The Commons Area

While I've been focused on the progress being made on the East Wing, the commons area that connects the East and West wings has been under construction. This is where all the activity of the Beacon Hill community will take place -- in the exercise room, the swimming pool, library, activities room, restaurants, kitchen, and offices.

Perhaps you may think I made an error when I typed "restaurants". I assure you, I did not! There are to be three restaurants, including the Great Lakes Room (more formal dining), the Club Room (more casual dining), and the Bistro (the spot for a yummy mid morning bakery items and coffee, or a light lunch).

Just a few days ago the future residents of Beacon Hill were treated to a grand luncheon at the Prince Conference Center of nearby Calvin College. The speaker was the woman who is in charge of food service. She proudly showed off the dishes, silver, and glassware that she has chosen for our use and discussed the quality of the food and the service which we residents will receive. Based upon the delicious food at the luncheon that day, I'm going to be sure to order a half portion of the entree! Otherwise, I'll be spending all my free time in the exercise room.

The luncheon was just another of the many opportunities which we have had to meet and get acquainted with some of the other future residents. By the time we move in, I'm sure we are going to know at least a few names, and many faces. As a group, we are all so eager to move in that I think we're going to like a group of kids at Disneyworld -- wanting to do everything and meet everyone at once!

Waxing Philosophical Instead of Just Waxing!

All of a sudden, life got really busy. It must be the fact that spring has arrived in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Two weeks ago, when I flew to New York City to visit a friend and go to the Metropolitan Opera (The Nose, by Shostakovitch) there were great piles of snow on the edges of driveways and parking lots. Upon my return, after three days, the snow was gone.

The spring sunshine coming in the windows of our house shows up all the tiny places where dust has accumulated as well as the finger marks on kitchen cupboard doors. So, I get a dust cloth or lightly damped sponge and take a swipe at the dirt, all the time thinking that the house will need to be perfectly clean when we put it up for sale later in the year. If I clean those marks on the front door today, do you think we can avoid messing it up again? I'd like to think the door will stay clean, but I'm probably naive.

It's pleasant to sit here in the family room and look out the window at the scilla which is coming into full bloom and the daffodils which are budding, but I must get back on track -- going through stuff, recycling stuff, throwing away stuff. I find myself recalling the Bible verse which I memorized so many years ago -- "Lay not up for yourself treasures on earth...." It's not that these things are true treasures, but it is just hard to do the work of sorting through so many things that bring back memories. But, there I go again, delaying the work of the day. I promise to not let so much time go by before my next blog.

Move In Day is Coming Closer!

The construction is coming along on schedule. That's our apartment on the corner of the third floor with the skeleton of a balcony attached. As you can see from the date, I took this photo a couple of weeks ago. Now that the windows are in, the interior work can go forward. In the next few weeks, they will also be putting up the brick and other exterior finishes. It's going to be a really beautiful building!

If you have been reading my blog, you know that we have picked out our carpeting, cabinets, paint color and other interior details. Earlier this week I confirmed those choices and wrote a check for the "upgrades" and extras that we plan to have added to our apartment. So, now we are really committed to this move.

And how are we coming on the "downsizing" you ask? Well, my husband is currently busy working on tax forms and I have been distracted with meetings and appointments. I must get back to it tomorrow.