Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Material Progress

Before we started the co-housing, there were times when I felt like my physical environment had just been stirred with a stick, that I had that little control over where things went and what things I owned. I tried. I'm not messy, but I'm lously at creating organizational systems and seem not to think much about whether something I've had for a long time is still useful or loved. It was hard for me to give things away that had been in the family a long time, even mundane things that could be used better by someone else. Ruth has helped me change many of my opinions about objects, and I want to keep much less now. Also she is great at setting up systems and helping me understand them and I seem to be fine at using them once I understand, so for the first time in decades (mybe ever) I could tell you from my chair in the bedroom exactly where to look in the kitchen for the cornmeal, the potato masher, the muffin tins. It's pretty cool.

Though the work of pruning belongings will continue at least into the spring, has progressed markedly. I think there is nothing in the kitchen or living room that we have not consciously chosen to keep, and I've made great progress in that direction with clothes, shoes and such. Family pictures and old letters are another story altogether. Maybe next year. Seriously, it does seem more possible than it has in decades to have a real handle on what I keep.

Liam has his own room now, lovingly painted by his Mom in Pacific northwest colors to match the mural of La Push that adorns one wall. He slept a good portion of last night alone in the bed in his room, a surprise to all of us. Bob and I are resettled in the middle bedroom with the pull down wall bed, and like having more space when the bed is up. Bob finally has drawers and a half closet of his own for the first time since we started the cohousing. We have a beautiful green wall that will feature our Navajo tree of life rug and shelves for treasures.I think the bedroom situation is resolving now into one that really works for all of us. Still boxes to go through - still a box in the middle of my bedroom floor in fact - but better, much better.

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