Stories · Curiosities · Questionable Ideas · Rather a Lot of Imagination · Farah Sam · Author & Creator ·
Tea, Dust and the First Quiet Plan
As the first week of unpacking begins, Mum takes a quiet moment at the kitchen table to map out the physical transformation of the house. Amidst plaster dust and cleaning supplies, she begins to envision a brighter, warmer, and more supportive home for her children.
THE STAR FAMILY BLOG
Farah Sam
12/5/20212 min read
Diary Entry: Sunday
Zen level: Reflective and hopeful
Chapters written: 1 page (written in a brand-new notebook)
Current status: Dreaming of new double-paned windows and fresh paint
The dust of a house that has stood empty for too long is a persistent adversary. It settles on every surface, clinging to the floorboards and swirling in the pale winter light that filters through the old, thin windows. Today, after a marathon of scrubbing and unpacking boxes of books, I cleared off a small corner of the old wooden kitchen table, poured a hot mug of black tea, and opened my notebook. It is time to make a plan.
This house has beautiful bones, but it is cold, drafty, and worn. As I sat sipping my tea, I mapped out the stages of our transformation. First, we need proper heating and new, double-paned windows to seal out the damp Belgian drafts. Then, we must tackle the kitchen, the bathrooms, and eventually, the attic, which I dream of converting into a serene master bedroom with a dedicated sensory nook for Ariadne.
Farhaan sat nearby, cleaning his boots after a quick walk down the cobblestone road, while Yasmeen was busy looking up local styling ideas on her phone. "Mum, I've researched some incredible space-saving layouts for the new attic," she said, showing me her screen. "We can make Ariadne’s corner look like a fairytale forest."
Ariadne sat on the floor right beside my chair, bundled in a warm velvet cardigan to protect her from the room's chill. Since she cannot play independently, I set a tray of smooth, natural wooden blocks on the floor. Farhaan wanted to help but hesitated. "Mum, if I stack them, will she get upset?"
"No, sweetie," I said. "Just sit next to her, take her hand gently, and stack one block together." Farhaan knelt down, guiding Ariadne’s small hand hand-over-hand to place a block. She watched the smooth wood align with a quiet intensity.
Suddenly, she began to cry, her little face scrunching up. I knew that sudden wail meant she needed food. I pointed her toward the low cabinet corner where her snack tray sat—complete with sliced apples, bread, and water. She reached out, grabbed an apple slice, and calmed down immediately, chewing contentedly.
Closing: With the plans written down and the house finally quiet, I rolled out my mat on the cleaned section of the living room floor. I moved slowly through a series of gentle cat-cow stretches, feeling my spine loosen and the lingering tension of the unpacking melt away. I sat in a comfortable cross-legged position, resting my hands on my knees. I took three deep, slow breaths, letting my mind settle into the quiet of the night, holding onto the vision of the warm, beautiful home we are building.