We’re almost four months into 2024 and we’re no further into our addition than we are in December. Part of me felt frustrated by that and wanted to light a fire under the architect and get him to focus on our project. But a part of me continues to be relieved that I don’t have to focus on that huge project yet that will disrupt our peaceful, quiet lives for months.

And most of all, I’m glad I was able to continue to put the sunroom off my mind for a little while longer. But unfortunately, I think I’ll have to address the sunroom as soon as I finish my studio.

The view beyond those doors is ultimately beautiful – an inviting family room, French doors and a wall of windows that flood the room with natural light and a view of our large backyard. I am very excited about that.

But for now, hidden beyond the doors of that music room is a room in our house available and in constant use, yet, untouched since we moved in. It still has the same old carpet, fake stone and brick mismatched walls, the same drop ceiling, the same gross window unit air conditioner, built into the wall, and the same leaky windows and sliding glass doors.

So while I’m pretty excited about the upgrade, it’s something I’m worried about temporarily. This room may look like something out of a horror movie, however, it is a room full of things that I use several times a week. After all these years, I can’t say I’m used to what the room looks like, but I’ve learned to ignore it for the most part so I can get in there and get the job done when I need to.

And this is the kind of stuff that worries me. Exactly, what should I do with my washer and dryer? Every time I talk about our addition, I get asked, “What are you going to do with your washer and dryer?” Someone asked me. So far, my answer has been, “I’ll let the future deal with Christi.” Well, now Christy and Future Christy are going to meet, so there are some decisions to be made.

Honestly, I didn’t know where I was going to put the washer and dryer while building the addition. I can’t think of a place where they’re somewhat off the hook, while also having access to plumbing. Additionally, the dryer should have a separate outlet. As far as I can see, my only option is to stock up on the washer and dryer and go do laundry (or my mom’s house). Oops.

I mean, I guess I have to do what I have to do, and going to the laundromat is okay. But what about our hot water heater? Where does it go? Living without a washer and dryer for a while is fine, but living without a hot water heater seems silly.

Naturally, most of them are organized and stored in boxes. Some of it can be given. But the reality is that half of this huge closet is where my tools and supplies are stored, and I need to be able to access most of them regularly. I don’t know where I’m going to put these things.

So this is currently occupying my mind and stressing me out. And I am not anxious to light a fire under our architect to complete our plans. As long as he is dragging his feet in the process, I can blame the delay on him. 😀 But as soon as we get the plans from him, it’s up to me to move the process forward, which means I have to deal with these issues that seem insurmountable in my mind right now. So as long as we’re in the planning stages, I feel safe and comfortable and can trick myself into believing we’re moving forward.

Once our addition is done, I know I’ll be so happy it’s done and thrilled with the new storage, new laundry/utility room, etc. But the process, and preparing for the process, makes me feel nervous and anxious.