Tuesday 27 January 2009

Comforting Early Morning Sounds

When we first purchased the old Roadhouse, the cottage (the Grand's Cottage) connected to the Shop was constructed from various materials and had many colours. The whole building looked derelict and dilapidated. Over the past few months, we've endeavoured to make the whole building look connected, as one, instead of two separate entities, with the use of the same building materials and paint colour. Over the past two days, we've been painting the gutters and eaves of these two entities to 'link' them. The circumference is HUGE! We start very early in the morning and work on the western wall, in the shade. By 1pm, we've finished the southern wall as well and go home for lunch. We return at around 3.15pm and work on the eastern wall which is, by then, in the shade.

Prime coat. Top coat. Top coat.

"Round and round the circumference, like a teddy bear ...." tra la la

On both early morning starts, I've been comforted by the sounds of early morning rising. We are there before the Grands wake and get out of bed, but they're up shortly after. As they rise and shine, there is the sound of the toilet flushing; it's waste running to the septic tank. Then the bathroom taps are used, and the plumbing groans. If the hot tap is run, the Rinnai Instant Hot Water heater clicks into action, and a faint whiff of liquid petroleum gas seeps into the crisp dewy air.

In the kitchen, a gush of cold water runs down the drain and gurgles its way to the grease trap. The kettle is switched on and works itself into a panic as it reaches boiling point. More whiffs of gas, as the tea and coffee cups are rinsed under hot water. Muffled communication. Plates and bowls clatter - cereals are being poured. A frying pan clangs on the stove top. More muffled conversation...

The click of the front sliding door indicates 'wee wee' time for the beloved Pekingnese, Blossom. It's not long before Blossom has made her way around to the west to greet us.

Life.

A new day.

What will this day be like? I wonder...

What will my future be?

2 comments:

emilyclare said...

I loved going on the audio adventure with you! I can imagine all of those sounds, gurgles, flushes! I love how sensitive we become in the early morning to sounds and light; the mind and body waking up out of dreams to embrace another day - and how comforting certain sounds can be. I love hearing the magpies warble and hearing the garbage truck on days I know I can still sleep in for an hour or two more!

Anonymous said...

I love the early morning and I love your description here. Sound does carry differently through the air at the start and at the end of the day. It's interesting how your description of the sounds really helps to conjure up a mental picture of the scene.

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