Moving Upstairs

Have you ever moved back into a home you previously vacated? Did you find it uncomfortable or weird? I am in the process of reconciling the person who used to live here with the person I now am. You can see that the first thing I carried upstairs was my vase of tulips. 

Although only two years have passed and I'm thrilled to be back in this town, I'm discovering that I can't just shrug back into wearing this house with the same ease as when I left it. I'm sure it will just take time. I do know that I will be doing some more painting (not my favourite pastime, but so worth the effort.) I really like the palette I chose for our home up island - grey and blue tones throughout.  

I stand in the kitchen, an object in my hand, and I think, "now where do I put this?" After two days here, I'm starting to move towards a cupboard automatically, finding what I need without a lot of thought. I'll be comfortable here pretty soon.


What with moving upstairs (we were in the basement suite for a month until our upstairs tenants moved out), this week has flown by. Or maybe stepped by. I wear a pedometer and on Tuesday, counted over 15,000 steps, the vast majority of which were up and down the stairs, carrying items. The next morning my eyes went wide when put my feet onto the floor and stood up. My calves screamed! I feel like I've climbed a very tall mountain. They are better today, but I'm still doing stairs gingerly. It's so ridiculous that it's laughable.


So, continuing on with the meme from materfamilias... Part One is in the preceding post.


Here are the questions she asked:

1. What was your favourite film last year and why?


I'm stymied. I have watched films. Both at home and at the movie theatre. But I can barely remember any of them. What does that tell you about how meaningful they were to me? The only one that stands out is Schindler's List. I know it's old, but I had never seen it. I read so much about the Holocaust, the Nuremburg Trials, stories of escape and survival when I was younger that I just didn't think I could face the movie. However, my husband wanted to watch it, so I thought I'd give it a try. I'm glad I did. One person can make a difference.


2. If money were no object, where would you spend your next vacation? and why?


This one is easy. France. I want to practice the language I've studied for so long. I'd rent a house somewhere in the countryside, preferably somewhere central like the Loire Valley, and settle there for a month or two, taking trips to other sites, like Paris, Normandy, Arles, Auvers-sur-Oise, Alsace-Lorraine and more. Maybe two months wouldn't be enough.


3. Describe the earliest meal you can remember enjoying.


When I was growing up my mother baked buns every Saturday. They were the lightest, most delectable things, faintly speckled on top. Saturday supper always included fresh buns and soup - usually borscht (but a version without beets) that started with a meaty bone and simmered long hours on the stove. My mother still makes buns and borscht and I still love them.


4. If you were dividing domestic chores with a new roommate, which ones would you try to claim?


Cooking and decorating. I'll do the dishes if he/she cleans the bathrooms.


5. Do you play a musical instrument? If so, which one?


When I arrived home from school as a child, my first task was to change from my school clothes to my play clothes. One day, during Grade Two, my mother told me not to change. I immediately thought, "oh no, I have to go to the dentist." But no, it was my first day of piano lessons. I studied for many years, achieving the Royal Conservatory of Toronto's Grade 8. I studied further, but took no more exams, because I didn't enjoy the theory. I've played for church, for weddings, for graduations, but always with fear and trembling. I'm not a natural performer. But I love to play for myself. It's a great way to release emotional tension of all sorts.


6. When you're bothered by prolonged muscle or joint soreness that's interfering with your workout plans, do you visit a General Physician, a Chiropractor, a Physiotherapist, or a Massage Therapist?


Physiotherapist. Yes. They do wonders, but I've found that different therapists treat differently. It's important to find one that treats effectively.


7. What activities do you hope will sustain you throughout your 80s and 90s?


The same things I enjoy doing now. Physically: walking, Pilates, gardening, resistance exercises. Mentally: reading, cooking, handwork, writing. Emotionally: spending time with those I love, prayer, volunteering somewhere, laughing every day.


8. What was the first important car in your life?


My parents owned a white and turquoise 1956 Pontiac for many years. I remember rattling around in the back seat with my sister and later, with my brother. I remember my first glimpse of my baby brother - my father drove to the hospital to pick them up and took my sister and me along. We were all dressed up. We girls waited in the car (this was 50 years ago). My mother looked so beautiful holding my brother wrapped in a lacy white blanket. My father was very proud as he drove us all home in that car.


9. What was the most significant course you ever took?


Hmmm. I feel like I've been taking courses all my life. But two early courses stand out. Grade 8 French. I could hardly wait to begin. Miss Lamoureux inspired my continuing love for this language. Grade 12 History. Our teacher (whom I can envision and not name) had a way of tying the present to the past in a way that made the subject come alive.


10. If you had the resources, which elementary or high school classmate would you try to track down, and why?


Jimmy Bepple. Cute, with dark curly hair. I had a crush on him starting in Grade Three. It continued until Grade Six. He gave me a Valentine that I kept for years. 


11. Which chef would you like to have come to your house to prepare a meal for your guests -- or, alternatively, give you a cooking lesson in that chef's professional kitchen?


Laura Calder. I really like her unpretentious style. And she cooks French food. 


Congratulations if you've read this far. Here's the rest of the meme. 

The rules are:
1. Post these rules
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself
3. Answer the questions set for you in their post
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer
5. Go to their blog and tell them you’ve tagged them
6. No stuff in the tagging section about you are tagged if you are reading this. You legitimately have to tag people! 


I'm going to be rebellious and not tag anyone, nor come up with questions for you to answer. Instead, I'm going upstairs (gingerly) to make some sense out of the boxes and boxes of fabric and sewing supplies.


Thank you, materfamilias for tagging me. I've enjoyed thinking about my answers. My daughter in Italy told me this morning that she enjoyed reading my random thoughts and wanted to know more. So, Bella, here's more!