What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart… – Ecclesiastes 3

So there are several things happening at Maul-Hall East and they are all coming together at once. Bathroom tiling underway; crown molding going up in the kitchen; painting and more painting absolutely everywhere; countertops being templated; Keith the electrician working some magic; the floor guy helping us choose between possible stains.

One sweep of the sander revealed beautifully toned wood that had not been seen since it was first cut, likely in the 1870’s. We were tempted to go with natural, but the wood is not consistent throughout so we chose to go with what he called “special” walnut.

There are so many decisions. It is easy to second guess on literally hundreds of choices. And it is quite possible we should have gone with a different tile in the bathroom, or hue of color on a wall, or cabinet choice, or light fixture, or vent location, or door hardware… but this is it!

It reminds me of an interesting consumer study that looked at the optimal number of choices. Grocery shoppers were observed responding to salad dressing options. There was a point where having a variety of choices motivated buyers and increased sales, but beyond that people became overwhelmed with too much information – some simply walked away, and sales dropped off significantly.

So we reached that point where the dizzying array of choices needed to be locked in; and besides, we are leaving, when we return we will see!

Sometimes we just get on with it!

I guess what I am writing about is the observation that we can stand around the “design table” of our lives, second guess ourselves, and rearrange the pieces day after day or we can tie our shoelaces, put on a jacket and go out and live.

Here in Tarboro Rebekah and I are hobbling together an imperfect circa 1874 house that will always be interesting and never completely done – but nonetheless a work of art. Or maybe “Performance Art” would be better!

Rebekah and I are two 1956 models in a 1979 marriage that will always be interesting and never completely done – but nonetheless a work of art. And, yes, I think that Performance Art may be an even better description.

Once I told some friends that my appearance is not worn or in need of renovation or compromised – I prefer a word I learned on the Antiques Roadshow: “patina”! Well, like me this new house project is loaded with patina. And “seasoned” – that will work too.

“See the rich and mellow tones in that Heart Pine,” the experts point out, “it takes 150 years for that to come out.”

This journey of living is rich and mellow and seasoned and so much more. As for us, we’re just enjoying the process – DEREK