We’ve had hour-plus-long Skype conversations every night during the three weeks he’s been out at Sabbath by the Sea. Lengthy conversations are rare during our evenings at home, because so much of our daily life is done together, leaving very little to report on.

Mr. Darcy doesn’t have the advantage of Skype and has been missing her master.

She was the first to hear the garage door open.

She knew what would happen next.

And now things are back as they should be.

To completely appreciate the finish we’ll step back in time to one of my pre-marriage visits to 514.

First you’ll look at the people, which was the real reason I took this shot. I was a long way from thinking of this corner creatively. After you finish admiring the people, you’ll notice the cabinet, the back door, and the window (and the food dryer, which now lives in the garage, and the ancient microwave, which long ago bit the dust).

Between our engagement and our marriage, Mauri oversaw the addition of half a house and a total remodel of the cookin’ room. Those were unusual days as we faxed plans back and forth. Note the “island” the guys are leaning on. That is a floating cabinet on wheels.

Some time later, we traded in the windows and the old back entrance for a deck (for the smoker) and French doors. Champ’s presence on the scene lets me know we made these changes within seven years of the other pic.

Over time we made some aesthetic improvements with a bookshelf and an awkward attempt to cover the Gorilla rack. Gone is the bin of dog food! We will consider this the before picture.

Enter Russ Ragsdale. He was up for the challenge of taking our loose ideas and making them into a concrete plan of attack.

We dug into our assignment of choosing a new refrigerator. His patience with our creative process helped us all enjoy the project. Part of the goal was to give Mauri accessible spaces for his coffee roasting equipment.

We basically stayed out of his way while he performed his magic.

And then, well, maybe Russ could finish the French door (that has been unfinished all this time) to match the cabinets. For reasons of toxicity, he needed to remove the entire door and work on it at his shop.

Thankfully, we have other access to the backyard. Our dog was especially glad about that.

We’ll call this the after picture. You might understand our joy in the improvement.

A pull-out cabinet for the coffee gear.

More coffee gear and snacks!

A drawer big enough for garbage and recycle.

It wasn’t part of the plan, but it works perfectly to have trays handy for catching the hot dishes that come from the microwave, which isn’t close to a counter.

Remember the “floating cabinet”? Its deep shelves made accessibility especially difficult, so while you’re at it, Russ, how about building us some pull-out drawers?

Done!

And how can we use that old cabinet? Russ hung it in our washin’ room, where our freezer used to live. Get this…our small fridge fits perfectly under it! I love how a plan comes together.

Thanks, Russ! We love the work you did for us! See his other work here.

This hangs in our front entry hall as a fun reminder of loved ones in my past.

Meet Aunt Helen, Grandma Nill, and Aunt Esther. Classy ladies, each.

Now you know why a big smile covered my face this morning when I saw this on Pinterest. I might have to learn how to knit (again).

And we had another collection of good stuff (obviously). Shoppers are carrying it away before I can get back into the house to sneak a picture through the blinds! One little boy who was walking by to the Old Fashioned Festival, which is what draws the town of Newberg to our neighborhood every year, came right up as I was putting out yet another box and asked, “Is this really free?” Yes! He quickly chose an unopened package of large cupcake baking cups and went happily on his way.

What could be more fun than this?

Imagine my delight in discovering Target had clearanced just what I wanted.

It’s all about the little things, right?

Now if I could just capture one, just one, of those feisty flies, I’d consider my plan a success.

Before the fridge could be delivered, Mauri and I had to take everything out of our upright freezer, housed in the utility room, move it to the garage, put everything back in the freezer, take everything out of our old fridge, move it to the utility room where the freezer had been, put everything back in the old fridge.

Let’s not talk about all the crud that had to be removed from behind and under these appliances between each of these moves. We’d rather live in denial.

Also, Russ Ragsdale, who’s doing the work part of this project, had to come and remove a cabinet.

Things always have to get worse before they can get better. You can quote me on that.

Then some more shifting from the old fridge into the new fridge, frozen food from the garage to the utility room and the new fridge.

But what could be more fun than a new and spacious refrigerator?

Until we learned we are a divided household.

I like mine crushed.

He likes his cubed.

Will our marriage survive this discovery?

How many two-year-olds do you know who can do this? Huh?

Since you don’t believe he actually built this, I’ll have to fess up that Oscar had a little help from his uncle John.

Okay, a lot of help. But Oscar didn’t need anyone’s help demolishing it, and that’s the truth.

I stand in the kitchen and watch Papa’s elves assemble our meal. He sends me home with a green salad and cookie dough.

And look who came all the way from Philadelphia today to help us eat it.

This little somebody came with her.

And the papa in our house is pleased.

Bright sunlight/blue skies through the skylight above my side of the bed?

Or the ringing of my cell phone beside my bed, a call from John or Erin with baby news?

Either would be nice, though one in particular, when it happens, will bring on great rejoicing in our family.

Not that the sun doesn’t!

You remember the disaster in my home office? You were convinced it was a hopeless situation, weren’t you.

Ta da! I found the floor!

It might not be worthy of a spot in Better Homes & Gardens or Design*Sponge, but it pleases me to walk into an orderly room with color-sensitive decor that didn’t cost me an arm and/or a leg.

Of course I use this space, so I needed to quickly photograph it before I started making messes again.

Truth is, I’m sitting at that desk, typing on that computer, which is side-by-side with my sewing machine and necessary gear nearby. I’ve set up the portable table that holds my supper soup (Mauri’s at rehearsal) and I’m listening to disc 4 of “The Good Son.” Like I said, I use this space.

We originally built this room to be a bedroom for Frank and Florence, my first in-laws, then just Florence, after Frank died. Florence died too, without ever knowing about our plan. So—the room became my office, nicknamed “the nerve center.” I understand the blessing I have in this “extra” room.

How many of you made something like this paint-by-number letter box for your mother? I was smarter than you; I bought the kit as a gift and let her do the painting. And look here, I get to have this continual reminder at my fingertips.

I don’t have any particular attachment to the fabric that dictates the color scheme. I bought it at IKEA long before we had one in Portland simply because I thought it was fun. It sat in a drawer for years after that.

This red CD player/radio doesn’t really fit the orange/green/yellow/blue/black/white scheme, but it’s way too cute to hide away, especially since it was a gift from a dear friend in Wisconsin.

The orange hair on this “figurine” was all it took to bring this favorite piece out of storage. Isn’t she beautiful?

Again, color dictates.

Sometimes simply moving decor from one place in the house to another makes it feel new, seen. No room for books between these bookends, but my decorating principle doesn’t require function over form in every instance.

A gift from my dear man, who early in our life together nick-named me Marvel, which has since become Marble or Marvella.

He gave me these maps too, which I kept at the church office until this get-organized project for the brilliance of their color.

I’d like a nickel for every hour I’ve stared at this relief map—dragged to Oregon on the truck from Michigan—dreaming of road trips. I do love my maps!

No room under my jurisdiction would be complete without goldfish. And that picture, recently published in Real Simple, caught my eye, not simply for its colors but that it looks just how I feel these days.

The frames on the liftable library shelves built by Mahlon, Mauri’s dad, hold some favorite series pics.

Our two-year birthdays, little Sharon (me) on the left, Maurice on the right.

Again, color brought out this frame made by Rachel for her pop. I chose an appropriate font to print that word I like so much onto transparency for the frame.

I could have gotten away with not showing you I still have work to do on this room. Just more crap collecting behind the door. Sigh. That description doesn’t include the picture of my beloved parents, taken on their 50th wedding anniversary and just a few months before Mother died, though I admit it’s hanging in a rather odd place.

Mauri just got home from rehearsal and Disc 5 is now finished. But before I leave you, I have to show you two purchases, one that came by delivery, one I bought at the chiropractors’ office. Check out the colors, neither of my own choosing!

Interestingly enough, orange is one of my two least favorite colors (along with purple). I believe it has chosen me!