The "R" Word

The 'R' word fills some with excitement but for me, it fills me with dread. The 'R' word is the let's 'RENOVATE’ word! We have bought a house (excited) but we are doing some work to it (fear).

Some people love choosing taps; square look verses traditional; chrome shiny verses matt finish - don't they just do the same thing? Turn them on and water comes out? Paint colours - Antique White USA double strength gives a fresh look. They all look white to me? I am flicking through housey magazines. It's hard because if I see a perfectly done bathroom 'I can say yes to that' but does that flow through to the kitchen? What? Why? Does it have to? Apparently it does.

There is much more advice when you are renovating these days than when I was a first-time new mum. You name it, everyone has an opinion. The kids are excited but choosing a slide over internal stairs is a cute idea as the word 'practical' is not a word an eight year-old can understand.

I consider myself to be accomplished. I can pretty much do anything I set my mind to - let's face it, if I can raise a couple of kids, anything else is a breeze! I can do a pirate ship birthday cake, write a blog post, read a financial report and even compete in a triathlon BUT choosing tiles and bench top colours screams overwhelming. No clue, no clue!

The other thing about the 'R' word is that you soon realise how different you are to your beloved. My husband wants a huge garage - why? Not to fit in our fleet of cars (two) but for storage! I want two ovens. How is that possible when I only cook in it once a week, I hear him say? A large laundry? Why when you loathe doing any washing, folding or ironing?

Fortunately I have found there is a whole world of expertise out there and the phrase 'first world problem' is being used again and again. Yes I know I'm lucky to be in this position but as my daughter says in a crisis "Keep calm and make brownies" and that's why I need/want/would love a double oven!

  

 

Louise Gaspar is a Brisbane based blogger and mum extraordinaire 

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