Reflections on couch surfing

 

Heather and I have been living in temporary accommodations since late July. That is four and a half months now. The end is in sight. If the SEED Homes team has a successful couple of weeks of doing finishing work on our home in High River, we might be reunited with our stuff before Christmas.

We have learned to live with very little. Each of us has a small suitcase, the carry-on variety, with our small selection of clothes. We have our technology which keeps us connected to the outside world. We have our two decks of Canasta cards, which get used two to three times a day. 

On the painting side, I restocked with basic supplies and a travelling tool kit to store it all back in September. I've learned to improvise when building shipping boxes and preparing paintings and prints to be sent hither and thither. Without a printer, I send files over to Staples when printing is essential. Without a large inventory of stock cardboard, I recycle and reuse every scrap that I can lay my hands on. Somehow, the perfect amount appears when I need it.

We have sold a lot of paintings and prints through our website during this in-between time. It has proven to be a useful tool to let our customers know what is available and at what price. It also is easy for me to offer special deals and incentives which has sparked sales. 

Through most of this time our dogs had been staying with my sister and brother-in-law near Grande Prairie. They are back with us now. Both of us were thinking they would add a wrinkle of complexity to our daily displaced lives. However, they have been incredibly grounding and nurturing. It is so nice to have them back.

We are spending December in the loft above the former Birdsong Studio 2.0. It is very comfortable and familiar. It has all the basics that we need to function including the right number of kitchen supplies, washer and dryer, and a full bath. The bid is comfortable and the suite is warm. That is all we need.