual in the relationship department.

Imagine my surprise when, at this stage of my life, through no action of my own, the right guy seems to have just stumbled into my world. Hmm. Bring on the sappy love songs. 💗

Other things happen in the front room, but probably not things that you want to hear about. Things like coffee drinking - way too much coffee drinking, nail painting, planking - I moan and groan and complain through my plank challenge, oye, balancing my checkbook - yikes, cussing at the motorcycle rider who goes by repeatedly revving his engine and disturbing my peace. Things like that. Glamorous things.

So is there a room in your house or apartment that is special to you, that brings you peace? I'd love to hear about it. And that confession I made about the new man in my life, that's just between you and me, okay! Thanks.