the perfectly imperfect home by deborah needleman - excerpt

8/3/2019 The Perfectly Imperfect Home by Deborah Needleman - Excerpt

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Hdpyrocmt 25


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Crdwoac up, O wls struhj by tmg ilht tmlt dur mdusg mln

adtmoac pgrsdalf oa ot. Adbdny gvgr tlhjgn up l pohturg

smg iduan l`usoac. Ad `g`gatd wls brducmt blhj

ird` l mdfonly lan put da l smgfi. Ad buahm di fldwgrs

wls gvgr hut ird` tmg ylrn lan stuhj oa l vlsg.

Oa ilht, adtmoac gvgr cdt `dvgn lrduan dr hmlacgn, uatof tmg

nly tmg nghdrltdrs wgrg brducmt blhj idr la upnltg. ^mgrg wgrghgrtloa rdd`s, fojg tmg noaoac rdd` lan tmg fovoac rdd`, tmlt wg rlrgfy

gatgrgn. Lan tmgrg wls l polad tmlt ad dag jagw mdw td pfly.

Ot wls by ad `glas l sln mdusg. Sg wgrg fdvgn lan hlrgn idr,

lan tmg mdusg otsgfi wls aglt lan lttrlhtovg. But O mlvg hd`g td

rglfozg tmlt tmg sduf di l mdusg aggns lttgatoda. Dur mdusg mln vgry

fottfg foigot wlsat mglvofy usgn, gaclcgn wotm, dr fdvgn. Ot nonat lnn

`uhm td y hdahgptoda di hmofnmddn dr mlppoagss.

^mos fgn `g td lpprgholtg nggpfy md`gs tmlt lrg o`bugn wotm

l sgasobofoty lan sporotmd`gs wotm l strdac pgrsdalfoty lan socas

di foig. Ot `lng `g fdac idr l md`g wotm oatgrgstoac pgdpfg lan


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noaagr plrtogs lan irogans spganoac tmg aocmt. Lan ot `lng `g

nosfojg md`gs tmlt fddj pgright lan uafovgn-oa, dr tmlt mlvg ad

wmo`sy. ^mlt os tmg bols di tmos bddj lan tmg rglsda idr wrotoac ot.

G`brlhoac o`pgrightoda oa l md`g ndgs adt `gla tmlt lay-

tmoac cdgs. Mgrg ot `glas lo`oac idr bgluty tg`pgrgn by rglfoty.

Oi rglf foig oavdfvgs `gss, lhhongats, `g`dry, lan tmg oahongatlf,

tmga sd tdd `ust nghdrltoac lhhduat idr sgrganopoty, lan gvga

g`brlhg ot.

^mg pdoat di nghdrltoac, ls ilr ls O hla tgff, os td hrgltg tmg blhj-

crduan idr tmg bgst foig ydu hla mlvg. Xd tmos bddj os drclaozgn

l fottfg bot blhjwlrns, stlrtoac wotm wmlt ydu wlat ydur mdusg

td nd, mdw ydu wlat ot td `ljg ydu iggf, lan tmga succgstoac

iuraoturg dr styfoac tops tmlt `ly mgfp ydu cgt ot tmgrg. Smofg tmos os

l bddj lbdut tmoacs, O mlvg trogn td lpprdlhm tmg` ird` tmg

pgrspghtovg di wmlt tmgsg tmoacs hla diigr us.

Nghdrltoda hla bg foig-gamlahoac. Ot hla `ljg noaagr plr-

togs `drg iua, jons mlppogr, rgflxoac glsogr, tlfjs `drg oato`ltg,

cugsts lt glsg. Lan td tmoaj nghdrltoac os ditga hdasongrgn irovd-

fdus. @ljoac l hmlr`gn lan mlppy md`g os l adbfg ganglvdr.^mg so`pfg sghrgt os `ljoac surg tmlt gvgry nghdrltoac nghosoda


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hdatrobutgs td tmg hrgltoda di bgluty lan hdìdrt. Bgluty td upfoit

dur sgasgs (td trlashgan tmg ùanlag) lan hdìdrt td `ljg us

iggf tljga hlrg di (td g`brlhg us oa tmg ùanlag).

Ditga, nghdrltdrs so`pfy o`pdsg l styfg da l hfogat, wotmdut

rgclrn td fdhltoda, suotlbofoty, dr tmg plrtohuflrs di tmlt hfogats foig.

_gt gvgry nghdrltdr oa gvgry oatgrvogw lan oa gvgry bddj woff prd-

igss tmlt mg dr smg prgigrs l rdd` tmlt iggfs pgrsdalf, tmlt `dagy

ndgsat `lttgr, lan tmlt rdd`s ùst bg hdìdrtlbfg td bg hmoh.

@dst ndat `gla ot! Smy gfsg wdufn tmgrg bg sd `lay pgrightfy

nghdrltgn, pgrightfy laday`dus, gatorgfy gxpgasovg, hdfn rdd`s

ffoac up tmg plcgs di nghdrltoac bddjs lan `lclzoags4 Idr sd

`lay, tmg fddj os wmlt `lttgrs.

Cddn nghdrltoda sdfvgs prdbfg`s gfgclatfy. L styfosm md`g

os mocmfy iuahtodalf lan rgflghts tmg bgst pdssobfg fddj idr ydur

foig, buncgt, lan `dng di fovoac (gvga ydur pghufolrotogs), lan

tmg prdbfg`s lan lnvlatlcgs di tmg pflhg ydu fovg oa. ^mos woff

fgln td l md`g tmlt gamlahgs ydur sgasg di wgff-bgoac, tmlt

oasporgs ydu lan fddjs litgr ydu. Fuxury hlaadt bg ngagn by

gxpgasg dr by crlangur. Xtyfg os fuxury, lan fuxury os so`pfywmlt `ljgs ydu mlppy.


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L BO^DI

\WORJ


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La gfg`gat di quorjoagss oa ydur nghdr smdws tmlt ydu nd adt tljg

nghdrltoac dr, by gxtgasoda, ydursgfi tdd sgrodusfy. L rdd` tmlt os

nghdrltgn wotmoa la oahm di ots foig iggfs sgfi-o`pdrtlat lan stltoh.

Xtyfg ducmt td bg fddsg lan glsycdoac: hlplhodus lan gxplasovg!

L fottfg sd`gtmoac uagxpghtgn `ljgs us hdìdrtlbfg. \uorjoagss lan ots song-

johj, hmlr`, rgprgsgat tmg focmtmglrtgn mu`laoty di ydur md`g.

^d sly tmlt l md`g smdufn iggf focmt, lan mlvg l sgasg di wot dr wmo`sy lbdut

ot, os adt td sly tmlt l mdusg smdufn bg iua dr cddiy. (Jddjy os ag idr pgdpfg,

but adt idr nghdr.) Smga gvgrytmoac oa l rdd` mls prdvgalahg dr os lbsdfutgfy

kust sd, tmlt rdd` ilofs td put ydu lt glsg lan wgfhd`g ydu lan tmga, wgff,

wmlt os tmg pdoat4 O mlvg sgga rdd`s by nghdrltdrs tmlt

lrg sd cdrcgdus tmgy lrg fojg vosulf pdgtry. _gt usulffy

tmgy lrg adt fovlbfgdafy cdrcgdus, dafy pgright. ^mgy

lrg rdd`s wotmdut sporot, wotmdut sgrganopoty, wotmdut

pdtgatolf idr lùsg`gat. Xln. Xln. Xln. L bot di mu`dr,

l tduhm di ilatlsy, dr gvga sd`gtmoac mlpmlzlrn iggfs

wgfhdòac. Ot oavotgs us td fgt dur culrn ndwa. \uorj os

fgss lbdut smdppoac dr dbkghts lan `drg lbdut lttotung.

\uorj mu`laozgs.

Urgvodus plcgs; Oal rdd` nghdrltgnby Kdmasda Mlrtoc,adtmoac os tdd pgright;ua`lthmgn poffdws sotda l fddsgfy sfophdvgrgnsdil: smgfvgs lrgstdhjgn wotm blrgssgatolfs lan muac

wotm la dfn orrdr lantoay irl`gn pohturgs.Oa ilht, ots pgright.

O prgigr la ucfy, pgrsdalf rdd` td dag tmlt os kusthdfn lan hdrrghtl `lusdfgu` ndag by l nghdrltdr.


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Orrgvgrgat Lhhgats ^mgsg lrg s`lff, wmo`sohlf tduhmgs tmlt smdw

ydu ndat tljg tmg dbkghts oa ydur md`g tdd sgrodusfy; salpsmdts stuhj

oatd tmg gncg di l bglutoiuf latoqug òrrdr, l mlt ltdp l idr`lf bust,

l bglngn aghjflhg mlacoac ird` l fl`psmlng. Uuttoac tmoacs wmgrg tmgy

lrgat suppdsgn td bg smdws tmlt ydu rufg ydur rddst lan adt tmg dtmgr

wly lrduan. Irl`gn pohturgs fglaoac lcloast tmg wlff dr lcloast l òrrdr

smdw tmlt tmg mdusg os nyalòh, lfovg, l wdrj oa prdcrgss. Rotl Jdaoc, `y

irogan lan pltrda sloat di quorj lan styfg, tlpgs Udflrdons di mgr irogans

da mgr fovoac rdd` wlff oa la gvgr-crdwoac hdffghtoda. Xmg lfsd mlacs mgr

hdlt lan mlt da l stlanoac fl`p oa mgr irdat mlff bghlusg smg os smdrt da

hfdsgt splhg.

Oa rglffy crlan Gacfosm hduatry mdusgs tmgrg lfwlys sgg`s td bg l fl`p-

smlng lsjgw, gspgholffy oa pmdtd smddts, `ljoac `g wdangr oi Fdrn Smd-

gvgr toppgn ot sfocmtfy bgidrg tmg smuttgr salppgn sd ot wdufnat fddj fojg

mg hlrgn tdd ùhm. Smltgvgr tmg trutm, tmg trohj os adt td hlrg sd ùhm tmlt

ydu hlat `ljg splhg idr tmg soffy dr tmg swggt. @y orrgprgssobfy fdqulhodus

irogan @lrol hl`g upda l adtg smg wls idrhgn td wrotg ls l hmofn oa shmddf;

O woff adt tlfj oa shmddf. O woff adt tlfj oa shmddf. . . . Xmg irl`gn ot lan muac

ot da tmg wlff. Ot os nggpfy pgrsdalf, lan lfsd moflrodus.


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KdffogrsKdffogrs lrg sgato`gatlf tmoacs tmlt sprgln l fottfg kdy gvgry

to`g ydu hlst ydur gyg upda tmg`. ^mgy lrg l`dac tmg glsogst nghd-

rltoac tddfs, ls tmgy rgquorg ad sjoff, ad hd`pfohltgn uangrstlanoac di

hdfdr, tgxturg, dr hd`pdsotoda. _du blsohlffy sgt tmg` dut lan, fojg l tlfos-

`la, tmgy gxung tmgor subtfg pdwgr. Rotl mls l boc pdstgr wotm tmg wdrn

da ot, lan gvgry to`g `y gygs brusm dvgr ot O iggf sd`g toay, lf`dst

o`pgrhgptobfg foit oa `y `ddn. Smga smg rst `dvgn td Agw _drj ird`

Fdanda, tmg pdstgr wls dag di tmg igw tmoacs smg tddj wotm mgr. Idr

l wmofg, ot wls lf`dst tmg dafy nghdrltoda oa mgr agw lplrt`gat. Xd`g-

mdw ot `lng tmg g`pty lplrt`gat (lan prdblbfy tmg brlvg, uprddtgn

corf wmd fovgn tmgrg) sgg` fgss fdagfy.

Rotl fdvgs td nrgss bgns wotm Udrtmlufts mglrt-hdvgrgn smggts lan

sml`s, sd tmlt tmg bgns tmg`sgfvgs sgg` fojg boc mlppy tmoacs glcgr td

mlvg ydu kdoa tmg`. O an pdfjl ndts vgry kdffy. Laytmoac spdttgn os sfocmtfy

soffy lan iroganfy.

L`dac `y ilvdrotg kdffogrs os l hdffghtoda di hgrl`oh poghgs O iduan oa

tmg blsg`gat di y musblans hmofnmddn md`g; tmgy wgrg ird` l dag-`la

smdw mg mln oa tmg shmddf mlffwly oa soxtm crlng. ^mg hdffghtoda oahfungs

l Hrgst tubg ddzoac plstg, l wmlfg spdutoac wltgr, lan l cflzgn nducmaut

tmlt dpgas fojg l bdx. ^mg poghgs dhhupy l smgfi oa l crly-ploatgn Xwgnosm

bddjhlsg ltdp l igw stlhjs di bddjs. mgor smoay surilhgs lrg l aohg, mlppyhduatgrpdoat td tmg sdit wddn.


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\uofts lan Hdvgrfgts @y onglf tdp flygr os l prgtty smggt idfngn

dvgr l bglutoiuf plttgragn hdvgrfgt dr l sdit, sdfon quoft. Oa su``gr O lfsd

fdvg l fddsg wmotg `ltgflss lan oa woatgr l tmohj wddf bflajgt tuhjgn

oa tocmtfy. O tmoaj tmg so`pfohoty lan glsg di l sdit, pfu`p wmotg hdìdrtgrpuffgn lff tmg wly up fddjs sgxy oa dtmgr pgdpfgs md`gs, but oa òag

ot lfwlys rgòans `g di tmg fu`py surilhg di tmg `dda.

L tmrdw idfngn lt tmg iddt di tmg bgn broacs oa l aohg plttgra, hdfdr, dr

tgxturg td hd`pfg`gat tmg `loa hdvgr. But `drg o`pdrtlat, tmrdw bfla-

jgts lrg pgright idr puffoac up lrduan ydu idr l ònnly alp. Idr tmos ydu

wlat sd`gtmoac supgr sdit, fojg hlsm`grg, dr la dfn, wdra-oa quoft.

Gxpgro`gat l fottfg wotm ydur bgnnoac, tryoac dut noiigrgat tgxturgs lan

styfgs. Hdatrlst pgrjs up l bgn; @ox sd`g tmohj foaga sml`s wotm smoay

sltgga smggts, dr sd`g supgr igòaoag fldwgry sml`s wotm l rducm wddf

bflajgt dr l mlan`lng Oanola quoft.


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Uoffdw Rghopg (sgrvgs twd)

Adt ^dd @lay Uoffdws ^mgrg lrg twd joans di poffdws; tmg dagswg usg lan tmg dags tmlt gan up da tmg flddr. Dag dr twd, dr lybg tmrgg,

nghdrltovg poffdws hla wdrj, but litgr tmlt ydur bgn stlrts td fddj fojg tmg

Bfdd`oacnlfgs flddr `dngf lan rgquorgs ots dwa stlii td `lalcg gvgry

gvgaoac bgidrg bgn.

O uangrstlan tmg oastoaht td brglj up tmg boc, bdroac flanshlpg di tmg

bgns surilhg wotm hdfdr lan plttgra. Bdtm Gurd squlrgs, tmdsg wdangr-

iuffy flrcg squlrg poffdws, lan l tmrdw poffdw dr twd hla nd tmg trohj,

tmducm. _du hla an Gurd sml`s (wlsmlbfg poffdw hdvgrs) oa fdlns diwdangriuf plttgras lan ngsocas: tmgsg woff sgg` `drg fojg cdrcgdus tgx-

tofgs tmla pfloa hdttda poffdwhlsgs nd, lan sd tmgyff lnn l flygr di pdfosm

lan aosm td l bgn.

>ndwa-ffgn stlanlrns

^morty-oahm idr qugga dr flrcgr

idr joac, idr lhtulf sfggpoac.

Oi ydu mlvg lffgrcogs, cd idr

alturlf, ada-lao`lf `ltgrolfs.

< dr 2s`lffgr poffdws

Gotmgr l bdundor poffdwtmdsg

nloaty toay tmoacsdr l s`lff tmrdw

poffdw idr rgstoac la gfbdw dr ydur

aghj wmofg rglnoac dr wlthmoac ^Y.

the perfectly imperfect home by deborah needleman - excerpt

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