A Place to Call Home

Our initial plan was to try and live off-base. Alec had done a lot of legwork touring our options and narrowing down the ones we liked best. But family emergencies have a way of reorganizing one's priorities.


We decided it would be less additional stress to just get moved in someplace ASAP, and turn-around for base housing is usually 48 hours or less. So, this morning I inspected our two "choices". They are basically identical 3 bedroom multiplexes in the same section; but one is on an end instead of sandwiched, and has all new wood flooring and carpeting. It is also at the back of the housing section and up on a hill. Tons of built in storage, including a porch and shed; each room is individually air conditioned. I accepted that one. 


So far we only have government furniture, and our express shipment which consists mostly of clothes, fragile items like musical instruments and the computer, and 2 of eacj kitchen item. I cannot tell you exactly how exciting it is to no longer eat off paper plates with plastic utensils. It is also really nice to have an actual kitchen again - I have to restrain myself, although having only one pot and one pan certainly helps! Also, we have a certain allowance for self-help items like caulking, and paint, as well as the rental of yard implements (although I went ahead and bought a mower). 


So before all our furniture gets here to take up space, I am going to paint the walls! We can use our allowance to get matching base paint when we vacate; and, because recycling is mandatory here (yay!) the hardware store has a locker for the exchange of leftover chemicals, which means if used judiciously we have free cleaning products and paint!! 


I hope to post pictures once it's all set up in a few more weeks; and once we have internet of course, so stay tuned! :)