There is tumbleweed under the truck.

Since we moved life has completely changed.  I haven't blogged for a while because one, we have been busy, but more so because every one sounded like I was doing nothing but complaining. When going through a move everything feels so big. There are a lot of emotions, and things that are not all that important feel monumental. We have been here for two weeks and all the things that felt like the end of the world during the move, just don't matter anymore. I left things behind I wished I had kept, and kept things that I don't care about. Getting all the stuff organized and out is done. We drove here through winter weather, it was a little hairy but we are here. We got unloaded and have put our energies into finishing the house.

The reno and skirting the house have been a much larger job than we had thought.We will get done when we get done. I was aiming for the end of January, but now I am hoping for the end of February. I have to go to Victoria in there. It is a lot of work and a lot of money finishing the house. I have always said that everything always takes longer and costs more than you ever thought possible.

We are here and life is very different. I really like it and do not miss the city at all. I haven't been Mrs. Clay for a long time and I am starting to miss her. I haven't made anything out of clay for a long time either and I miss that as well. We will get the house done, then we will set up the studio and get to work. But right now, when I look out my living room window I see tumbleweed under the truck. Yesterday while working on the house, the elbow was in the fertilizer spreader. Life is good.

Until next time.

AKA Mrs. Clay

Too much stuff.

Jim and I have been together for 15 years and in this house we are moving out of for 10 of those years. We have not gone out of our way to collect stuff, but we have or I should say had, a house full. There is all kinds of stuff in a house. Stuff you need, stuff you want, stuff you think you should keep and then a whole lotta other stuff. Once you get past the stuff you need, like your bed, couch, and all the things that make a house function, it gets into the grey area of what do you keep and why.

We should have started this process of getting rid of stuff  long before we did, but we didn't. We have taken down to Coutts a load of stuff that makes the house function. Furniture, appliances, pots, all the basics then. came back to Edmonton to pack up the studio and house. How hard could it be? I learned that you can collect stuff and not really notice. It just stacks up here and there, under this and behind that. Like the shelving unit in the basement as long as a room stacked with stuff. I walked by it so often for years, I really didn't even see it anymore. The stuff on that shelf hadn't been thought of, let alone touched since we moved in 10 years ago, but it is good stuff and I should keep it because one day I might need to .........

We have gotten rid of a lot of stuff. Some went to auction. That is a weird place. Some stuff goes for pennies on the dollar and other stuff will go for more than retail. You take your stuff there and take you your chances, but it goes away.  Other stuff I gave away, mind you our stuff is not that good, and it is hard to find someone to take away. We sold some of the larger items on Kijiji. The treadmill guy put down a deposit in November and he still has not taken it away. He said he will come today, but I am a little nervous, it has to go. The dishwasher went the other night. The guy called just as I was going to run it, so he waited for the last load to finish. The dresser was funny. Stephen called and said he thought he would be interested but would get back to me. Then minuets later Stephen called and said he wanted the dresser and would be right over to get it. Then Stephen called and he said he had just called but couldn't come over until the next morning. Then the door bell rang and Stephen said he was there to get the dresser. Two Stephens calling at the same time within minutes. I thought I had the air hockey table sold, right up until I didn't. The guy was to pick it up New Years Eve, so I took it off Kijiji and considered it sold, he changed his mind. It had to go, so it went for free. We tried to give our piano away to family and friends, We met other people that had pianos to get rid of and couldn't so we put our piano on Kijiji for free and sold it. We had more interest than we hand thought we get, one man really wanted it, so he bought it. It went to good home.

We get the U Haul Friday and load up what stuff is left. We will take it down and put it, for now, in the studio. Once we get our house set up, we will go through all that stuff and get rid of more. I never had "the stuff disease" , the need for lots of stuff, and I am sure after this move  I will have the opposite of "the stuff disease". I don't want a bunch of stuff junking up the new house.


Happy New Year Everyone. May 2014 be filled with happiness and health. This year will have many changes for Jim and I and I look forward to them all.

Here are some before pictures of the studio. It is going to look worse before it looks better.

Until next time,

AKA Mrs. Clay