The blog of photographer Kim Ayres

Homeless…

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Rogan is 13 years old and really needs his own room. It’s been a toss-up between my study or Maggie’s art studio, and as she’s made money selling art while I’ve made no money surfing the web, laughing at Garfield Minus Garfield, and leaving the occasional witty comment on someone’s blog, I’ve lost.

So after nearly 3½ years, this wee room little larger than a single bed, with no heating and a carpet that hasn’t seen light for, well, about 3½ years actually, will no longer be mine by the end of this week.

In an ideal world we could do with a house that had at least 4 more rooms than this one, to contain my own study as well as the kids having a room each, a music room, a photography studio and a spare room for guests and/or junk. An outbuilding to convert to a large studio for Maggie wouldn’t go amiss either.

While we’re at it, sea views would be rather nice too, perhaps with a path down the cliff to our own private beach.

Hmmmmm...

Anyone got a spare million or two? You’d make this family very happy. Meg does a wonderful impression of Puss in Boots doing the big eyes thing in Shrek 2, which will melt your heart and make you feel really good about yourself.

Meanwhile, as even Rogan’s cake business is unlikely to bring in the kind of income we need to find a place with even 1 extra room, I’m likely to find myself wandering from room to room, looking for a quiet corner to sit on my coat and put out my begging bowl to attract the attention of passing Internet surfers.

“Excuse me guv, spare some change for wireless broadband?”
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25 comments

Attila the Mom said...

They grow up so fast, don't they?

I converted Big Kid's room into an overflow closet space/craft area within a week of his move-out.

Not so much because we needed the space, just wanted to make sure he couldn't move back in. ;-)

Pat said...

I sincerely hope this will not affect your blogging. Space is relative. We have tons but the two of us use every inch. Actually I could spare you my old office in the attic. It has an old fashioned bath that the previous owner used to do his photography stuff in so not quite pristine but boxed in so a valuable flat surface.
Count your blessings- this takes a hell of a lot of cleaning - done by yours truly.

Anonymous said...

any 13 year old who can make cakes like that deserves the master bedroom

Unknown said...

There's always the bed. Wireless beds are all the rage nowadays, ideally with 180gb of memory foam.

savannah said...

whatever you do, don't set up an office in your bedroom! trust me on the 1 key thing! xoxox

(i should start a series of posts on our current house search - looking for something large enough for my MIL to live comfortably with us.)

Unknown said...

I feel your pain :-( When Number One Son left home I had my eye on his room for use as an office, but before I had chance to dibs it, Number Four Son had moved his stuff in. So, I'm still sitting in the kitchen.

I'll remember you if I come into big money and treat you to one of those garden office thingies? They look quite good.

MikeP said...

I hate to ask, but does this mean Bamboo will be moved out, too? He's been suspiciously quiet these past months.

Kim Ayres said...

Attila - I seem to remember when I left home my parents moved to a smaller place thereby ensuring I couldn't return...

Pat - an old office in the attic sounds great. Do you have wireles broadband?

Hopefully it won't affect my blogging too much, although it might take on a mournful, dispossessed quality for a while.

NurseMyra - when he can pay for it, when he can pay for it...

Conan - hey, you're right, I've seen those memory matresses. Do they download your dreams?

Savannah - don't worry, I know to avoid having a computer in the bedroom.I made that mistake back when I started up self employed and it runied my sleep completely.

Thought about moving to Scotland? Although if your MIL suffers from arthritis it's probably not a good idea with all the damp & cold.

Kate - the garden office sounds like a good idea, although I can be certain I'd very quickly be sharing it with the lawnmower and old bikes

MikeP - he's not been speaking to me for months. Still sulking because his root system has so taken over the bottle he's in, I can't take him out to put him in a bigger one without killing him in the process

Brave Astronaut said...

Come across the pond, we've got lots of houses for sale. If you hurry, we can get you a ballot for Nov. 4.

We can surely find you something to do here in Washington. Procrastinating and making it look like we're working is our specialty.

I can start sending you house links, if you like - and we have lots of peanut butter M&Ms :)

Andraste said...

Can't help but be reminded...

You needa spaaace..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3AAdkfiamU

Eryl Shields said...

Oh how I feel for you, if I had to give up my office I wouldn't be able to function. But, trying to look on the bright side, Rogan will be off to uni (or wherever) in a few years so this disruption won't last. Meanwhile do you not have a shed you can convert?

Unknown said...

Well I am glad for Rogan and sad for you. In July my office was taken over by a very cute grandchild and her parents took over the extra bedroom. Now I wanter around looking for a place that is quiet. But at this point it doesn't exist.

I am glad you are willing to give your space and would be happy to share my internet but I'm afraid the signal isn't strong enough.

Apex Zombie said...

I think a treehouse is in order. Not for Rogan, mind. :D

Kim Ayres said...

Brave Astronaut - mmMMmm... peanut butter M&Ms... unfortunately I'm also trying to stop myself putting 100 lbs back on...

Andraste - I'm so pleased you discovered Creature Comforts! They are truly superb :)

Eryl - I was trying to see if he fancied having a gap year to go and see a bit more of the world, but he felt 13 wasn't old enough.

As for the shed, I'm afraid the bikes & lawnmower are already taking up the space. Besides, the roof leaks.

Carole - I remember how happy you were to finally get that office too. Can't you boot them out yet?

FLG - a treehouse sounds like a great idea. Unfortunately it might take a few years for me to plant a tree and for it to grow big enough to support one

Z said...

I've moved my computer into the sitting room so that there's another room we don't have to heat. We don't heat the bedrooms either. We've got plenty of space but it only gets used in the summer. Well, we use the bedrooms in the winter, but dive straight in to bed with an electric blanket.

debra said...

#1 daughter is in college in New York City. #2 seems to think that #1's room is an annex to hers. Now #2 tells us that she r-e-a-l-l-y likes our room. I wish I had a study/office/room of my own. I move my computer from space to space, and all my stuff winds up in a pile.
Our studio is in our gallery; it's a challenge to work when people are telling their children,"Oh honey, look at the artists work." Perhaps I can join you on a street corner with a hat for spare change....

Mary Witzl said...

I feel for you, but this was bound to happen, wasn't it? I lost the small room I was hoping would be my study; we just had so much junk that it didn't make sense for me to use it as merely a study. I told myself that Robert Burns could write even with his kids climbing all over him. Kind of cold comfort, but it worked for me.

Pat said...

I'm sure I have broadband which I pay Orange £17.99 a month for.
But I'm not sure what wireless broad band is.

Kim Ayres said...

Z - Electric blanket? What happened to a good old hot water bottle?

Debra - the public love to see the artist at work. Thy're not so keen to see the artist playing solitaire or blogging though...

Mary - Just think though, if you'd got rid of the junk and used it as a study, you'd have had an entire room less to pack when you moved!

Pat - wireless is when you have a main hub somewhere in the house and any other computer within range (and a wireless network card) can access it. Basically it means you don't have to plug it into the phone line so in theory can take your laptop anywhere in the house. I took it out into the garden once, but hastily brought it back in when a large blob of bird guano just missed me.

Leigh Russell said...

Patience, my friend. My own children have left home and I now have a whole room to myself - just me, my computer, my radio, and my manuscripts. (I'm a writer). My daughter was horrified when she first saw my wonderful haven. "That's my bedroom! she exclaimed in mild outrage. Not any more, because she's (very) grown up and has moved out of the family home. Ha!

Anonymous said...

You need one of these!

Everybody needs someplace to be alone.

Kim Ayres said...

Leigh - welcome to my ramblings and thank you for taking the time to comment. I am now completely green at the idea of your whole room to yourself

Sam - don't they look tempting! I especially like the tiny 65sq ft one. No room for guests or children - just what I need when I'm feeling grumpy and unsociable!

Z said...

You might as well say "Mobile phone? What happened to a good old phone box?" - that is, it still exists but has been superseded. In an unheated bedroom, a freezing bed with one spot of over-hot bottle is not much fun. A lovely warm bed is.

Restaurant Gal said...

I have given up spare rooms, cars, cash, romantic dates, vacations to places I wanted to go, and so on--all because I can't imagine not doing so for the loves of my life. I may not have done all that well in many aspects of my life, but I know my two "babies" are the one thing I did do right. Giving up the spare bedroom is hardly giving up anything--it's giving a gift to one on whom you would shower as many gifts as possible.

Kim Ayres said...

Z - did you hunt your own animal furs for blankets ;)

Restaurant Gal - well of course, but it makes it easier if I can grumble a bit

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