The unpacking continues... guests arrive in 24 hours or less

My household goods (so many crates of it) was delivered 2 weeks and 3 days ago.  I have worked hard on unpacking the many boxes and hauling stuff either up or downstairs.   Of course, I am limited in my unpacking because I still have to work and there is only one person:  ME to do the unpacking!

To give you an example...   This is how much paper was in a big box (almost to my chest) and when I get to the bottom area of the box... I do have to tilt the box forward and lean my head deep down inside because I am not tall enough nor are my arms long enough to reach to the bottom foot of the box!

But this is how much was in the big box... (well, most of the items were found in this box).   I finally found:  PLATES!!   I was beginning to wonder when I'd ever get to eat off of real plates again!   I had even bought some new  'paper plates' with holiday designs on them 'just in case' I never found the plates before my company from Germany arrived this weekend.

Here's a close up of some of the Polish Pottery plates and mugs.   The white mugs are from the German Porcelain Factory/Store that was in a nearby town near to where I used to live.  I was able to buy white bowls and serving platters from them to go with my varied assortment of 'mix and match' dishes that I have.

The last time that I was able to go to Poland for POLISH POTTERY DISH SHOPPING... one store had these adorable chicken designs.  I had enough money (last store our group stopped at) to buy 6 plates, 6 bowls, and one casserole dish.  I thought that they'd be cute breakfast dishes!   Or anytime actually!

If you look closely to the left hand side of the 'green baker's rack' you'll notice some ceramic hand painted CHICKENS in the floor!   I bought those from 1998-2000 when I lived in Italy the first time.   They are from various towns in northern Italy.   Each town has it's own designs that they paint on the chicken pitchers.   So, you can now see why I was lured in by the 'chicken designs' on the Polish Pottery plates?

Ok, my friends will be here soon... and I need to start putting away ANYTHING that doesn't already have a home, cleaning up, making the beds with the clean linens, washing clothing, and hauling empty boxes and endless papers that were used to wrap items in the boxes to the garage, and find lampshades and the light bulbs and put those items together in rooms.   Right now, I have only managed to put together all the parts for 3 lamps.

At least, I do have rugs down in the floors and at bedsides... the marble floors in this house are nice... but, in the mornings one needs something warm under your feet!   So, I must get busy and continue this last minute effort to make it look like SOMEONE LIVES IN THIS HOUSE and is ready FOR COMPANY TO VISIT!!

First snowfall and other news

It snowed last weekend.  Nothing much... only about 1 1/2 inches.  This is my neighbor's yard to the immediate right (open gate/driveway is mine) and then the next neighbor over has old statues in the front of their yard.   Actually, they make a great landmark when telling people where your house is located.

I woke up this morning to more snow.  Same amount.   Maybe 2 inches?   School was not delayed or cancelled.   The kids stayed INSIDE for recess.   ALL DAY LONG.  INSIDE.  Only one MORE WEEK before winter break.   They don't usually get much snow here.  

I rushed home after work to be here in time for a delivery of a new and long awaited purchase.   Pretty, huh?

Can you guess what it is?  No, it's not a new couch or a pillow, or....

Ok, I know you'll never guess... so, I have to tell you.... *click on photos for larger, clearer views.





it is a new 'memory foam' mattress!   Ignore the room.   I just moved and nothing is up on the walls, stuff is still in boxes, and the truth is that I'm just happy that there aren't any boxes showing in the photo.  Because trust me... it is still a 'sea of boxes' around here in most of the house.

The bed was made for me 12 years ago... when I lived in another location in northern Italy.   I have never gotten to use it as a bed.  It's been in storage all of this time and I'm pretty excited to have my most favorite bed set up and with a mattress on it so I can actually use it!   I did sew the bed skirt a few years ago and I used it with my other bed.  I guess I'll have to figure out another way to sew up a bed skirt for it or maybe I could see if the BX has one for sale?

I'm having company visit from Germany during winter break (as in: NEXT WEEKEND) and I need to get this house unpacked enough that it looks like someone lives here... at least in the public areas.   I just hope to get enough unpacked that I can shut the doors on the 2 rooms that have boxes stacked in them.   They will NOT be a part of the house tour!   I also plan to invite some of my new friends (people that I met while I was staying in the base hotel) over for Christmas Day 'food, movies, board games, and fun.   So, I really need to get busy over the weekend and finish this up.  

AND, put a few things up for Christmas decorations... if possible.   I looked around and there is NOT an electrical outlet outside on the front porch area-- so, any lights will have to be taped to the inside kitchen or living room windows.   I don't think I'll be able to manage a tree this year.   I did put a wreath up on the front door when I unpacked it.

I still haven't mailed any of my Christmas gifts... but, at least this time... I have a good reason...

Nana boo boo... my staircase has more narrow turns than your staircase does

Do you remember when I wrote that my new 'wrought iron' bed.. that had been made for me before I left Italy 4 years ago and had been sent to storage when I left Italy and that I had this same storage shipment delivered a few weeks ago .. didn't get put in my bedroom because the bed couldn't get up the narrow staircase?

WELL, here's why the bed couldn't come upstairs... Isn't this the most narrow stair case that you've ever seen?? *To be inside a house that is leading to a main floor (the bedrooms)... especially in the land of 'no closets' and you have to purchase free standing 'wardrobes' (like a small free standing closet or what would be found in some dorm rooms) and use them for your clothing hanging/storing needs...


The bed that is now laying on its side in the basement storage room. Sigh.. At least, I can go down and look at it every so often.


Prior to this shipment delivery, I had only put 3 framed items on the wall before this shipment came.. (hanging in the hallway- so, that when people entered my house.. at least there was the illusion that I decorated something.) I did this because, I knew that when the storage shipment (that got delayed for several months) would have a lot of furniture in it and I didn't want to try to nail things in this hard as plaster.. plaster walls.. until the furniture was all in place. Sometimes you get holes nailing nails in the hard plaster walls.. which I'll have to fill in and paint over when I move out...

One of the things that I did... before my company arrived last week.. was to put artwork up all over the house. I even have a few things in the laundry room!

Since, this is the first time that I've ever lived with a staircase inside a home I wanted to put artwork up on the walls along the staircase- I've always liked that look. So, I decided to put artwork from Italy. All are places that I've either lived or visited. I love the results.

Unpacked treasures...

Here are a few items that were in this storage shipment..

Hand painted tile scene... This is old Gaeta, Italy as seen from the harbor. I lived up on the mountain and my view from my house was looking down on these castles.

My Italian wrought iron balcony planters! I gave quite a few away when I moved away from my first location in Italy- which I left in 2000- but, I did end up keeping 5 or 6 of them and they were in this storage shipment. I finally put some flowers that I bought (whispers 2 months ago) and had been sitting on the balcony in their tiny little plastic containers while waiting for me to 'replant' them. I finally did that this week. They did seem to stretch their little roots out and breathe a sigh of relief.

I really like these planters because they are adjustable. Some of the wingnuts got lost- so, I stopped at the local German 'hardware/garden type of store'... I had to buy a package of the screws (5) and a package of the wing nuts (5) for a grand total of almost 8 euro. Cost USA? About $11.00 or so. I only needed two.. :(

I also had to buy wooden slats for my bed.. for some 'strange' reason they did not come in the storage shipment with the bed.. which I had been sleeping in before my household goods were put into storage 4 years ago. A mystery for sure.


My coat rack! Made for me by the same guy who made my wrought iron bed.. that wouldn't go up the narrow German staircase last week.


This is an old, old wine jug... I got this years ago.. probably 1999? It is what the 'wine delivery guy' put wine in when he came to the houses on his wine delivery days. I found this in the 'big stuff trash' throw away place... apparently, it was being tossed to make way for the more modern 'plastic basket woven looking' new style. I think it's pretty neat looking. And, yes.. when I'd walk to work.. I'd sometimes see the local wine delivery wagon pulled up outside a house.


AND, I found a stack of old Vogue Knitting magazines in my storage shipment.

I can see the light...

the unpacking light that is...

My company gets here tomorrow- Monday. So, today, Sunday, is clean up day. Sweep and mop the floors, clean the bathrooms, clean out the tiny refrigerator and defrost the even smaller freezer. How small is it you ask? YOU have to put the ice-tray in sideways-- not the usual way of pointing towards the back!

I'll also put anything that still doesn't have a home away in the 'storage room'... and just pretend it's all done.

Meanwhile, here's a photo of my bedroom. I finally have a bed upstairs. They couldn't bring my beautiful wrought iron bed that was made for me in Italy.. because of the narrow stairs that are in my house. Yes, narrow stairs with a TURN in them! Grrr



So, I still had my old brass bed- that was the same size as my old mattress that was going to go on the new wrought iron bed.. that I had wanted to sell before I moved from Italy 4 years ago... so, at least I have a bed upstairs... and of course the guest bed for the company.

I finally got my bedroom 'mostly' finished.. art work up on the walls/etc. Photo taken at night- so, forgive the photo quality. Later, I'll take photos of the 'guest quarters'... which is where I'd been sleeping-- but, now it's all decorated, unpacked.. no longer do you have to walk through skinny trail through stacked boxes.

Anyway... here ya go..
This is what I use for my 'dresser'.. it's actually an antique 'buffet' that I bought in Korea. I stack sweaters in the door areas. Socks, undies, etc go in the small drawers.

I really liked this piece. I thought it had character with some beautiful carvings along the sides and I could see it being used in various rooms. I have several pieces of Korean furniture.. well, I have lived there three different times.. for 9 or 10 years... but, I tend to buy pieces that will go with other items. Like American antiques and also Italian pieces. I tend to buy pieces (other than this buffet) with clean simple lines and I think that helps them blend in with other pieces from other countries.


This is my great grandmother's rocking chair. I had it recovered in Korea before I left; with some fabric that I bought in the Fabric market in Seoul. That's the heating source on the wall to the right of the rocker. Warm heat rises from the pipes.


To the far right- you can see a piece of furniture- that was designed to hold a tv. Of course, with the slanted ceilings on some of my upstairs walls- this is the only wall that it would fit on. So, there isn't going to be any 'tv viewing' from the bed now.. ha ha. I put my old, old 110 voltage American reception only tv in the 'entertainment room'.. (some people would call it an office). So, the big open (for the tv) is going to hold blankets and bed linens/etc.





This is the old brass bed- that I had made for me in Korea (the first time I lived there) in 1992. This rug was in this storage shipment. The bedspread, I bought in Korea in the fabric market- they also have wonderful bed linens there. This is actually a full-size and really needs to be just about 10 more inches wider for this queen sized bed. I made the bedskirt with some fabric that I bought at the fabric/yarn market building in Seoul.

I have put artwork on the walls everywhere.. including the stairwell. It's beginning to look like a home and that I actually live here.

Are you wondering...

What has happened to: Iwouldratherbeknitting ?????????????


I've been having a few adventures.. have taken a lot of photos.. but, I've not been able to post some time because... (I tried to download some photos several times.. and this slow, slow server kept taking forever..not just slow. an hour and it still hadn't downloaded photos? So, I'd give up.)

They finally found my 'lost' household goods storage shipment... so, I've spent a few days.. going through my current possessions.. seeing what I could get rid of.. (wish we could hold garage sales at our houses.. but, I've asked and Americans living off post can't do this-- since, your wouldn't be paying German tax of 19% of the items sold... and American's aren't suppose to sell imported DUTY FREE ITEMS (my household goods or things that I buy at the BX on base) to foreign nationals (applies to whatever country I happen to be living in that isn't America)

So, I've gone though clothing and found appropriate things that I could donate to an address for the US Military group that does humanitian efforts in Afghanistan. I'd rather eliminate the 'middle man'... and send things straight to the military guys that help out those in the refugee camps, the street kids, local hospitals, and the schools. I also usually knit warm wool hats during the summer that I mail to them in September.

Anyway... I said 'appropriate' because.. you can't send: shorts or sleeveless clothing... sundresses and the like.. because, it's a muslin country and we need to respest their clothing attire.

We do have a thrift store on base that you can use to sell items on 'consignment'... problems are:

1. They are only open limited days (I've heard it's a few more times per week) during the hours of: 10.00am- 2pm... those hours just don't work out for a school teacher that goes to work by 7am to 3:30 or later if we have meetings after school.

2. They only accept items for consignment if they are going to resell for: $25.00 or more (I'm sure there is a cap on the 'or more')

I mean... come on... it's a thrift shop! How many items does one usually have that someone is willing to pay $25.00 for???? *And, of course, the thrift shop takes a cut of the selling prices.

I think that what this ends up promoting is 'donating' to them... and then the items donated can be sold for 100% profit for the thrift store.

ANYWAY... I'll try to find at least a couple of things I can take to the thrift shop and of course I'll toss some things.

Meanwhile.. anyone want to come and help me unpack 9 sea crates of stuff? (A lot of furniture came in that.. so, at least it's not 9 whole crates of boxes to unpack.. but, there are far more boxes to unpack than I wish to unpack.