16 January 2008

it's snowing on our toilet.

not because there is snow falling into our bathroom through a hole in the ceiling [though that is possible too]...

but rather because our toilet is sitting outside on the back porch.

there is enough snow to cover all but the tip-tops of brittle stems of winter grass. i am warmed by the space heater and the cat curled up small against my hip. jeremy is next door having a beer with our new neighbor who has thus far been very kind and welcoming. this is good, though we will miss aspects of the city for sure. mostly, we'll miss the proximity to many of our close friends, our church, favorite coffee spots, and of course, a house with indoor plumbing.

but renovations are underway at our new home on Oak Street. How can you not love a street named after a tree? It's so very...Father Knows Best. When daylight returns, I'll be able to see through the leafless branches across the road to the back of the log cabin library. There's a small cafe just down from there with a sign out front listing the day's menu. Always it begins with the same thing: "Pull Pork," except for two days last week when it read simply: SICK. The owner is seventy-two. Jeremy ate lunch there and said the food was a-mazing.

we are getting to know our workmen too. they are friendly and extremely hardworking. soon the toilet will return inside where it belongs! [if there is such a thing as porcelain frostbite, i am certain it has it by now.] it is cold cold cold in Tennessee. but we are warm, fed, wrapped up in flannel-plaid & fleece, and thankful for all of it. I make hot chocolate with marshmallows at night and we listen to the space heater and talk about how glad we are to be living in the "country," and how we hope the feeling lasts.

6 comments:

Christine said...

Could your new home be any more perfect? I guess, only if it had a toilet on the inside :)

jenni said...

A log cabin library?? - lucky you.
I can't wait to see photos of your life in the country. I believe God will bless y'all there.
Do you have a guest room??

The Morginskys said...

i bet it is so QUIET! (comparably to Shelby:)
i want to see pictures! do some before/after shots.

david, kelly & sam said...

we want to come visit you soon in the "country"!!! can't wait to see some pics. i'm sure it's amazing.

my sister-in-law lives on oak street in chattanooga.

also, there's an episode on "pushing daisy's" about oak street...the 200 block of oak street actually.

Lauren said...

i second sharon's request....i hope you'll post pics of your new home. i dream of living in the country one day, too....so at least i can live vicariously through your posts :)

*jj said...

I can't believe you're there already! We'll have to come out for a visit sometime.