Settling into my new home

The last two weeks have been filled with trying to settle into my new home. I’ve been living here for almost two weeks at this point, and sometimes it still seems surreal.

As you may remember, I decided to go with a heat pump as my main source of heat. I had solicited a lot of advice before choosing a heat source, and the word on the heat pump was that it would be great, unless we had a prolonged period of double digits below zero for days. When did I choose to move in? During the recent cold spell. For the most part I was pretty impressed. During the nights, the house would get to 62 or 63, but that was certainly manageable for me. I just added more blankets. I’m still considering a pellet stove as a back-up.

I thought that I’d be able to move in and easily deal with the mess, but have been overwhelmed at times. I tend to be a super neat and clean person, and I’m literally still living in a construction zone. I am slowly getting the loft in order. We are still working on the bathroom upstairs, but that is getting closer every day.

Last Saturday we built the kitchen cabinets. As with the rest of the house, we are building them from scratch. Getting some cabinets up was a huge help as I now have somewhere to put my food and dishes. I was able to unpack three entire boxes! I put tung oil on the interior of the cabinets, but haven’t completely decided what I am going to do with the exterior. There is a photo that I found out Pinterest of a modern farmhouse that has cabinets with no doors on them. I’m still scouring the internet for ideas. The other night before coming upstairs, I took a second to just look at the kitchen and was truly thrilled with the progress.

Another big milestone came this week when I got my internet installed. Blogging, or doing nearly anything these days without internet is challenging. I can now get back to blogging and listening to the hockey games that I so look forward to each night.

Today my Dad hooked up the washer and dryer. They are stacked and in the utility room so I need to get some HE detergent before I can do a load of laundry, but this is another huge step in the right direction.

I have really loved living at what my family calls ‘the farm’. I love watching the turkeys that live in my backyard. I’ve learned that on the super cold days they tend to spend the entire day in the trees. I felt badly for them. Sunday afternoon I watched a deer via my loft window. There are no street lights, or any other lights, on the road where I am. Wednesday night there was not a cloud in the sky, and as I looked up to the heavens I could see the stars by the thousands. I thought to myself how blessed I truly am.

Laura Reed

About Laura Reed

After 15 years in college athletics, the last seven as an assistant athletics director, I was burned out with 70-hour work weeks and extensive travel. I resigned my position and accepted a position in marketing at a small, vibrant college in my hometown of Unity, Maine. In the process I wanted to go back to my childhood where we raised polled Herefords, had a Christmas Tree Farm and spent many hours outside. I decided I wanted to build my own home on beautiful farmland that my family owns. With help from my Dad, the most talented person I’ve ever met, we are building my home together. I have decided to blog my experience – the ups and downs, the joys and frustrations. What was once an open field will one day be my home! The dream in my head is becoming reality. I can just see the lambs frolicking in the field, chickens in the barnyard and going running with my Alaskan Malamute!