Work Break!

Originally published on my old blog, The Mustard Ceiling, on September 3, 2014. Part of the story of my 1926 downtown bungalow. See every post in order.

Hey y’all,

I hope you had a fabulous holiday weekend. I cannot believe it is already September. Where did the summer go? I apologize for the radio silence last week. We were waiting on inspections and took a little time off of working around the house. I am excited to say, we have the framing and electrical inspections completed, both passed and we’re moving on to insulating and sheet rock!

Last week, I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed with the scale of the project…again. We have been working on it since early June and still have so much left to complete. In addition to working on the house, I have been researching interior design inspiration, materials and fixtures, keeping the budget, trying to manage the contractors and blog about it all…it gets to be a lot. Fortunately, dad helps a ton, I really do not think I could do this without him.

What I know after last week, is that instead of wishing the project were finished, I want to enjoy the process and all that I am learning. I am lucky and excited to watch it all come together as it should in the right timing. I have also realized that I have to continue to take a little time away from the house to foster and explore the other things that I love.

Last week, I spent a lot of time riding my bike, trail running, and helping the Fayetteville Arts Coalition pick art for some of our local store fronts. My older brother came into town last weekend and my whole family actually took the weekend off to relax and enjoy each other’s company, something that we don’t do often enough. After all of the time off last week, I feel refreshed and ready to jump back into the project. Taking the time to foster these other passions of mine has made a world of difference in my attitude and motivation on the project.

I have recently learned that sometimes it is best to step away and come back to the project feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, instead of trying to push through when you are stressed and feeling uninspired.

How do you stay energized during long projects?

Today, after my project break, I received two Facebook messages from the granddaughters of the owners of the house I purchased. Both were delighted to have found my blog and spoke of fond memories growing up visiting their grandparents in the house. It is receiving messages like these that also help continue to inspire me throughout this process. I have had several readers of friends and family of the old owners that are following along on this renovation journey. It has been so much fun to hear their stories about their memories in the house and to read their excitement as they watch the process unfold. I also truly appreciate all of my readers as you continue to follow along on this journey. I love hearing your input as I make decisions in creating this new home. I just wanted to say “thank you.”

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This post is part of the story of my 1926 downtown bungalow.
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