Redesign

Have you ever thought, "if I could just change this, or that, then it would be perfect"?  What if you were given that opportunity, every day?  What would you do?  What would you change?  How would you make it "perfect" ("Perfect", after all, is only in the eye of the beholder.  There is no such thing, really.).

Over the last few weeks, even months, I've been doing just that - to our home.  I've been designing and redesigning floor plans, searching for ideas on the Internet, and in my overactive and creative mind.  I've spent countless hours on designs, to make a floor plan that would be just right - for all of us in the home.  It'll be adaptable to accommodate my husband's disability.  It'll maintain the loft that I like to call my zen space (it's my quiet and creative space...and I just can't give it up).  It will provide space for my boys to play, for my husband to relax and rehabilitate, and for me to work.  It'll have space for guests to stay.  I can see it in my head.  It'll be "perfect". 

Our lot's elevations present the biggest challenge in designing such a "perfect" space, at a cost we can afford.  There are very few designs that I found in countless hours of research that deal with such sloping elevations as ours.  And there is little we can do with our building footprint without getting into septic location issues and significant and unaffordable costs.  We also have multiple levels in our home (as you can see from pics in previous posts), so an elevator will be essential to meet the current and future needs of our family (more on elevators in a post to come.).  That certainly adds a very significant cost to the project.

If ever you're looking at redesigning your space (be it your home, your office, your garage or studio), I recommend you first ask yourself what you want.  How would you make your space "perfect".  Searching sites like the following will give you design ideas:
http://www.ultimateplans.com/Index.aspx
http://amazingplans.com/
http://www.lchouseplans.com/house-plans-advanced-search
http://www.loghome.com/category/floorplans/
http://loghomelinks.com/states/on.htm
http://www.summerwood.com/cdn/plans/index.html      

Then, once you know what would be "perfect", talk to a local building contractor about costs, and how you can perfect your space within your budget.  There are web-sites and resources that can provide guidance on costs as well, like those listed below.
http://www.allaroundthehouse.com/lib.repr.htm#H
http://www.ontariocontractors.com/costs.htm#2

Whatever you choose, don't be afraid to write down and plan out what "perfect" is for you.  Dream away - doors may open, and opportunities may arise to allow that dream to come to fruition.  The first step is to see it in your head, then get it out of your head and on to paper.  So, go ahead - design and create "perfect" :)

Metamorphosis

I am so excited about the most recent issue of Sibella Poetry Magazine (now available online - see attached link http://clck.com/jmmg/spoetry/SIBELLAPOETRYsummer2012a.pdf) for good reason:  my poem, "Metamorphosis" is on page 9, and it showcases the wonderful poems that were this year's contest winners. 

"Metamorphosis" is a culmination of lifelong learning from changes in my own life, but was also inspired by the experiences of various friends.  One such friend (whom I only met recently in the Spring) just happens to be one of this year's contest winners (see "It Doesn't Matter Much..." by Jaisa Sulit).  She and my husband experienced similar accident injuries, and I'm blessed to now have her in our lives.  Another inspired me from a late-night chat we had about a piece of writing she had shared with our writing class. 

It is partially in knowing that I have great and wonderful friends (new and old - it's quite a large social network) that I am able to adapt quite well to difficult changes - changing jobs, changing lifestyles, changing circumstances - such as my husband's injury and on-going recovery. But even with adaptability, I've learned that you should never lose sight of your true self (believe me, I have, but have been quite fortunate to have found myself again - thank goodness!). We all go through change in our lives, some more than others, and some change more difficult than others. But it is through change that we learn resilience, we grow, we prosper. Just remember to be true to yourself through it all.

Ridgeview-Glen is still going through its process of metamorphosis.  We're now in brain-storming and design phases of renovations - quite a long process, with ups and downs, and unexpected turns itself.  More on this to come over the next few months.  Until then, cheers to change :)

Feeling (a Poem)

One of my favorite things to do is write poetry.  I've been writing for years, but life took over and I stopped for a while, and only rekindled my love of writing about 4 years ago.  I love to sit at my desk in our loft, listen to music (usually nature's own, from my open window) and get inspired.  "Imagine, Dream, Inspire" sit on the wall above my computer, along with framed art and the view from the loft out to the back yard and treed forest help to open the creative path that is sometimes cluttered in my head.  Often, I'm inspired by conversations with my friends.  Certain words that are said grab me, and work their magic into poetic verse. 

Last year, a casual friend introduced me to an online magazine that what having a poetry contest.  With the next issue of Sibella Poetry Magazine coming out on June 1, showcasing this year's poetry contest winners, I thought I would share the poem that led to the amazing opportunity of writing for Sibella Poetry Magazine this year.  Enjoy :)

Feeling

(©Linda Spencer)

(Published in Sibella Poetry Magazine, inaugural issue Dec. 2011)

I see through the layers

That you fight so heavily

To keep wrapped up so tightly.

I feel the tears

That fall as you sleep at night

That you cry throughout daylight.

I sense your fears

And all of your sorrow

Of what will be for tomorrow.

I feel your doubt

In things you once believed

That now you can’t conceive.

But I see the light

That will brighten up your day

Trust that it’ll come your way.

I give you faith

To dream and to believe

In all good things that you’ll receive.

I sense your joys

That you’ll know your whole life through

Just believe them to be true.