Two Suitcases and Nothing Else

This past Saturday 4 of my co-workers graciously offered to help me move some furniture into my cabin-in-the-wooods.  When I got up that morning the weather was nasty - rain and with high winds.  I called one of my would-be movers to see if he wanted to actually move furniture in that kind of weather, or if he wanted to hold off until the following weekend.  He told me that we may as well continue with the plan because the weather may be the same next weekend, or even worse.

I already knew that of course, but these folks were doing me a huge favor, and I felt obligated to at least give them the option of bailing out if they wanted to.

After picking up the UHaul (I really miss my Chevy truck, because I have given far too much money to UHaul since I moved to Juneau two months ago), I met the guys for coffee and donuts before we loaded up the truck and hauled my stuff out here to the cabin. 

Above is the couch that I bought used from two colleagues, and a small chest of drawers that currently contains various tools, extension cords, headlamps and remotes.  My back especially is grateful to have a couch to sit on, because the cushion I sat on on the floor for a week was starting to wear on me.

Below are pictures on a windowsill of me and my boys, and useless objects that I love on a shelf, that my Mountain Boy sent to me last week.  Except for the bear rock that I bought at a yard sale a couple of weeks ago that is.

An armoire, TV and DVD/VCR player.  And a monitor heater.  And what only hints at the ridiculous number of chords, wires and power boxes I currently have along the entire length of one wall.

With the exception of the toaster, I bought all of the kitchen items that I currently own in Alaska at the same yard sale from a couple of weeks ago. 

Thankfully the bed and the night stands came with the house.  The quilt top and blankets were bought at the Salvation Army store downtown.

Although dressers also came with the house, this is the entire length of my side of the clothes closet.  Looking at that picture, and thinking about the huge amount of storage space I had/have in my house in TN (and the huge amount of STUFF I have/had in TN) makes me both laugh and shake my head.  Such a change in lifestyle.......such a huge change in lifestyle.

I went to Fred Myers, Costco, Wal-mart and an outdoor store at Nugget Mall looking for a pair of slippers because I am keeping the house pretty cold right now.  The floors were cold, so therefore my feet were cold.  Surprisingly all of these stores have cleared out their supply of slippers.  Figures.  I have been in town for two months and this week has been the coldest, wettest, windiest, snowiest week since I landed on the ground in Juneau.  Again..........figures.  I finally bought these (actually lighweight boots that young girls tend to wear) at a discount shoe store at the mall.  Not exactly what I had in mind, but I like them and they will do the job.

I arrived in Juneau with two suitcases of clothing and nothing else.  Two months later I have a house, a car, some furniture and some household belongings.  I am trying to be conservative with money because one day........some day.........if we can ever come to some resolution with our house down south......my family (my Eastern Tennessee Mountain Boy and my Jamie-dog) will move up here to Juneau Alaska, so maybe we can be a real family again.   

My training as the oldest of seven children, in a family with very little money, serves me well on occasions such as these - when I need things, and feel the obligation to search out second hand stores and yard sale bargains.

Although we are giving away and selling many of our household belongings, LC and I have decided to leave still more of our belongings back in the Lower 48.  I have been collecting things like stoneware crocks and pewter for many years.  Do I need to haul 40 crocks all the way up to Alaska??  No.  At least not right now.  And so goes many other items that we want to keep but don't feel a need to bring up here at this stage.

But my quilts - all of them - are coming up here...........