As promised, here is a look into the long lost-at-sea cargo that has taken nearly 3 months to get here and that has been seriously in danger of being discarded as…meh…who needs it?
The first box I opened had, right on top, a bicycle helmet and baseball gloves and a baseball. OH NO! COULD WE HAVE BEEN THIS STUPID?? That baseball glove hasn’t been used since I was in …grade 10? Honour wisely reminded me that we made a lot of decisions in a very little time, so relax.
I’m happy to report that was the low point and it was pretty much all great after that.
Some years ago I read an article about an army Mom who had to move her children every 2 years. For some reason, maybe because moving every two years is a bit of a fantasy of mine, I remembered her strategies. One of them was to have the family photos to be the last to be packed and the first to be unpacked. In other words, do what you need to do to make the house feel like your home. Have some meaningful artifacts that follow you around that define your family. I’m glad I remembered that.
There are many things in the pictures below that have come to me through some pretty talented women. I have put links below of where you too can source these things.
So here are the things that came with us:
First – how they came. Here it is arriving, being unloaded and …my life in boxes. That’s it, that little pile.
-
- JOURNALS – Journalers…have you ever wondered what will happen to your journals after you die? but don’t want to throw them away, because you’re sure you’ll go back through them some day. They represent hours of time and …well, how do you even measure intimacy? So…who was I to trust to store these with? haha…no, they’ll come with me.
-
- The to-be-read pile
-
- The Artist’s Way and a blank journal. This is my best intention for re-creating here. By the way, that blank journal is handmade by Hannelore and is so great it’s almost hard to write in. She can be found online and at craft shows in the Niagara area.
-
- Dave’s to-be-read books. Slightly more ambitious than mine!
-
- One of my favourite cookbooks and authors! I thought this quite possibly could have been confiscated…in a country with such strict liquor laws and with the book title calling it what it is…but it made it Carla!
-
- My favourite dishes. This made me so happy!
-
- The only piece of Jennica’s art work that I risked. One of my faves though.
-
- Music options for every room
-
- A year’s worth of vitamins, tree-hugger soap and a year’s worth of mascara (thank you Angie K)
-
- Goofy faces (a Christmas gift from the girls one year)
-
- Family photos
-
- Home decor stuff (I love my family of 5 group hug)
-
- Various bird things – I have a thing for most things that fly
-
- Honour’s Eiffel Towers (2)
-
- She will see it for real some day – oh yes she will!
-
- Normally I have a stock pile of cherries in the freezer…these dried ones will do this year.
-
- jewellery – mostly sourced from April (Bead Queen) and Michelle (5th Ave)
-
- MORE CLOTHES! YAY!! This is all you get to see (Can’t have your bored to death now). This shirt only gets worn in the privacy of my home – but I love it. It makes me very happy and it makes me feel wildly creative.
-
- The sound of guitar strumming …ah yes, this is my happy home!
-
- Placing my things. Home is starting to come together!
All and all I think we did pretty well. There are definitely things we are kicking ourselves about. Dave – about the sound equipment that took years to accumulate and that he sold for a song. Me – kitchen tools that aren’t cheap and that I actually use. I almost bought a pie plate tonight, but couldn’t bring myself to do it. Do you know how many I have?? And all the pamper chef items, kitchen aid etc…oh what was I thinking leaving them to my girls! They’d better make good use of them!
Anyhow – I do love the things I brought. Whew!
____________________________________________
Sources you should definitely check out. I mean – if I was so happy with their products that I had them shipped 1/2 way around the world, well, you should look in your back yard don’t you think?
Jewellery by April. One of a kind! Really. (I have a testimonial on the page called “feel the love”).
Hannelore’s Story Works (Facebook page). Beautiful hand made journals “because everyone has a story”. You’ll find her website and blog here.
The cookbook I love so much – Cooking With Sin – written by my childhood friend/cousin/buddy Carla Johnson. Recipes, containing alcohol, that come with heart warming stories. It’s not like anything you already have. You can order one here.
Several of my home decor things came from White on White which is not there anymore – but you can follow Cheri’s (owner) blog and stay up on the things she’s finding beautiful right now. It’s mostly a picture blog and such a breath of fresh air. Maybe she’ll open another store some day – or something online!
5th Avenue Jewellery – if you’re looking to supplement your income and you love jewellery you should talk to Michelle. She’s completely turned her financial life around with 5th Ave.
Sounded like a lot of commercials there but you know what – I love my hardworking, creative girlfriends and seeing all their contributions to my life and the beauty that surrounds me does my heart good.
What a timely ‘Thanksgiving’ moment. And, I’m thinking that while the baseball mitt, et al, seems like a mistake – there are no mistakes, right? So, maybe there’s a story you need to write. A memory evoked from some event that involved them?
I’m just saying, Ms. Storyteller!!
You are too funny. Did you notice that there were some things there that you gave me? Some of those little birds? And the book Linchpin came with me as well. Still intend on reading that!
I think the story with the gloves and helmet is that they are things we didn’t have time for – and Dave (bless him) really wants to have time for such things. So cute.
Yes, you do love your stuff. You cherished each piece you pulled out. Gotta say you have grrrrreat dishes! Glad you love your CWS book. You were my right-hand woman when I started the blog a while back.
So, you love things that fly and you envy people who move every 2 years. Good thing the world is still a big place. 🙂
Carla – yes, great dishes. Some of those were made by Tara Lane (who has a recipe in your book).
Things that fly…animals and planes. I love to fly. I have dreams about flying. Couple that with moving every 2 years and I think we can be thankful I never joined the army!
So great to read your updates Tracie! I travel vicariously through you. So sad you left your Pampered Chef tools behind – but I know there is one or two things coming your way at Christmas – right? I’m sure I could find a way to ship stuff out to you, probably at a price too dear for anyone!
Keep writing. Moving every two years would be my nightmare but I do love reading about you and your family’s adventures!
Blessings!
Hi Ruth, I do have one pampered chef piece coming! The shipping is out of this world though. Fiona – bless her socks – sent me maple syrup and it cost her $38!! She’s crazy – I’m pretty sure I’d have walked away and taken the maple syrup home! I miss that silly little whisk – funny what you miss. I do have my salad dressing measuring cup thing. Maybe next summer I’ll bring more back with me. Thanks for reading!
This brought back so many memories for me. I have an old trunk (not big) 36″l x18″w x13″d that I’ve moved with all of my possessions twice. I’ve been in this house for 38 years…..but before that we had lived in 3 provinces and 7 cities in 7 years before moving here. I am still a wonderful packer.
The comment about being a journaler left me smiling in a knowing way as I too have thought many times about what has been said in them and what happens after I’ve gone.
Oh and the Artist’s Way! Most of my journals are Morning pages……or as my friend and I call them “Mourning Pages”. There are years of them.
So wonderful to have your “Stuff” to make your house your home. I too have moved 7 times before moving to Niagara and we became good packers and could have our new location up and running in a day. I have always said that the location isn’t so important it is being with those you love and making your nest to your liking. I love your blog Tracie and can see a book in the making. If Honour would like to go to France someday, let me know as my daughter Andrea lives in the south of France and would be happy to have a guest.
Thanks Yvonne – I’ll tell Honour about Andrea. She just may take her up on that!
Hmm, methinks two of those books Dave was supposed to have read a while ago already, or were our PD books so engrossing he’s forcing Tracie to read them? 🙂
If you look closely Bob…they’re Spanish novels. You won’t catch me tackling them! Na uh. That’s for my driven husband.
Bob’s referring to the two education books in the other stack. Don’t know why I brought them, except maybe to prove to my present employers that I’ve done a little PD in the last few years.
Dearest Tracie,
Just finished reading your most recent blog, but wanted to comment on this one! First, the pic of your bird things reminded me of the little bird at 145 that’s been floating around. I’m not sure if it came from your place of not, but it’s been on and around the stage for a while now, and finally a few weeks ago, Beth put it on a little pillar that has nest-like stuff on it. It is only about 60 cm off the ground, so every time we come in the back door, Cai pets it. It always reminds me of you!
Second, I loved going through the links you provided to your sources/friends! Through Carla Johnson’s I realized that her website designer friend is a buddy my brother!….the K-W connection. They did highschool together and still hang out since they both married their highschool sweethearts! Neat. 🙂
Finally, I have to say that as much as we miss you, I LOVE keeping up with you three on your blog! What a wonderful way to share you adventures with us. Troy and I are about to embark on a little adventure ourselves ! We’re heading to Italy to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Can’t wait!
Enjoy your beautiful Qatari Autumn. Hi to Dave and Honour.
Much love!
tammy
So nice to hear from you Tammy!
I love that there is a little bird there that’s making you think of me. So sweet.
I love the connections as well. That’s amazing.
Italy…ohhh, now that sounds like a great way to spend your 10th anniversary. I look forward to hearing about it.
Thanks for checking Tammy. Much love to you and your guys. xo
Just about to embark on our own “moving to Qatar” adventure and I was intrigued by what you were kicking yourselves about not bringing. If you don’t mind sharing, what would be your top few “must bring” recommendations to a newbie?
Hi Cheekychacha, Welcome to my blog and welcome to the Qatar adventure! When we were packing to come we focused on things that make our home “home” to us. So, family pictures, art pieces, a few special dishes. We were told our house was furnished. We were told “everything will be there from tea towels to bedding and pots and pans.” It’s true, everything was here. There were 2 tea towels, one bath towel each, bedding that..well, wasn’t that nice a quality (I’m being polite). And yes, dishes, pots and pans etc were there but all very basic. I guess I wasn’t really thinking about the fact that over the years I’ve invested in, and enjoyed some really nice kitchen things. In hindsight I would have brought some of those things because I do like to cook. I gave away/threw out so many towels and so much bedding..it really hurt when I broke down and went and upgraded the villa’s.
On the upside, there is nothing crucial that is missing here. You can get pretty much everything. Now when I’m returning from Canada I stuff my suitcase with gluten free items. They’re also available but costly.
I hope that helps. Feel free to email any other questions you might have. tracieonthego@gmail.com
It’s exciting isn’t it? Where are you coming from?