Topic for January 25th Fun Monday is "Favorite Rooms." Our good host, Janis over at Life According to Jan and Jer , is asking us to share photos of the favorite room in our home. And why? I've written about mine in a previous post. At that time I called the room an "escape." A year later life is calmer, but this den/office/hidey hole is still the room where I'm most happy and at peace. It's the place where I stay connected with the world and also retreat from the world when I need to.When I retired in 2006, I converted an unused bedroom to an office/project room. The idea was that all the spare time I would h
ave in retirement could be spent to good use in this room. I would read, write, and work at the computer. There was space to paint, sew, or craft at the drafting table. I could leave out all my supplies between times since no one ever saw this room. This space is special to me also because all the great office furniture was a retirement gift from my former colleagues. Was that a grand gesture, or what? Beats a gold watch any time!Quite honestly I spend most of the day in this room. Early in the morning I leave Willie in bed and come in here and fire up the computer to get the late breaking news, check
e-mails and blogs. Willie waits patiently on the bed until I sign off and give him a boost off our bed. He's 13 now and doesn't do a lot of jumping. We collect the morning paper and spend the next few hours reading and having breakfast. By noon I'm back in the hidey hole and Willie takes up his spot under the desk. We spend more time at the computer, read, and watch Netflix movies. A few months ago I joined the worldwide Postcrossings Project, a postcard exchange with people all over the world. The cork boards that you see on the wall are filled with cards from about 30 different countries--from Brazil to Belarus. I get such a kick out of these goodwill messages from all over. Eventually I hope I can cover a whole wall with these postcards. My latest favorite thing in this room is the colorful world map that friend S gave me for my last birthday. It's handy because there's not a day that goes by when I don't need to figure out where some place in the news is located or where a blog or postcard friend lives. What a great way to brush up on your geography.With only an occasional break, Willie and I spend most of our day in this room. Around 2:00 a.m. I turn the computer off, let Willie out one last time, and take in the quiet sleeping neighborhood. Retired life in the hidey hole can't be beat!
Now be sure to check out other Fun Monday favorite rooms. Janis is doing the home tours over at her place.
I remember you showing us this space. I have two spare B.rooms in my home in Pa and I keep saying I am going to turn one into my craft/scrapbook room. One day I will get around to it. Your room has all the things you love to do...that makes it very special. Thanks for sharing Faye...BTW...I got your comment about deleting #3...(I couldn't figure out how to do it) sigh :( sorry!
ReplyDeleteI had a feeling this would be your favorite room! I hope I will have one very similar to it one day.
ReplyDeleteThat is some retirement gift! I can see why this room is so special to you, Faye. There is nothing like a homey office complete with dog resting at your feet! Cooper likes to nudge my hand to pet him when I am on the computer. I love the world map too! I have a globe on my desk and I too refer to it daily!
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to zoom to check on the books! LOL
ReplyDeleteI also have a room like this...a place that allows me to do my crafts, just that lately I've been loving the kitchen!
janis-spare rooms tend to morph into junk rooms--at least in my home. Better to dedicate them to something like crafting so you can leave everything out. Don't worry about the bad link. I tried to figure out how to delete the bad one too--no luck. That learning curve!
ReplyDeletesayre-with your DIY abilities, I suspect a hidey hole is just around the corner.
church lady--I agree. A good dog under foot or desk is the best feeling. Sometimes Willie will thump his tail as he sleeps like "Isn't this nice?"
mariposa--I did zoom in and saw a lot of dust so stopped! Unfortunately my photos were kind of fuzzy for this post so you can't read titles. I've been having computer problems today. Need one of your troubleshooting lessons!
Isn't that wonderful ! Your room looks different but we both have the same use of it ! and you have a dog as company and I my cats, lol !
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a perfect room to me!! Why even a fur baby to keep you company while you're having the time of your life in your special room!!!
ReplyDeleteYour favourite room looks so organized and tidy. Mine, the shed, is a complete nightmare with piles of paperwork, rows of books and all sorts of bits and pieces I've collected over the years.
ReplyDelete"Retired life in the hidey hole can't be beat!"--I hope to be able to say that one day. I love the idea of having a room devoted to your hobbies and the enrichment of your life. Yours looks grand. When you get your wall covered in postcards, I want to see it!
ReplyDeleteI am now inspired, Faye. I have a back bedroom, way too many projects and an 11 year old pup who stays with me whenever she can (when I am not at work). I love your hidey-hole and especially the world map. What a great gift.
ReplyDeleteI didn't play so you can't see my workspace ... but yours looks very much the same as mine ... complete with dog at my feet ;-)
ReplyDeleteHugs and blessings,
how nice! I think that an office is a great favorite room to have. my new link is up, you may have found it already, without the new link, but I only had about 3 comments yesterday, so I'm just going around telling everyone that it's up there! Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteLike you I retired in 2006 and although I have quite a lot of space, I'm not able to have a room for myself which I would love. I gave up my room when my mother came to live with us, and it is now her bedroom.
ReplyDeletewould love a room to set up and leave projects. Thats one of the things that I've been discouraged with my water color projects. I either live with the mess set up in the Family Room -- or I put it away and forget it.
ReplyDeletesigh... lucky you!!
gattina-I wish my room was as colorful as yours with finished paintings. I'd love Arthur the white cat comedian to visit--he could rest on the drafting table out of Willie's way.
ReplyDeletehootin' anni- what fun we retirees have in our hidey holes, right?
debs- you caught my room on a good day. I've been de-cluttering, filing and organizing in this cold January.
hulagirlatheart- I'm still trying to figure out how to create that wall of postcards. They're all special so I don't want to file away--today there was one from Russia.
sandy- my little house has three bedrooms. I only need one so that's how I got my hidey hole. I hope never to have enough people in here to need three bedrooms. :-)
storyteller-my office companion is asleep under the desk as I type this.
sebastion from China?- wish I could read your comment. Are you a postcarder?
lil mouse - found your new link.
chrisB - I had a similar retirement experience. Like your mother, my older sister lived with me for a time after she suffered an apartment fire. She's now settled in her own place and I have my bedroom back.
pamela-you're right. It's too much trouble to drag out all the watercolor supplies when you just want to paint for awhile.