Life's Lessons

I was thinking today, "I HATE this house," as I've thought so many times since we weren't able to sell it and I started feeling trapped here. But this time was different. In the past month I've been reminded by two separate teachers, concerning two unrelated issues, that everything comes in its own time, and I really do believe that, even if I forget it occasionally.

So, instead, I started thinking of how much I've learned from this house.

1. I didn't think I needed light, since I like the dark so much, but this house is SO dark that all I want now is glass--casement windows and sash (?) windows and french doors and anything else, so long as it lights up the room naturally.

2. I didn't think I needed fresh air, since it seems I'm always inside with the heat or air conditioning on, but since most of the windows that this house does have don't open, I've found I really miss it, and on the next house I want to be able to open every window in the house up. More like a beach house, even if it is in the middle of Ontario.

3. I never thought I'd miss having a deck/porch/patio, but spending the last 5 years not really able to build one, as I've mentioned previously, I'm dying for one. I plan, on the next house, to spend as much time outdoors as I do indoors, no matter the weather.

4. I really don't like basement ceilings that are lower than the ceilings in the rest of the house.

5. I don't like dark-wood in kitchens as much as I thought I did when we put this one in, although it definitely beats the pink-and-green monstrosity that was here before.

6. Last, but not least, WE DON'T NEED THIS BIG A HOUSE!

All of these things, I would never have known if we hadn't lived here, and some of them I wouldn't have learned if we'd sold the house two years ago.