Well, it has been about three weeks now since the move north, to the other side of the harbour. I'm enjoying it. For the first two weeks my commute was 10 minutes each way ! Quite a difference to 45-90 minutes each way. School holidays made a difference, but even so most days last week were less than 20 minutes each way.
The boxes are slowly being dealt with and it is looking more like home. This weekend I spent an afternoon picking my way through the boxes that had got wet and started disintegrating at the old place. Dry basement indeed ! The movers had done such a wonderful job packing initially that most things just needed to be placed into a new box. Some things needed to be re-wrapped before packing though. Some things mostly wooden bowls were pretty gross, so they have been washed in water so hot it was hard to keep my hands in it, or put through the dishwasher. I'll keep them inside for a bit to make sure they are all well dried out before going back into boxes.
I also discovered all the linen we hadn't seen since Christchurch and some of mine which had been packed around bits and pieces in Wellington. So that has all been washed and aired. Some of it will go back into boxes over the next few weeks. I'm still looking for duvet covers and blankets though - who knows where they got put in Wellington !
The weather is still not very autumn-ish so I cant see that I will be needing blankets anytime soon anyway. But if I do, there is the one I had to buy last winter in Christchurch and a couple of others which could be put to use. BUT I really would like to know where my nice woollen Onkaparinga blanket is.
Then, today was Mothers' Day. I had the yummiest breakfast home made for me. Waffles with fresh SUMMER berries, edible flowers and maple syrup. Who would have thought summer berries would still be in the shops in May !! Very spoilt, despite having given strict instructions not to buy me anything - rather save the money and buy me something while we are on holiday. Terribly disobedient ! But much appreciated at the same time.
In other news - we have a pretty good spot to check out sunsets at our new home too.
Why do I have so much stuff ?
I'll tell you - its because I have never lived in the same place for so long ever before in my life, and every little piece of paper I have ever touched has multiplied itself a thousand-fold.
Well, it is time to stop. Life was so much simpler when there was less. I have made a start.
Over Christmas I filled destruction bins with lots of paper, boxes and bags with books, clothes and other "stuff" I really have no need for, and donated them to local charities.
But still there is more.
Tonight I have emptied half of my garage into someone else's life. That felt so good. I don't care if they chuck it out - but at least they can decide.
I have so much craft paraphernalia I could start my own shop. If only I could actually find the time to start some of the projects that have inspired me to buy all these bits. I'm thinking it will all need to go. But where ? There must be a fair fortune of paper, embellishments, paint and fixings here. I don't really want to just give it away, but maybe I will.
I have a goal, and that is to live a less cluttered life.
Books I will keep and photos (for one day I might need photos if my mind cant store all the memories - who knows ?) But actual possessions ? furniture and furnishings ? clothes ? There isn't much in that vein that really pulls on my heart strings.
Family tree discoveries and research notes - I'm trying to eliminate the amount of paper by checking the discoveries have all been updated on my genealogy programme, or saved in a soft copy somewhere on my computer or within an account on the net. I've actually made a lot of progress with this part. Although if I am tempted to get distracted I often find myself adding to the pile instead of taking away. Oh well. Little steps on the journey.
I have Christmas decorations for Africa. I'm one of those people who love Christmas, and I like themes. So I have a collection of things - bright ethnic sorts of baubles, red and white, green, gold, black and silver - what to keep ?
In two weeks, I want to be living in a less cluttered home, one that is tidy and ordered and has no distractions for me that might let me fall back into old patterns.
Patterns ? Did someone say patterns ? I have some of those too; sewing, knitting, cross stitch.
Watch this space - its going to get bigger and clearer. I mean it. Once I finish this.
