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It's starting to take shape downstairs now and while we are missing many things and there are lots of odd jobs to complete, we are now able to get a better sense of what the "real feel" of the rooms are going to be. 

This area was empty yesterday and today we put together the couch, so now we know what size mat is going to be suitable. Wall-to-wall carpets don't exist in Finland and pretty much everything is hard floors, making the mats necessary, especially in the winter when temperatures drop into the depths. Putting the couch in has closed up the room a lot already and taken away some of the echo bouncing off all of the hard surfaces. The mat should help much more and we are going to likely put in something with a long pile to give some more insulation. 

![IMG_20210815_195047.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23x19AZJfMMioxp6r3jBnUEjHGHCrxcA6AUyNYjBKBWK5Mnpo5AgQizufYpFZaubmgmQw.jpg)

The light in the corner is what I ended up getting my wife for our anniversary - as it is something that she has had her eye on *for years* and we have never been able to justify the expense. We still can't, but I bought it anyway. 

I received the gift of being with my wife as a present this year.  

![IMG_20210815_184901.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23uQy6qqUcrfQrQkbA2CsMYcR3accPjVC8D9w96BhypMddckVLV2qkBHJJmdz2NKaWRQC.jpg)

While yesterday was mostly a bust when it came to the secondhand shopping, we did manage to pick up some cheap books quickly from a place today. My wife even bought a set of books that are written by my ex's aunty, who is a well-known author in the country and has one of the most creative minds I have known in Finland. I haven't seen her for many years, but I miss spending time talking with her.

The bookshelves are built in and custom made from thick plywood and painted the same color as the walls. They are very strong and shouldn't bend even under quite high weight and over time. They are also deep enough to hold the wood for the fireplace, which is handy, though filling it is going to take several trips to the woodpile, as it is large. I will half fill it and keep the bucket there instead.   

![IMG_20210815_165758.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23wgSHLFrgP4puwo62fHGSvThftXHwBidHCS3g6WeVCrQhW5kRAFMQgNRba5VZjEE7Xph.jpg)

Ct the moment, the place is a little bare and cold, but I like how it is coming along. Once we add in a little height around the place with perhaps a standing lamp, curtains and some pictures on the wall, it should make it a fair bit cozier. Currently, everything is about waist height, which makes it feel a little strange. The mat and a coffee table will make a big difference also. We are looking for a used wooden coffee table to close the space in the middle, but there isn't much of note on offer currently, so will have to keep looking. 

![IMG_20210815_135943.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23viCUmGjU4jnwzzW6EPT5LVzZHuYfSfbeziLWLXsJfoD6NFmrT43Etgy3dYosSU3mzh2.jpg)

As you can probably see, this doesn't look overly child-friendly considering the colors, but this is not really a space that we are making for that purpose. We have a family room upstairs where our bedrooms and the TV is, and our daughter will mostly play up there. However, we have no real issues with having her in this space either, since she is neater than us most of the time and we have never had an issue with her destroying anything - accidents happen though and I can't speak for her friends who will likely have different temperaments. 

![IMG_20210815_191531.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23xetFz4jMpGMZ33Hgqywj5NxCSJmg2UHeNHDQ4LSFRe9LZk1fBguZC77VmmQcah9qTyZ.jpg)

While we will use the dining room daily, this room is going to be more for us to chillout and relax in, a space to get some space. It is also going to be somewhat seasonal, because when winter arrives and we have the fire lit, I think it is going to be a very calming area to sit and read, have a glass of wine, or toast sausage and marshmallows on the fire. 

When I was a kid, one of my favorite winter things done with the family was to toast bread on the fireplace and eat it with a lot of butter and various jams and honey. The smell and taste of the toasted bread is awesome and I hope to introduce my family to it too - though they are both unable to eat normal bread, so I will have to find a decent gluten-free alternative. Regardless, this area is for us to enjoy and get away from the daily grind, so I am looking forward to board games and listening to my daughter learn the piano emanating from this room. 

She spent last night with her grandparents and hadn't seen any of this and the first thing she did upon getting home was, play us songs on the piano. They are really good, considering she makes the songs up on the fly and can't actually play the piano yet. 


![IMG_20210815_165538.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23xVTMWk4jK6xNPHQrc25v9tLrVGSmDbF7SJD1xdBmNYhhmfZFPJmiHQG7DY7GHChsDcP.jpg)

We have lived here for almost a year and a half now and a lot has changed in the house in that time. It has taken a lot of time, effort and money to get to this stage and it is a little strange to to think that this phase is almost over, that soon we will be able to live in *most* of the house. There is still a bit to go and the office is next, but we are getting there and after all the challenges, it feels good. 

![IMG_20210815_165636.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23wCJKFvKpqENAr3qsAoWQThLmajJcrD2LBft3yiRewJLapevrstfDXhFs8VNhm4ahFPG.jpg)

Speaking of, I awoke in the morning after having a dream about being back at work. One of the higherups had asked me to do something on my laptop during a meeting and I just couldn't work out what to do. Even as he was guiding me and trying to step me through it, I was failing to understand the instructions and he got frustrated to the point that he just said, "Give it here, just let me do it". 

>First day back tomorrow...

I will be out of the office in the morning at a doctor's appointment, but will drop in for a few hours to warm myself up a little and see some of my colleagues for a chat. We have a bi-weekly meeting in the afternoon and I am going to ask if I can grab a couple minutes from the schedule just to thank them for the support so far and run them through what is expected and possible in the coming weeks and months. Essentially, I will have to warm them into the situation that while I am physically mostly okay and will likely seem pretty normal to them in conversation, I still have a fair way to go before I will be able to be back at 100% in many of my work tasks. I think they will be receptive and supportive, but I also know that *out of sight, out of mind*  comes into play and the issues I have are out of sight, even though they affect my capabilities heavily. 

It'll be fine. 
*Though I am still nervous.*

If it goes poorly, at least I will have a place at home to contemplate my next moves. 


Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ] 


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