When the movers brought down our belongings from the truck two months ago, I didn't have the slightest idea how to arrange things, except that the beds belong to the bedrooms and our leather couches in the living room. The greatest challenge though was where to put the furniture and fixtures in places that would be a good fit for the space.
The very firsts to be installed were the refrigerators(we have two), the gas range and window air conditioners, at least we could live with just that for awhile. Some lighting fixtures like the chandeliers had to wait for the electrician since my husband abhors exposed electric wires.
As the days progressed into weeks we were slowly getting used to the look of every room. I can now navigate in the dark from the kitchen to our bedroom without bumping into anything. Some paintings and picture frames are up but we are being discriminate about the rest; (we have a lot) since we do not want our home to turn into a "gallery".
In doing all these, we had to consult each other; which ones would go into which room, which wall and how to arrange them. As a team, we worked shoulder to shoulder; when there were differences of opinion, compromise was the magic word. Our guiding rule was "the wise bamboo", as the Japanese call it; we learned to bend so we didn't break. I believe that our maturity and flexibility got us through. I know that when couples are not careful, such issues would cause a rift.
We needed a desk and a file cabinet since the desks and drawers in the former house were all built-ins. It took us sometime to attend to that; for a while the home office looked like a dumping room. Finally I told my husband: "if we don't get a desk and a file cabinet soon, I can't fix that room"
It helped that the drapes we have are quite new and fitted the windows just fine, especially that they come in cream and beige. It took time for them to be put up though, since we waited for the handyman to drill in the rods.
Having placed the basic furniture inside the house, we had one dilemma, "where to put the piano"? Definitely it wouldn't fit anymore inside the house. Inspired by the "tiny house" that is becoming very popular nowadays, my husband had a storage/tool shed built behind the house. To our great relief however, our older daughter finally decided to get the piano after all; we were worried earlier that it may just warp in storage. We still needed the storage though, for the other things we want to keep, including the rest of the items deserving a second sorting pass.
So what's next?
We felt that the outdoors deserve some attention as well to make it a part of the living area. Unlike decades earlier, the yard is getting much attention nowadays; most homes develop the garden as part of the living area, it is being treated, furnished and decorated like the interiors.
Presently, the area surrounding our house is a work in progress. We are so looking forward to a weekly barbecue. Entertaining friends and family seems more fun if we do it outdoors, it is less fuzzy since I don't have to set the formal dining table with my best china, crystal and silverware.
While the contractor puts up the outdoor kitchen, complete with stove, a griller, working counter and storage shelves for cooking paraphernalia, the garden is being spruced up simultaneously. My husband's herbs are thriving well and I can now use them for cooking, he has rosemary, tarragon, oregano, mint, basil, ginger and pandan. He intends to add other leafy veggies soon. Last week, I just trimmed a bunch of basil for my granddaughter's tomato-herb pasta and now there's a lot to be used again.
I bought a kamias plant (bilimbi fruit) about a meter tall since I love to use the fruits for fish broth; I also got a dwarfed guapple (guava-Apple hybrid) to incorporate in the backyard.
"Where in the world are you gonna plant those?", my husband asked.
"You said you'll remove two big ornamental bushes, so we can put those in their place", I replied.
I'd rather have fruit bearing small trees than ornamentals. I'm sure our grandchildren will love to climb the tree reaching for fruits as I did when I was a kid.
In a month, this cozy outdoor living-dining-kitchen in the garden would be complete. Creating that space would fulfill our need to sit and enjoy coffee outdoors, breathe in fresh air, reflect, even meditate, write my blog, read a book too and entertain; I tell you, it would really be a full outdoor experience.
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