First, Find the Right Spot
Everything Else Will Flow From There
The Write Place
I’ve finally found the right writing spot in our new place. It’s taken me a little while (3 months), while I’ve tried a number of different chairs and spots around this big house. It is a currently quite cluttered office in the basement of the original structure — this place really sprawls. There’s the original structure, which has a large living room to the left as you enter the front door, with a big fireplace on the far wall, and a small dining room to the right, that leads into the kitchen.
A hallway at the end of the entryway to the house, leads to the original master bedroom to the left, which has a door that leads out onto a deck. If you turned right at that hallway, it would lead to a small bedroom on the left, a stairway to the basement directly across from the small bedroom, then a little breakfast nook type room to the left, at the end of the hallway. To the right at the end of that hallway is another entrance to the same kitchen.
If you continued past the breakfast nook room, you’d enter a large breezeway that connects the original structure to the 3 story addition. You are on the top level of that, as you go.
We use the wide breezeway as our television watching room, with a big screen television, two easy chairs and a large sofa. Beyond the breezeway is a little entry way to the addition, with the elevator to the left, and the large new master bedroom to the right.
On the next level down from that is a large room, originally designed to be a large workroom for the previous owner, who never got to use it, with a walk-in tub in the bathroom. That room leads out onto a patio that can also be reached from the main structure’s basement.
On the patio is our new jacuzzi, then just beyond that is another deck, at the end of which is our new swim-spa. The next level down on the addition is our two-car garage.
Back in the original structure, down the stairway to the basement, straight ahead is a very large, open room, that could be used for a variety of things. We use it for our downstairs family room, with a large screen television, a sofa and two easy chairs facing it, a big fireplace on the far wall, and a large area behind the sofa and chairs that we still haven’t quite figured out what we’ll use it for.
At the other side of this large area is a sliding glass door that leads out to the large patio area. There’s also a regular door a little further to the right of the sliding glass door.
If you made an immediate left at the bottom of the stairs to the basement, you’d be at the door to this office that I’m writing in. This came with a built-in desk with a right pedestal, with overhead cabinets, a 3 drawer unit built in, and another underneath cabinet, which is the corner of the office that I now sit in to write. Also in the office are a couple of long, built-in book cases, 3 shelves each for books, my old roll-top antique desk on the wall opposite the bookcases, and right beside the built-in desk, topped with my grandfather’s wooden printing typeset separater with a bunch of knick-knacks in the many different compartments, then a large breakfront beside that. Lots of room for storage!
It’s actually a great office, once I get it decluttered. The key to it becoming a suitable writing spot for me was the right chair. Kathy bought me one, not really for Christmas but it came a few days after Christmas, and I just put it together tonight. As soon as I put it in here, and sat down with my laptop at the built-in desk, I knew this is the spot. It just feels right. The writer in me is now home!
Continuing past the office, there’s a hallway that leads to a large laundry/storage room. But, immediately to the left of that hallway, right before the laundry room, is another little hallway that goes under the stairway, and leads to another bedroom, with it’s own bathroom. It almost feels like you’re on a ship when you make your way down that little hallway. It’s one of the little things I love about this unusual house.
First Story of the New Year/Decade
It’s now about 12 minutes before midnight, at the end of a decade. I’ll be starting the new year, and new decade, out with the right writing spot in my new house, and this will be my first story, from that spot. I couldn’t think of a better way to begin!
Happy New Year! Happy New Decade! I hope it brings your heart’s desire to all of you reading this. Enjoy!
And may you find the right spot for all the things you love most to do. It’s a pretty good feeling when you do!
