We’ve been in our new home for a few days now. We’re still totally surrounded by boxes, and are exhausted every evening; but we’re making progress
Low points:
– I’ve rarely been as spent as I was, or as sore, as I was after the two days of the actual move. Clearly, I am older than when I last did this.
– max laid spread-eagle on the floor of his empty room for 45 minutes before we finally left (he said he was talking to the house, telling it how much it had meant to him). When I went to get him to leave, he cried, and did not want to go.
– we spent a few hours in ikea, buying dressers for the kids, barstools for the kitchen counter, and a few other bits (I have a love/hate relationship with ikea and its maze of brilliant marketing). That evening, max and I spent almost three hours assembling his dresser, only to find we’d made a small mistake early on. The next morning, I had to partially disassemble it to correct the problem. Subsequently, I assembled two dressers for liesl, and two barstools. My fingers and back are cramping, and my love/hate for ikea has fully shifted to “loathe” for the time being.
Highlights:
– after driving around the little village area near our new home, max said, “I think I’m going to really like this place.”
– we found an amazing gelato place within walking distance of our home.
– my friend john stopped by with pizzas on our first evening. Then he and I inaugurated the patio of the granny flat with cuban cigars.
– we have an ongoing discussion about naming the granny flat/guest house. After several possibilties that didn’t stick, we’re vascillating between “guff” (a phonetic pronunciation of GF, for granny flat, as well as the marshmallowy goodness they put on ice cream cones in denmark; or “frank’s place”: we have a statue of st. francis I hauled back from guatemala a year ago in the backyard, facing the flat. Frances = frank. I’m lobbying for this one.
Congrats on your move. We moved back in January and I went on that same Ikea trip. Enjoy.
Am guessing Ikea is the same the world over. Once you’re through that door, you have to meander through 37 fully dressed rooms before you even get sight of an exit sign. And of course, you’re never guaranteed you’ll have all the bits when you come to unpack that wardrobe…
I love Douglas Coupland’s reference to it in ‘Generation X’: “semi-disposable Swedish furniture”. Gosh, that might have been more than a little pretentious. Apologies for cluttering up your blog with my Britishness.
I feel you on the sentiments towards Ikea as I have a love/hate relationship of my own.
It’s really cool that you guys “mourned” the house and gave the kids space for it. Hope it helps in the letting go of it and embracing the new place as “home.”
Marko- I think Ikea is a good Metaphor for the 20-something generation. Decent cost, fun experience, nice style, fits anywhere. But temporary, easily movable, not substantial and lacks a solid support base.
Hmm might need to write about this. “The Gospel according to Ikea” Maybe Len can write an intro :)
I like Frank’s.
Hey now! not all 20 somethings fit that description! Just thought I’d speak out on their behalf (and mine too!) :)
Older daughter lived in La Mesa last year and really liked it. It’s near town but pretty quiet. The bamboo garden sounds lovely.
We moved house when our kids were just a bit younger than yours, and all was well- fond memories of both places. Hope you make some wonderful new memories in the new house.
See you in February.
Dana
Count your blessings. Our closest Ikea is 3.5 hours away. Not close enough to develop anything but an “I wish we had an Ikea here” kind of relationship. :)
Glad the move (and all the related stresses) is done.
Max talking to the house made me cry, I think because I understand what he was doing. When we move from our house (not soon, I hope), I’ll cry too.
May God bless you and your family in the new house as much as He did in the old one.
Def Frank’s Place. sounds good.