good Monday, Good Morning

You may not be surprised to learn that moving is interfering with my blogging. We are beginning to settle in here: I’ve had three decent sleeps in the last six; the fridge and pantry have better than basic staples; and we’ve gratefully run several loads through dishwasher and the clothes washer.

But many boxes are still unpacked, and much needs to be sorted about the best options for making this space work for us. Meanwhile, some travel dates swoop closer, and I’m trying to maintain and recover some healthy habits and patterns before schedules are disrupted again.

And I’ve perhaps too ambitiously launched a Readalong of Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend over on my reading blog. We’ve had some good conversationsat the first two posts, this past week, but I’ve promised another for today, and I have to go write that now. 

I just couldn’t let this Monday morning go by without saying “hello.”

Oh, and I thought you might like to know that my piano has convinced us that there is room for it here. . .

36 Comments

  1. Eleonore
    12 September 2016 / 3:21 pm

    That space was definitely built for your piano!

  2. Ceri in B
    12 September 2016 / 3:52 pm

    What a lovely light space. Looks like home already…

  3. Elle
    12 September 2016 / 4:44 pm

    Beautiful morning light for a glorious start to the day. The piano looks very much at home!

  4. Belle
    12 September 2016 / 6:18 pm

    Oh yes, the piano adds a sense of grandeur to the space! Glad it's staying.

  5. hostess of the humble bungalow
    12 September 2016 / 8:27 pm

    Your piano looks very beautiful in your new home…I love the light from the windows…it is such a bright and cheerful space.

  6. Jane M
    12 September 2016 / 8:37 pm

    That sky, that sky, how beautiful it all will be once you feel settled.

  7. Studio
    13 September 2016 / 12:30 am

    So pleased about the piano, I can't imagine a home without a piano.

  8. Julie
    13 September 2016 / 5:04 am

    That room was meant to hold your piano.

  9. Anonymous
    13 September 2016 / 8:55 am

    Whoa there! Take some time to sit at that piano in the beautiful light. We'll still be here…

  10. Patricia
    13 September 2016 / 9:32 am

    Hi Frances, just popping in from our holiday – we've just spent 12 days in the UK, leaving this afternoonfor 4 nights in Iceland. Your new home looks fabulous already! I love the light, the windows, the greenery outside, the views -I'm sure you and Pater will be very happy there.

    • materfamilias
      13 September 2016 / 4:54 pm

      Thanks for waving from your travels — Iceland! I want to get there someday!

  11. Rosie
    13 September 2016 / 9:33 am

    So pleased that your piano is staying but the first thing I noticed is how bright and light your apartment is ….filled with sunshine!! … Such a busy time for you. I imagine packing for travel may have to take precedence over unpacking! In a way I feel that's how it should be …you're out living life with so much to look forward to…excited to see the places you're travelling to. I mean I am!! but guessing you are too 🙂
    So happy for you and Pater.
    Rosie

    • materfamilias
      13 September 2016 / 4:54 pm

      It's true — all those "things" inside the boxes will still be there when we get back and meanwhile there's life to be lived! Thanks!

  12. Catherine
    13 September 2016 / 1:23 pm

    I'm always amazed at how you keep your blog up so regularly, despite all the disruption. The piano has talked you into it! Lovely, although I have to say that after several house moves with ours, I was so pleased to rehome it when all the children left home.

    The apartment looks charming. Enjoy!

    • materfamilias
      13 September 2016 / 4:56 pm

      I thought I could do without the piano, but an upright or a grand has been a part of me since childhood — it was always more mine than the kids' although they do all play to varying levels.

  13. materfamilias
    13 September 2016 / 4:57 pm

    Thanks for all your lovely, encouraging, house-warming comments. Hope you don't mind my response-rationing, but time seems at a premium these days.

  14. LPC
    13 September 2016 / 6:43 pm

    Your piano made it! And is welcomed by beautiful light! Feel no need to respond, I see you have so much to do, I am made happy just to hear that you're making progress. xoxox.

    • materfamilias
      14 September 2016 / 5:11 pm

      It did! Supposed to be temporary, but how could we argue with its comforting presence — to me, it dictates future directions for design/decor (mostly saying "Relax, you know how to live…"

  15. Anonymous
    13 September 2016 / 6:59 pm

    Beautiful windows,light and apartment- how everything ends amazing! And with piano-it will be the central piece 🙂
    Living a life is much more important than unpacking boxes- Rosie,you put it so right indeed!
    Dottoressa

    • Rosie
      13 September 2016 / 10:06 pm

      Thanks Dottoressa!
      Hope life's going well for you too and you're having a good week… take care.
      Rosie

    • Rosie
      13 September 2016 / 10:07 pm

      This comment has been removed by the author.

    • materfamilias
      14 September 2016 / 5:12 pm

      Dottoressa, you know it! See my reply to Lisa, above. . . 😉

  16. Lynn
    13 September 2016 / 7:27 pm

    What a lovely space! We've only moved once where our belongings had to be put in storage for a while, and it was an adventure. Even with labels opening many of the boxes was a mystery. Good luck with your own mystery boxes!

    • materfamilias
      14 September 2016 / 5:13 pm

      It makes such a difference to the unpacking — we did it once before with goods in storage for over a year, which made it very obvious what had become superfluous. But even at three months, there is some rejoicing at what's been found again and some, Hmmm, I guess we don't really need that. And I agree with you that despite all the labels, mysteries abound.

  17. SmitoniusAndSonata
    13 September 2016 / 7:35 pm

    Your piano seems to have settled in beautifully , and , after all , there's nothing quite like being able to hammer out a brisk Chopsticks when life briefly proves maddening .

    • materfamilias
      14 September 2016 / 5:15 pm

      Ha! In a pinch, Chopsticks will do. I've been fiddling (okay, piano-ing!)with Chopin and Bach, but the grands are noisemaking as well, and Chopsticks might be an improvement (although the 7year-old's lessons have really been paying off, and she's very close to making real music)

  18. K.Line
    14 September 2016 / 12:58 am

    The piano really does look right in that room. What floor are you on?

    • materfamilias
      14 September 2016 / 5:17 pm

      shoot me an email and I'll answer — am I being paranoid to worry about my location being too clear, now that we're in the city and not on a small island accessible only by boat?

  19. Susan B
    14 September 2016 / 2:06 am

    I just love the light in your new digs. Big windows, YASSSSSS!!!

    • materfamilias
      14 September 2016 / 5:17 pm

      I know, right?! ;-))))

  20. Megs
    14 September 2016 / 5:24 pm

    Beautiful, sunny, open space! Books and musical instruments are the best decorating. I'm sure the schedules regarding running, yoga, etc., will fall into place. I've got to start reading MBF and head over to the reading blog.

    • materfamilias
      14 September 2016 / 11:52 pm

      This is exactly what I'm coming back to, Megs, and the piano reminded me quite smartly — they really are the best decorating, for me, expressing who we are and with a simplicity and integrity of materials.
      I hope you'll join our conversation about MBF — we're not so far in that you couldn't catch up 😉

  21. Beth from Oregon
    15 September 2016 / 6:48 pm

    Love the light and the plants. As we are in similar climates in the Northwest, I strongly appreciate the value of light for the gray days as well as the warm sunny times. While I haven't moved in quite some time, I do believe it makes sense to live in a place for a period of time to help make decisions about what matters most in terms of decorating or in my surroundings. Enjoy!

    • materfamilias
      17 September 2016 / 12:10 am

      It can be so grey here, Beth, and light makes such a difference to mood through the winter months especially.

  22. Mardel
    19 September 2016 / 7:01 pm

    yay for the piano! Seeing it made me smile as did all the windows and the light.

    • materfamilias
      21 September 2016 / 1:07 am

      Smiling back, Mardel, smiling back!

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