Thank goodness for extra long weekends. Since I don’t have a cottage to travel to during a pandemic, I invested my time continuing to organize our new home.
Yesterday I unpacked three suitcases from the move; two contained the remainder of my seasonal wardrobe. It feels like I am clothes shopping in my closet after cycling through four basic outfits for the past month. Bonus!
I spent the sticky, humid half of the long weekend sorting through boxes of books, finding appropriate spots for them in the limited supply of bookcases. You can read about it in this blog post written by the Tabby Cat.
The excess boxes with questionable historical value have been tucked away for later inventory. They may have to come with me during the next move to an even smaller rental. Either that or my adult children will have to deal with them after I die.
This may sound morbid but I think it’s important for adults to consider the eventuality of one’s death and make preparations to alleviate the burden on others.
It becomes more of a consideration during a pandemic.
I am sure there are statistics somewhere but I wonder what percentage of Canadian residences have such a thing as a landline or “Home Phone” anymore.
One of my goals for 2021 is to move to a cleaner, safer rental setting. Forget affordable; we will have to cut back on guilty pleasures and luxuries. I just want to have our own laundry facilities instead of dealing with inconsiderate, clueless tenants, lazy custodians and petty crime vandals – especially during a pandemic!
A sense of roots
I am debating whether to transfer our home number to a prospective new rental. I am also comparing costs of getting a bundle with major carriers for phone, Internet and TV.
To me, having a home phone number is like having a sense of roots, something that is permanent although transferable, a number where family and friends know they can reach members of your family if you are not roaming out and about. It’s not like we have the freedom to do that these days during a pandemic lock-down anyway!
One of the Millennial youth scoffed at my reference to “home phone” in conversation one day, when I used the term for communication options during logistical arrangements. “What even is a “home phone” anymore?”, he asked. Says he who had to move around the country for school and special training but still carries the same cell phone number.
This current rental is what was the last “family home” they lived in before jumping off to their various independent lives, sharing accommodations with friends or finding a quiet place to themselves. Some returned for short stays in-between engagements and the next phase in their lives.
I have to learn to let go and trust the Universe to protect and guide them. My job is done with providing a sense of family, home and convoluted roots.
Tree of Life watercolour 2020 T. Jamone
It could be something deeper for me in that I have a hard time of letting go of them, of missing our small family gatherings for holidays, special meals and celebrations. The COVID-19 pandemic and regional lock-downs since March 2020 seem to have relieved me of that expectation but blessed me with the company of my youngest Millennial for the duration.
It’s time to move on after ten years, to downsize and remove emotional attachments. I have given up on waiting for the fifteen year-old cat to die; she’s going to have to survive the move. Perhaps a new home layout will provide her with more enrichment between her naps, meals and tongue baths.
Geneva Tabby Cat mellowing out on a Friday night
Thanks for dropping by – and keeping a safe distance.
I am a homebody and an especially unadventurous one during this pandemic.
With winter here and the holidays almost done, I would hibernate between January 2nd and March 20th if I could.
How about you?
I love my humble home aka le petit apartment. I don’t love having to share a communal laundry room that is constantly unkempt and vandalized by n’er-do-wells. I have written another firm email to our landlord contacts about this months-long frustration.
I am drafting my 2021 goals and updating my five year plan. One item that is becoming more of a priority is to move to a cleaner, secure rental. Ten years since the last move, I will once again use a methodical project management approach. I don’t know how possible travel will be in the next couple of years so I think we can afford the move.
Finding an affordable, secure rental is nearly impossible these days. You’re looking at nearly $2,000 per month for a decent place to accommodate two or three people AND include laundry facilities en suite. I do not want to purchase a condo or house because they come with responsibilities, maintenance and added expenses.
During the extended holiday weekend, I sifted through a few shelves, boxes and file folders in my bedroom. It was a tedious, dusty task done in a relaxed manner, with me retaining the items that held some importance, then shredding, recycling or tossing those that did not.
In the New Year, I will take down the wee Christmas tree, lights and decorations, to place them into their tidy storage bins.
But what about those Christmas cards? Do you keep them for years and years? I will likely bundle them with their envelopes and label with “Christmas 2020” then stuff them into a shoe box with others. Part of me seems to think they will have archival significance in 50 years. I will likely acquiesce to let go of them during the final sweep before the big move.
Just a couple of the bookcases stuffed with books and other things
Enjoy this essay and audio clip from CBC radio’s Tapestry : How we’ve nested in our homes through the pandemic — and why it might be good for us
I don’t have a label maker but I make use of old sticky labels and colourful postits to identify contents of boxes 🙂 I refuse to buy more shelving units to hold excess belongings. According to one of the experts, I should do something about those topless baskets 😀
Thanks for dropping by. What are you up to during the holidays while preparing for a hopeful, healthy 2021?
