I got my new office rug earlier this week, and it turns out it wasn’t just a frivolous “pretend my office is fancy and belongs to a bestseller” thing. It functions differently. The old rug had a pebbly texture that kept my chair from rolling smoothly, so it was difficult to position myself for optimum comfort while writing. The new rug lets my chair roll easily, so I can move around and get into place. Since it’s bigger, it means I don’t have to worry about rolling off the rug. It’s also more pleasant to walk to my desk. I didn’t realize how much the texture of the old rug bothered me until I got the new one.I wouldn’t say that my productivity has escalated since I got it, but it’s only been a couple of days, and on one of those days I had an appointment so I was out all afternoon. The true test will come next week. It’s funny what a big difference little things make.

My next project may be fixing up my front porch and finishing moving the front walk. I haven’t really used my front porch because I haven’t lived in a place that really had a front porch so I don’t think about it. The porch was mostly something that gave some shelter while I unlocked the door. But since I have an old house, I have a proper front porch, and I live in a very front porch neighborhood in a front porch town. I’ve pretty much gone on autopilot, thinking in terms of the back porch, so I’ve been using my deck for sitting outside. But the deck isn’t covered, so it’s not good in rain or when the sun’s at the wrong angle. It’s also up the stairs and through the house, which has affected my breakfast and lunch habits.

In my old house and in the apartment I had here before I got the house, I ate breakfast and lunch most days on my back porch/patio when the weather was decent. I haven’t been doing that much in this house because getting to the deck from the kitchen involves going up the stairs and through the house. In the old house and apartment, the back door was pretty much right at the kitchen.

But last night when I was walking to the park for a concert, I passed a Victorian house where a couple was eating dinner on their front porch, and I remembered that my next-door neighbors putting a dining table on their front porch was the reason I needed to get better blinds in the window that directly faces their porch. I came home and had the “duh” moment of realizing that I have a front porch that opens almost directly from the kitchen.

I currently have a couple of chairs and a small table there. The table’s just enough to set down a drink. But if I put a bistro table there, I could eat meals there. I need to finish moving the front walk because the new path takes it to the front door and the current path means you’d have to walk past the table. The front porch isn’t as private as the deck, but then the porch at the apartment wasn’t entirely private, as the yard was open to everyone in the building. Then again, I’ve frequently had conversations with neighbors over the fence from my deck, so it’s not as though I’d want to go out there without being properly dressed. There’s not a lot of traffic on my street, so most of the time it would be pretty private. And since it’s covered, I could be outside in the rain unless it’s really windy, and I could eat lunch there. The deck is a bit too sunny at lunchtime.

So I just need to find a table. Fortunately, we’re at the time of year when patio furniture is being put on clearance, so I might be able to find a deal. Then I need to finish the front walk, and I’ll be turning the area in front of where the table will go into a flowerbed, which will eventually offer more privacy. I need to divide a lot of my dayliles and hostas after this growing season, so the excess will go in that flowerbed. I may also put up a trellis and get something climbing. I suspect this is another one of those small changes that will make a big difference in day-to-day life.

Even before I get that table, I need to remember how much I enjoy sitting under a covered area when it’s raining. There’s something about having a cup of tea with rain falling just feet away. I can do that on my porch at any time and yet I haven’t.