Temporary Living

I previously wrote about the process of shipping our belongings by sea freight. Because of the lead time that process requires, we planned/prepared to live without our things for around 2 months. In the meantime, we've been provided with a basic package of temporary furnishings and supplies. It has definitely been challenging at times.

I've mentioned this before, but the loud ECHO in our empty villa can be overwhelming at times. It's like constantly trying to have a conversation with Charlie Brown's teacher -- "wah wah waaaaa wah waaaaa." My usual method of communication with the kids -- yelling back and forth between the upstairs and downstairs -- doesn't work for now. (Ha!) My hope is that our rugs and furnishings will make a big difference once they arrive.

Trying to prepare meals has been quite interesting as well. During our first week here, we were invited to Jeff's coworker's home for dinner. Jeff wanted to make a cake for dessert, and we were stumped over what to use to measure the ingredients as well as to mix the batter. We ended up using a protein shaker cup for the measurements and a 6-quart pan for the mixing, because that was all we had on hand! I had to use the same "tools" when I wanted to mix up some Ranch dressing recently, which was quite amusing.

In our first few weeks living in this temporary situation, we've found ourselves having:

• Clothes without hangers
• Dinner leftovers but no fridge containers to store them in
• Open bags of chips but no chip-clips
• Trash without trash cans
• Lots of small toiletries but no organizers
• Stacks (and stacks) of laundry but only a single borrowed laundry basket for collecting and sorting

None of these is a big deal, of course. Just little things you don't think about when you don't have all the stuff you're used to!

In the end, we all know that only family can turn a house (villa) into a home. But in my recent experience, I'd say that furnishings and belongings definitely deserve some of the credit!