Adjusting to a new home takes time. I have been here for over five months and still haven’t finished decorating. I probably will never accomplish that goal as I depended on the kindness of strangers and the large pieces of furniture they place on the curb one a month. Without these cast offs I would be living in an empty room. Instead look at this place…it is only sort of bare.
Last week I helped Monica move into her new house. She is living near Place Wilson. There is a wonderful patisserie near the Hotel Wilson that makes the best croissants in Dijon. The place is not much from the outside but perhaps this is because they spend their decorating budget on butter. With good reason! Monica is living with two British boys who are also language assistants in Dijon schools. They’d moved in a week or so before Monica but were not finished with the process either. The house just needed a good spring cleaning. Now that we’ve accomplished that task I think she’ll soon be thinking of it as home.
I for one will think of the house as a goldmine. While Monica tackled her bedroom and the two enormous suitcases she carried so far I rolled up my sleeves and started in the kitchen. It was a glorious mess. Perfect.
Though I love my apartment’s view on J.J. Rousseau and high ceilings I often feel something is lacking…stuff. Monica’s house has stuff spilling from every drawer and closet. I could not have been happier. I gave the kitchen a good scrubbing. I think it was a good way for her roommates to get to know me. I heard one of them exclaim, “she’s washing the walls!” How else am I supposed to get them clean?
Behind the sticky cabinet doors was an amazing collection of bad kitchen appliances: electric knives, a blender with a plastic blade, a citrus juicer as big as a crate of oranges. It seems as though the previous tenant enjoyed watching late night infomercials with her credit card a little too handy.
She also had every manner of tin pan. Tart pans, cookie sheets, Madeleine pans, financier molds…spread across three shelves. I washed everything and organized all afternoon. If only Monica had an oven to use them. I may have to liberate a few for a few culinary attempts in my clutter free kitchen.
Last week I helped Monica move into her new house. She is living near Place Wilson. There is a wonderful patisserie near the Hotel Wilson that makes the best croissants in Dijon. The place is not much from the outside but perhaps this is because they spend their decorating budget on butter. With good reason! Monica is living with two British boys who are also language assistants in Dijon schools. They’d moved in a week or so before Monica but were not finished with the process either. The house just needed a good spring cleaning. Now that we’ve accomplished that task I think she’ll soon be thinking of it as home.
I for one will think of the house as a goldmine. While Monica tackled her bedroom and the two enormous suitcases she carried so far I rolled up my sleeves and started in the kitchen. It was a glorious mess. Perfect.
Though I love my apartment’s view on J.J. Rousseau and high ceilings I often feel something is lacking…stuff. Monica’s house has stuff spilling from every drawer and closet. I could not have been happier. I gave the kitchen a good scrubbing. I think it was a good way for her roommates to get to know me. I heard one of them exclaim, “she’s washing the walls!” How else am I supposed to get them clean?
Behind the sticky cabinet doors was an amazing collection of bad kitchen appliances: electric knives, a blender with a plastic blade, a citrus juicer as big as a crate of oranges. It seems as though the previous tenant enjoyed watching late night infomercials with her credit card a little too handy.
She also had every manner of tin pan. Tart pans, cookie sheets, Madeleine pans, financier molds…spread across three shelves. I washed everything and organized all afternoon. If only Monica had an oven to use them. I may have to liberate a few for a few culinary attempts in my clutter free kitchen.
