It’s been six months! Can you believe it?
So many people warned me about the trauma of moving. They all seemed to be aware that, next to a death, moving is considered #2 on the trauma scale.
I wouldn’t have considered a move unless the pros and cons list of doing so indicated it would benefit us in the long run, believe me. I blithely thought things would be sorted pretty quickly once we were in our new home.
Nevertheless, we are both considered beyond our prime at this time. I wrote to my Dr. Lovely. Remember her? It may be worth a click here.
Reason being...
She left her practice after deciding she could no longer “doctor” by being forced to adhere to minimum patient times and realizing that massive amounts of paperwork were not an advantage to patient care. She decided archaeology was a much more interesting possibility at that time, so she jumped into that.
Anyway, when I contacted her, she didn’t give me the doom and gloom stats about picking up and leaving. She just told me she was so happy we could leave under our own terms and conditions, and advised us to find enjoyment in the new place as soon as possible. “Adventures are good”, she said.
Perks and challenges
Our new home is beautiful, in an old-fashioned way. It’s a condo, built 40 years ago. It’s very roomy, just the same square footage as our previous detached home.
No ocean view here, but some splendid mountains, enormous trees on 10 acres of land. Wild life, mostly squirrels collecting nuts and burying them at this time. Ducks, herons are plentiful. Gorgeous gardens, and I even managed to bring a couple of tubs containing some saffron corms. They are flowering on the balcony this month.
There’s one major thing missing. The wonderful friends who are still such a part of my life. This past Monday I had phone calls from six of them. We had such joyful and close friendships.
Give and take
Since moving I’ve come to wistfully realize the importance of those friends, but also the relief of knowing that caring, younger family members are nearby, with no intervening ferry considerations when you would like to plan a visit.
Needs change as you move along with the years you’ve survived this life.
We are fortunate. Online friends have not experienced our disruption, and have for the most part kept solidly in touch. Our former neighbours still manage to make phone calls on a regular basis. If only they knew how reassuring that is!
Trauma
Six months on, I realize now it’s the emotional trauma of moving that really plays havoc with your mind. This is when the loss of what you had combined with what needs to be altered in the new place for your comfort. And yes, of course I give myself a swift metaphorical slap on the head, knowing our comfort here is amazing, when compared to the present wars in the world. But there is a hollowness in my heart.
It’s the kitchen for me. Forty years ago some demented, but possibly well-meaning guy built this one. I think of it as a kitchen box, and I’m inside it. Seriously, how did he think I would ever manage to do anything with these particular upper cabinets behind the fridge?
Image via VickiW
The Sunshine ceiling hangs over my head in the kitchen. I’m sure at the time it was carefully framed in. There are fluorescent bulbs in it, and thin panels that you can only hope will remain where they are positioned, quite low over your head as you move about.
Image via VickiW
A peninsula juts out from the wall, Upper cabinets above it succeed in providing storage spaces, even if they do rather block the view out to the eating nook and the lovely outside beyond.
It has taken so long to find the people who we hope will magically transform this old space for us. We know it’s going to be a long haul, but it will be good to just know there is some action and interest ahead with this project.
There’s a wall that must be knocked out to provide extra entrance and exit to the kitchen. I love open plan. In particular, I’m imagining what a difference it will make in this kitchen.
The most urgent build at the moment though is a large bookcase to house all the books that are such an important part of who we are. Fortunately, we’re expecting to have that completed next month. It is a huge trial to have two lockers full of things still stuck away in boxes. The books and the kitchen tools, our friends of a different type, are greatly missed. This wall is where the custom bookcase will go.
Image via VickiW
Seasonal adjustments
The days are short and darker now. The rain is gradually helping to recover from the drought, but there seems to be a long way to go. How quickly those years pass!
It seems just so recent that we would have been able to manage these projects ourselves, but now it’s a relief to know others are in charge.
Writing is essential for my well-being. You, the readers, make it even more interesting. Thank you for reading, and never, ever give up. Hope you’ll enjoy the new adventure of kitchen redesign, estimated to start in December.
Squirrels and crows mingle on the lawns, the squirrels digging in nuts, and the crows digging them out again. I want some of those walnuts too, and will have to visit the dollar store to buy a nutcracker. These nuts were collected over the last few days, on the other side of the little creek. On closer examination, they don’t actually need a nutcracker. You can just give them a hammer tap, then peel them with your fingers. I think they are Carpathian walnuts because they are quite thin-skinned.
I’m hoping to use them in our first Christmas cake here!
Image via VickiW
Image via VickiW
Thank you!
Your visits are always appreciated and I hope you've found the content interesting and helpful.
Vicki
