changing of the seasons

and so it begins...

The blog seems to be getting less and less attention these days.  Maybe i need it less than i used to to process things.  Maybe there's less going on in my head, maybe there's less going on in our lives, or maybe there's just less that i need to figure out by writing down my thoughts.  Maybe it's all of the above... or maybe it's none of the above.

We seem as busy as ever recently, yet somehow we seem to not be taking a lot of photos and i seem to not be taking the time to write the events of our days down as often.  It seems a bit odd now that Im actually sitting and writing... but i guess with all things there's an ebb and flow.  Maybe it's just that any time we've been sitting in a place (whatever place that might be), it simply seems less worthy of note and photo... so i guess that also speaks to the beginning of a need to mix things up.

We've still been working hard to finish the studio project.  I think we have both finally admitted that we're over it.  We've had enough of living in a construction zone and coming home to or hanging out in a space that always has you thinking of all the things you haven't yet completed, so we've been pushing hard recently to wrap it up and move on to other things. We finished the ladder/alternating tread stair and got it installed (though that just pointed out that we needed a railing in the loft...which is now thankfully almost completed).  We got our mini-split air conditioning and heater installed just in time for a crazy cold snap in portland (yes, i've actually worn long pants once or twice in the past week and its not something i'm exactly fond of).  We had a fun night with friends installing trim over cocktails.  We installed the cabinet door handles and finished out the tiny bar (an essential part of any tiny house or dwelling).

I'm not sure exactly when we'll call this place "finished", but likely as soon as it can be placed online for rent or be photographed.  I must say however...that I am proud of it.  That's not something i have often caught myself saying either privately or publicly, but im proud of the fact that we found the energy to do it.  Im proud that we realized there was leftover space in the house that could be used for something better and that we transformed such a small space into a really comfortable and livable little nook.  I hope others are as excited by it and come to stay here, and that it allows us to actually start being in our own home more.

We've caught ourselves recently dreaming of being at home in the garage more and more.  As the weather turns cold and the rain starts we notice ourselves getting the urge to nest.  To cook and eat hearty meals at home, to curl up on the couch, to take long showers and spend the days indoors without ever getting dressed or venturing out and maybe more than anything... soaking in the hot tub multiple times a day.  It's a crutch for us here in the winter.  A way to avoid the cold, to start our day off with a warm core to end with a soothing soak and to occasionally steal a few relaxing getaways in between during the day.

It's a simple but purely blissful indulgence that we offer ourselves every day we are able to be in the loft, which has been happening more often over the last few weeks and we're happy for each day that it goes unrented and that we are at home.  Not yet happy enough to take it off airbnb and cut off the income that comes from it being rented...but happy enough we're starting to calculate when that time might come.

With the cold weather and hot tubbing has also come the beginning of fall events and holiday parties, which takes the edge off and at least gives us blips on the calendar to force us outdoors.  We haven't  even reached full on holiday season yet and it seems our calendar is beginning to fill with dates and events, music and tastings, and soon...the awesomeness that is holiday parties. We are still working with several zenbox clients and still getting a lot out of it, though i must admit still being occasionally terrified of how much of a real job its becoming.  Last week we found ourselves speaking at the Build Small Live Large summit.  A quickly growing event focused on the small housing movement and held in portland, where the movement seems to be centered.  It was one of those "do what terrifies you" events for us...getting up on stage and speaking as "experts", but well worth the fear and turned into an awesome day of learning, teaching and meeting others with similar interest.

I'm fairly certain that the world wasn't changed, but what an awesome experience to gather hundreds of people together that share a passion and enthusiasm for a similar goal.  I can't wait for next year's event and to watch both the summit and the movement evolve over the next few years.  But i guess thats true for watching how zenbox evolves over the same period of time.For now, I take each client because they sound like fun, but then realize that they each come with very realistic deadlines and requirements that turn that fun project into work.  I have found myself more than once over the last month deciding that i am no longer taking new clients...and often turning down those who come to us.  But Ive also never been good at saying no and last week we went out and met a few crazy fun people that have great taste and an awesome spirit and couldn't find a way to tell them no.  So...our client list continues to grow even though we aren't certain its a good idea.  But why wouldn't it be?  For now at least, we've decided to be in portland through the winter, have no major plans to head anywhere else and are still enjoying most parts of the process of designing small homes and ADUs.  Why wouldn't we continue that until the winds tell us to change direction and go somewhere else?

Though... with the shifting of seasons, we also had one of our epic "whats next?" conversations last week.  No major outcomes or realizations yet, but we'd be lying if we said we hadn't been feeling the shifting in our souls enough recently that it seemed worth sitting down over cocktails to discuss what we want, where we want to be in the coming months and what our perfect 2016 would be.  Its been a while for this type of talk as we've been heads down fighting to give ourselves the freedom to make those types of choices...but it was fun to revisit.  Exciting to embrace and talk about our dreams and goals and as inspirational as ever to speak freely with each other about what is and isn't perfect about this very strange life that we are still choosing to live.