A New Year in an Old Home

Art Deco cozy, from a vintage post card.

Over here on the actual doorstep of On the Doorstep, I'm expecting a few friends over for New Year's Eve. It'll be a small and quiet gathering, but I'll be busy the next few days pushing the vacuum around in my ruffled apron and pearls, and rustling up the cocktail meatballs and the cheese dip.

2011 has been quite the year. I met Mr. Man Friend when I least expected to find someone, and his sexy intellect, dependable support and handsome beard have been just what this lady needed. And I found this house, the home for my boys that I wanted with all my heart.

I've been one to romanticize things a little bit, but not a lot. Even as I'm talking cheese balls and champagne my furnace needs a new part and I've been disappointed with myself over all the things not checked off my list of things to do or repair, which is endless.

That said, I'm only discouraged occasionally. Why? Well, I think it's good to think about the future in terms of possibilities, and what you have going for you now. Realistically speaking what I have going for me now is this:

That beige makes me tired just to look at it.

It's a sturdy home, but it's lacked attention for many, many years. I hope that if I have the backbone and elbow grease to take care of it, it will take care of me, shelter my sons, and be the stage for many happy memories.

I also have this:

Bittersweet orange door. Awesome.

My sister Dyan painted this. I asked her to make a storybook version of my cottage home, just like I picture it in my mind's eye. She not only painted my dream, she came and sweated and scrubbed and sanded and carpentered her way through weeks of work to help that painting, that vision come true. Along with my Mom and my sons, Mr. Man Friend and others supporting me too. That's a lot to be grateful for, and a lot of blessings and enthusiasm to take into the new year.

I wave from my doorstep to you all--Happy New Year!