Two months already?

Two months have passed since we moved out of our big house – our home for so long. Two months of living in a teeny tiny one room cabin after 40 years in a house with 10 spacious rooms. Some of that two months has been lived in an even tinier camper trailer. We are definitely adjusting to smaller quarters and getting along without certain comforts and conveniences.

So how is it going? My answer varies a bit with each person who asks but generally it is going quite well, thank you. We, in fact, rather like most aspects of it. Sure, it feels crowded at times, but there is a measure of joy in the simplicity that may have surprised me a bit.

I am realizing that one of the biggest changes is the fact of outdoor living. Since not all of our conveniences or all of our “stuff” are under one roof, we must venture out into the great outdoors much more often than we used to. That’s rather enjoyable in nice weather and not so fun in the extreme heat we’ve been having recently. Yes, outdoor dining can be wonderfully exotic, but the level of enjoyment can fluctuate with temperature and weather conditions.

I find myself thinking often about shelter. We are taught that shelter is one of man’s basic needs. Having lived most of my life in a temperate zone I am accustomed to the idea that shelter usually involves some kind of insulation. Insulation is a big factor in comfort. Not only were we insulated from cold winds in winter, we were also wonderfully sheltered from the heat by the canopy of trees surrounding the big house in the summer. Through the years that we lived there we were well aware of that blessing and were wonderfully grateful. We no longer have that protection and find ourselves searching for a bit of shade here and there. Oh, how wonderful a big shade tree can be alongside the road when the truck is malfunctioning! It can provide at least a small measure of relief from the sun beating down.

I am pleased to discover that we are doing well, because before the move I wasn't totally confident in my coping skills. We knew certain things would get old really fast and that we would miss specific comforts and conveniences, but the time has slipped by and we are getting along okay. In fact, the idea of ever living in such a huge place again seems to be fading away into the unlikely category. Hopefully that revelation will help us let go of even more of our STUFF - because we still have lots of it to go through and disburse.

Oh, and what have we been doing these two months?
We have enjoyed visiting with daughters and other relatives. For the next few weeks, we're staying close by so we can care for the little sweetie when baby brother is born.
Good times!