There’s some snapping and groaning and crackling going on over here (it’s the new floor, not me, honest). I think the floor is settling in, stretching, and adjusting to its new surroundings. We get up in the morning or during the night and the floor crackles beneath our feet.

My husband chose the flooring for the lower level, his man cave (where the television lives). The flooring on the lower level doesn’t make a sound. No snapping or groaning or crackling.

I chose the flooring for the upper level where I spend most of my time. The flooring on the upper level (the more expensive flooring: it’s ‘green’) is making all kinds of noises as it settles in.

The floor on the lower level is very much like my husband: quiet, stable, rock solid. The floor on the upper level is much like me: vocal, exuberant, in motion.

I’m learning a lot about myself and my husband as we tackle this project. I’m also learning a lot about what it means to …

thrive (& cook) in chaos:

A sense of humor is imperative.

We were really lucky. We found a contractor who is a master of his craft and funny to boot. I ask serious questions like, “When do you think you’ll have the stairs completed?” He replies, “Some time in June.” Chaos is so much more bearable with a good dose of humor.

I need to cook. It grounds me in self-care.

I’m still managing to cook some delicious meals in the midst of all this chaos. At the end of the day, when the workers are gone and the dust settles, I need to nest. I need to reclaim my kitchen, light a candle, share a meal with my husband (trust that he’ll like it), pour a glass of wine … unwind and unravel.

This past week I made roasted red pepper soup (again), a delicious lemony lentil soup, and pan roasted chicken with tarragon and mustard cream sauce. My husband (white-on-white) has been clamoring for cream sauce. When he clamors, I listen. Maybe some day he’ll even swoon but I’m not banking on it.



I need my creative pursuits, even in the midst of chaos.

Yesterday I stopped by the paint store so that I could start dreaming and scheming my way into color. My beloved likes his walls to look much like his plate, white on white. I’m slightly more color courageous. I’m painting little swatches of color on different walls in my home to see how the color changes with the light. It’s amazing how even one small creative endeavor can shift my entire day. I think we need to do more of this, in as many forms as possible. I also noticed that the colors I’m choosing for the walls are very much the colors that are showing up in various art forms that I’ve been playing with recently, mostly collage. #365daysofnoticing

I need to remind myself (daily sometimes) that less is more.

I just finished up round two of a program I launched in November, the Luscious Legacy Project. Clueless in the Kitchen was up next on the Conscious Bites Campus. However, in the midst of all this construction chaos, I realized that I need time between Circles (like books) to replenish and restore and get ready for the next adventure. For those of you who were planning to join me for Clueless in the Kitchen in March, I apologize. You’ll have to wait a little longer. Sometimes less is more, particularly in the midst of construction.

Chocolate for breakfast makes everything better.

This week’s pick is Castronova Chocolate, Colombia Sierra Nevada, from the Rare Cacao Collection handcrafted in Stuart, Florida.

I need my rituals and routines in order to thrive.

Being on call 24/7 can be a little taxing. Hubby makes his daily rounds into town to grab a bite to eat at his favorite diner, to mail a letter or two, or to roam the aisles of Home Depot looking for the perfect coaster to keep the furniture from marring the new hardwood floors (suggestions welcome). Because I work from home, I’m generally the one who mans the ship and keeps the workers entertained. This works really well for the most part but I’m noticing that now, more than ever, it’s really important to get outside and away from the racket … if even for just a little while.

How about you? How do YOU thrive in chaos?