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My Work Space

Almost two years ago, my husband and I built our dream house. We had bought the land 10 years earlier, but personal circumstances prevented us from building on it until just 3 1/2 years ago.

I love our house and the neighborhood that surrounds it. When we're here we feel far removed from the hustle and bustle of city life, yet it is only a 35 minute commute to work. My husband and I planned every little space in our house and we're proud of how it turned out.

But, there is one little detail that we have not been able to work out to our mutual satisfaction - work spaces for both of us.

Since my husband works from home, he needs an office space where he can spread out his things without worrying about tidying up right away. Although I don't work from home, my school work and doctorate require a similar amount of space.

What to do?

For a while we shared the office space, which doubles as a family room. However, my husband is unable to keep to his side of the desk space that we had planned on sharing. His papers, bills, and folders are strewn all over the desk. Once he surprised me by putting everything away in drawers, but it wasn't long before he was back to spreading out his things from one end of the desk to the other. I actually sat at my side of the desk a few times before I was crowded out. Then, I sat at the dining room table a few times, but I didn't appreciate having to clean up after I was done.

My husband decided that the solution to my not having a space at the table, so to speak, would be to build me an office in front of our house. According to him, there was plenty of room to do that and then all our problems would be solved. Of course, I convinced him that it was cheaper and easier to simply clean up his mess than spend $20,000 to make an addition to our house. Fortunately for all of us, he has heeded my advice...for now.

I still needed a space in which to work. So, we have improvised a space in our bedroom until we can purchase a proper work desk. I'd much rather be in the family room, of course, but I prefer having a different area in which to work than nagging my husband to clean up our supposedly mutual work area. You'd think we could come up with an acceptable solution to allow both of us to use the family room office area, but that has not happened.

While writing this slice, I chuckled remembering our discussions about how to accommodate suitable work spaces for both of us. Fortunately, we've come up with a plan that just may work. At least, I hope so...

Cross posted to Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life March Challenge, Day #14.



  

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