The house we bought in Sun Valley in 1989 was tiny. It was a little box with a living room, a kitchen, a bathroom and separate toilet and three bedrooms. It also had a single garage. The kitchen was in a mess and so our offer was a couple of thousand below the asking price and they need not redo the kitchen – we would. On that, our offer was accepted. It cost R67 000. Crazy that one of the quotes for the drawing of the plans for the new build was just R2000 less! We moved in May 1989 and immediately set about renovating. The kitchen was first. Then we added a bay window to the kitchen and enclosed the stoep off the lounge. We lived in it for a few years, feverishly paying off as much of the bond as possible. Then we had Cape Concrete deliver a double garage and we converted the original garage into a play room. This original garage was attached to the house but lower than the level of the main house so when we broke through to the lounge, we had to add a couple of steps going down. It was also double volume so the wall facing the lounge was massively high.
The piano is now in this room. Mike built a mezzanine level that overlooks the piano. The high wall looms up behind it. For many years we had a painting on that wall, but when it rained small amounts of water seeped in and actually got the painting wet. So that came down. The wall has been bare for a while now, so when I saw my friend Ingrid advertising a large framed print on Facebook, it grabbed my attention. It contained the right colours. It was big too. I contacted her to ask her how big it was. She sent me the measurements and I really thought it would work, so I bought it. It wouldn’t fit in any of our cars. Not Ingrid’s or her husband’s nor ours. But it would go on top, so yesterday afternoon Mike and I went round to pick it up. We tied it to the top of our car roof and slowly drove home. Mike set about measuring and then drilling a solid screw in the wall. This picture is not light. 
And very soon we were able to hang my new picture…
Another angle…
#766 of my 1000 thanks is for my huge new picture.
Our home has grown over the years. After we put the double garage on, we paid off that debt and then built on top of the garage (1994) and that’s where our master bedroom is. Then in 2002 we built the cottage out back for Granny. When we bought this home, we really put down roots! Even when we build at Echo and move in there, I don’t know if we will sell this house. Both Stacey and David spent two decades of their life here. Stacey was 18 months old when we moved in. She married at 21. I bought David home from the hospital to this house. Lots and lots of very happy memories and many more to come.
Today has been a good day. I didn’t work as much as I could have. I went to my ladies Bible study and had a slack attack this afternoon. :). I’ll have to catch up over the weekend! I did not go to gym, although Mike and I did walk this evening.
Psalm 62:8
Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.
Amen!
These are the days.
Keep the smile going.
God bless you.
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂