I have worked sporadically throughout the house today, taking time to occasionally almost cough up my lungs.I confessed over the phone to Gert that I had 'cleaned' 2 big rubbish bags of unnecessary stuff from our wash-house (laundry). I could hear he had that raised-eyebrow-smile thing going on but mostly he trusts me.
After a childhood of 20 years in one house, I've spent the rest of my life moving towns, cities and countries every few years, houses ... well sometimes I moved houses multiple times over a very short period while staying in the same town. All of which means that I am something of an expert when it comes to the downsizing of 'stuff'.
When moving to Istanbul, I was allowed 20kgs of free luggage, excess was a luxury and the same thing happened with my move from Istanbul to Belgium. I almost fainted over the 200euro bill for my excess book luggage and that was a discount because I looked so incredibly sad at 5.30 that morning in Istanbul airport.
So my point, and there was one, I know how to downsize ... he can trust me.
Resting, somewhat smugly, from my labours, I poured a glass of red wine then remembered.
Some things make me cough more than other things ... red wine is one of the worst offenders. I'm not sure what to do about it except wait for this moment to pass.
(The photograph: homesick, I've posted a photograph from my favourite post-divorce house. There were 4 - this was the one on the edge of Otago Harbour, the one that I wish I had bought, pre-Lord of the Rings housing boom.)
That house is so blue and pinkish. So girly-girlish. Gert beware!
ReplyDeleteBe happy you didn't buy it, otherwise you wouldn't have ended up here :)
Oh man ... you can't imagine how it was Manic. I had a sea kayak and I would just carry it across the road and drop it in the water when I wanted to go for a paddle.
ReplyDeleteOne morning I watched a sea lion eat a fish about 10 metres away from me, while I sat on the lawn in front of my funny little cottage.
The air was so clean that I didn't imagine how it might be to live in polluted air.
And the sunset was stunning and I could watch it from my bed.
He would have loved it, Manic.
Oh, it's SO gorgeous!!! LOVE it! WOW! I would be sad too!! :(
ReplyDeleteYeah Claudia, let's see if I can make his kitchen here lime-green one day when he's not paying attention ... hehehehe.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to work in that kitchen!
ReplyDelete(I've been thinking about getting rid of STUFF this year too!)
It was perfect for making pumpkin soup in, Kim, and huge pots of tea in a beautiful teapot.
ReplyDeleteI don't particularly like spiders but I had a pet one who owned the window there.
Good luck with getting rid of the stuff. If you do it well, it feels marvellous.
Oh Di, I wouldn't complain about having to wash dishes in that space (well, not much) : )
ReplyDeleteAnd they were just my dishes mostly ... I can imagine Shirley there, eh wot ;)
ReplyDeletei don't remember it being this tidy. but i agree that it was a beautiful place to live (and have holidays, unless the windows keep falling out)
ReplyDeleteDiede, so bad you are ... as I recall, we traveled and it was this tidy except when you made me drink whisky.
ReplyDeleteAs for the window falling out ... well, it's a good travel story eh wot ;)