Thursday, June 3, 2010

Mid-life Nesting


About to land at National Airport. Took the pic from inside the Metro train

Although there is still no move in date, I've been assured that the apartment is mine, as soon as the current residents are able to depart, so I don't believe I am jinxing anything by writing a little bit about it. It is such a SWEET space, light filled, spacious but not too big. My favorite thing about it is that the feel good feng-shui focus is all about the eat-in kitchen.

I am jazzed. The last time I lived alone, I still didn't know how to cook, nor was I much interested in it. In the intervening two and a half decades, I've become someone who LOVES to cook and entertain. Who knew that I would become, later in life, a person who loves to feed people? Wow. You never know what's going to happen.

Right now, I'm all about nesting, thinking about the new apartment (whenever that happens), what I'll need to be comfortable and at home there. Someday, I'll be settled in and ready to receive visitors. When that happens, every one of you reading this is invited to come have a cup of coffee or lunch or dinner, or a glass of wine or a martini, dessert? Whatever. Seriously. I mean it.


The God clouds have been so incredible this week. This one is just as beautiful reflected in a pool of water as it was in the sky. Wow.

27 comments:

ellen abbott said...

I would love to come.

I've never had an eat in kitchen. My kitchen in the house in Houston is so small, more like a galley. It used to be big, big enough for a table but during WWII the owner remodeled it and divided the house so she could rent out half of it (also why it has two teeny bathrooms).

When we decided to move out of the city, a big kitchen was one of the things I was looking for. Well, this one is bigger, nice size but the way it is arranged, no room for a table. But everything else about the place was great. Oh well. Maybe in my next life.

Nancy said...

I'm nesting myself - just dropped by to say hi before meeting the movers. I will take you up on this offer!

Susan Carpenter Sims said...

I would LOVE to come hang out with you. If I'm ever in your area, I will definitely come visit.

I love to feed people too. I grilled twice over the holiday weekend and then made soup with the leftovers.

Tess Kincaid said...

I would love to pop in for a bite to eat with you. Congratulations on the new digs!!

Reya Mellicker said...

For you, Willow, a nice strong cup of black tea.

You're ALL welcome. Seriously.

X said...

I love this photo

Anonymous said...

So thrilled for you!
Book me in!
Nothing I like better than hanging out in someone's kitchen
drinking tea and generally hanging out.
A wonderful invitation.....

Linda Sue said...

Back at cha- when I get nestled you can come here for typical Northwest fare...

The Bug said...

Maybe Willow & I can have a road trip. Although if I go to DC without Dr. M I'll be in BIG trouble - it's one of his favorite places...

Lynne said...

So glad the apartment is really going to be yours! Woohoo! How exciting!

I hope you won't be lonely living by yourself after so many years of sharing a house ...

Reya Mellicker said...

Oh Lynne, I am SO looking forward to living alone. Not that there's anything wrong with my housemates. Not at all. My guess is, they're looking forward to having the house to themselves, too.

Bug, Dr. M., Willow - the more, the merrier. Oh yeah!

Karen said...

Good luck with your move! It sounds like you are having fun contemplating the possibilities... :)

1. I almost took a puddle picture yesterday. :) (lightning storms! tornado warning! exciting!)

2. I'm coming to DC on a work trip next week and would love to meet up if it works in our schedules. (?)

3. Very thought-provoking entry on Hell! I believe it exists, that we all have to go there (and maybe that experience of misery and the balancing experience of joy is part of why we incarnate as humans?). I had not thought of its cleansing/purifying possibilities, which is VERY helpful to me right now...

Okay, enough. Have fun dreaming of your new place!

Reya Mellicker said...

Karen would love to meet! Sorry I won't be in my new space, but we can go out for coffee or whatever. I left my email at your blog. Let's do it!

Ronda Laveen said...

Life is funny that way isn't it? Sometimes the unexpected happens. I love the nesting feeling...so glad you are enjoying the process. It will be so fun to fix it up just "Reay like."

I'm so happy for you.

Whitney Lee said...

That's exciting! I've never lived alone which suits me fine (I'm a bit of a weenie), but I'm happy about your new adventure.

I love to cook and entertain so we bought a house with an open floor plan. The idea of being able to be a part of things while cooking really appealed to me. I don't have an eat in kitchen but do have a breakfast bar that comes in handy when my dining room table overflows.

Moonroot said...

The new place sounds lovely! Hope the move goes smoothly.

Meri said...

Having your own space after sharing for many years (whether roomies or significant others) is so liberating. Though I was always the chief decision-maker for things relating to home, I always made room for things that had a lot of guy energy. With singlehood and my own space, I could remove all traces of not-me-ness and express who I am, without apology. Welcome to that place (almost).

Tom said...

i was gonna say tea, too...but anything is fine....
say, i can almost see the strings holding that plane up--you can't make me believe those things can really fly!

Reya Mellicker said...

Tom I believe in gravity, too!

Thanks, Meri. I am so jazzed.

Dan Gurney said...

Cooking is the highest of all arts! Done with skill, it's the only art that appeals to all five senses and has the added virtue to teaching us the lesson of impermanence even as effectively as music does.

Not to mention keeping us alive!

Jo said...

You daydream of setting up house in your very own place, and I'll daydream of meeting my old friend there for a delightful evening of wine and chat. Mazel tov!

Kathleen said...

And I am seriously going to contact you when I'm in the DC area! My daughter is moving to Baltimore this month, and you can bet I'll be visiting the East Coast more. The apartment sounds marvelous -- may it be the one for you! Nest away!

Butternut Squash said...

I will get there one of these days. July I think.

It's a good time for a change. I hope you love it!

Steve Reed said...

I'm definitely taking you up on that offer. I'll even bring the martini ingredients!

It's hard to be in-between on something like this, isn't it? That's kind of how I feel, too, having all my furniture still in New York but living in New Jersey. May the real estate gods allow both our suspended states to come to an end!

I always think planes look so scary in flight. Maybe it's 9-11 fallout, or maybe I thought that even before. I can't remember.

Reya Mellicker said...

Steve may it be so!! And yes, all of you, once I get settled I am serious about the invitation.

Planes in flight will always look scary to me since 9/11. This one was coming in for a landing, a visual metaphor for my impending move.

Dan! How cool!! Yeah.

Barry said...

It`s a date, Reya.

I`m looking forward to it.

Kerry said...

The mid-life cooking thing happened to me, too! You are gonna LOVE your eat-in kitchen. Can't wait to hear more about it.