A friend and coworker, depressed at the prospect of an evening in an almost totally empty house, came over for dinner and to watch his favorite PBS news programs last night. Since he wanted to follow my car to my house, I drove over to his house after work so he could take a look to confirm this was the current status. The insurance company is covering the replacement of the floors in his house after a water leak of long duration warped the wood floors something awful. The movers had to empty the largest items and they finish moving large stuff on Monday (bed, fridge, piano, basically are all that are left), then the magic will happen. Right now, because of those floors, the house looks like something abandoned for years to the weather; once the new gleaming floors are in this house will be a little gem. The landscaping is marvelous, he's a master gardener with an amazing eye and imagination. This artist (mfa) will be able to restage his house once the floors are in, and he plans to (here it comes) "declutter big time." There is so much art, are so many interesting objects, that it has a sort of Victorian state of clutter. He's going to go for the "less is more" approach.

So with him coming to dinner I then looked at my house through the eyes of my artist friend as he walked in the door. I have more space, I don't have wood floors (alas), though I do have a foundation that needs attention. But this house has good bones, it has some gorgeous woodwork, and excellent prospects - something to keep in mind as I continue to declutter. My gardener's eye also has a vision, aimed more at a stroll through a lovely park than his trip down Alice's hole into Wonderland, and it is enacted through xeriscape plantings (low water). He recognized my plants and it's nice to have a fellow gardener enjoy the result of years of work.

Charmion, your new floors will give your vision for your house a huge boost, and I look forward to a few facebook views of the before and after.