Whose bright idea was it to renovate our live-in house? (Part I).

I think D has been reading those "helping your partner through the grieving process" pamphlets that they insisted I take when I picked my charm with Momma's fingerprint on it up from the funeral home a couple weeks back.

Personally, I'm saying this, because he seems to be doing fairly well at trying to help me. Even when he isn't exactly sure how to handle the situation, he bites down and rides out the storm.

In other words, he essentially gives me my way in all matters, deals with my ever changing mood swings, and doesn't judge when I go through bouts of relentless crying or I think binge-drinking is an acceptable hobby to pick up and run sprints with.

With all of that being said, I would be lying if I said I too wasn't looking for something to help me "deal" with the current situation. Sure, I could put my stubborn pride away and pick up one of those grieving pamphlets myself, but I am nothing if not my mother's daughter and I just can't seem to bring myself to do it. Not that there's anything wrong with them, if it helps people cope I think that's awesome, but for some reason I just can't bring myself to do it.

Instead I read random facts online and take advice from the homeless lady at my local grocery store.

Recently though, we (and by "we" I mean D and I were talking about it) decided that a "home renovation project" would be helpful. You know, something to keep me busy and focus on other than the fact that I am alone in our house more than what I have ever been in my entire life.

You know, because who doesn't say the way to relieve stress is to live in a semi-permanent construction zone and start a home renovation not knowing how long the entire process could take? Clearly, this is something that sane people do and it's not at all me just trying to grasp at anything to keep myself from falling off the deep end.

So, this past weekend, we started. Technically, I got a wild hair and was going through one of my moods of annoyance and frustration so D and I went to Lowe's at eight o'clock Saturday night and I proceeded to get things I needed to repaint our living room and start with the refinishing of the floors.

(Because of this, I kind of think Pinterest is somewhere between my arch nemesis and a complete genius (hence the random home renovation photo ideas I keep collecting pictures of). And as you can see, the entire thing has really worn our pups out. *insert eyeroll here*)

They (and by "they" I mean people I may have read about or I might have just made up in my head and can't honestly remember) say when "processing grief" you are supposed to surround yourself with things that can give you joy. Well, as of right now I have three dogs and two cranberry colored living room walls. So, there's that.

This is going to be a long journey, but apparently, I have the time (and house) for such projects.