Although it seems my husband and I have just finished renovations to our 140 year old home, we are once again tackling the master bedroom. About three years ago our oldest son, then 23 moved out and bought his first house and decided to take his 18 year old brother with him. We were excited for him, and his first stab at independence, and his brother, whom we were sure would be moving back home within six months if not sooner. We were also excited for ourselves because we, as husband and wife, have never had a day that we weren't parents-we have never been alone- ever. We had plans for what we could do with these two rooms- perhaps an office? A sewing room? A den? A spare bedroom? No, no, nothing with a bed, we don't want the kids to see there's still a room for them to sleep in if they decided to come back. In the past three years, these two rather small rooms have been all of these things and yet, we haven't really given them the use we thought we would. Our house is less than 1,000 square feet and raising two active and noisy boys wasn't easy  in such a small house and we dreamed of the day when we could spread out, and have a little peace, quiet and alone time ourselves. As much as I enjoyed being an empty nester, I had to admit the long dreamed of space was just going to waste.
     A week ago, I came home from work to find that my husband had taken down the gyproc from the dividing wall of the middle room. The next day, when I came home he had removed the gyproc from the dividing wall from our room and that Monday night we slept in a room that seemed like a cavern to us-for the first time in 24 years of marriage, we had room, and it seemed strange. I must have woken up two or three times that night wondering where I was. The light from the street was different, the noises in the night sounded different in a room that was twice its previous size. In the morning, we had sun coming through the window and the room was bright- we had four posts at the foot of our bed and two sockets hanging from the ceiling but the room looked beautiful to me. It was a few days later that the carpet and sub flooring were removed to reveal the wide plank flooring we had covered up with plywood some  seven or eight years before. The colour was a deep caramel and once they were swept and washed with Murphy's Oil Soap I plopped a semi anti carpet over them and the room became warm and inviting again. We carried in the butternut bonnet chest I had recently bought and this became my favorite room in the house- and all this time I had thought our living room was my favourite. Yes, we have decreased our three bedroom home to a two bedroom home, but we are the ones who have to live here so it's only fitting we live in a house that services our needs as a home. As far as our children returning home and finding there isn't enough room? Well it's been three years, the oldest is engaged to be married in six months and the youngest, now turning 23 wouldn't  hear of it so I think we are safe.