HOUSE UPDATE
Yesterday with the help of a small crew, we emptied the house. Everything (couch, fridge, stove, mattresses, rugs, books, linens, etc) is in a big muddy heap in the middle of the muddy patio. The insurance said not to haul anything away until the assessor gets here which will hopefully be this week. So we wait. For now, we will sift through and try to salvage as much as possible. That involves schlepping stuff in a wheel barrel down to the sea. The sea is filthy, but at least the caked mud comes off. Then we hang it to dry. The house is full of mud, smells bad, plaster is falling off the walls—the water line is up to the ceiling. Then we come back to our beautiful neighbor’s house covered in filth and try to clean ourselves with wet wipes, change clothes, and pretend to enjoy the view.
TODAY’S LIST
-Dog Beds
-Find foster dog Cookie a home
-Rent hotel in Argalasti? Still no water in Koukouleika. Would be great to have a shower and wash the few clothes that we have.
-Salvage, sort, wash
-Find/order rubber bins for storage
-Call Ari (Albanian stone worker). Maybe terrace the property’s hillside, build a stucture on higher ground?
-Quit my teaching gig. Loved it, but right now it is a full-time job just negotiating life: no water, traumatized dogs, mud-filled house, salvaging possessions.
MORNING REFLECTIONS
We are holding steady. My attitude changes hourly, but overall they are positive. As my mom says, life holds no guarantees—we have to prepare for the worst but hope for the best. Luckily I have been on the receiving of “the best” for the majority of my life thanks to all the love, and support from family and friends.
I have never believed that things happen for reason, but it is up to us to make hardship meaningful, and as an opportunity to live life just a little bit more—more love, more joy, more fun, more experiences. Thankfully I have never put too much value in material possessions, I do like comfort though, and will look forward to having my own bed again with comfy pillows and blankets.
Be well lovely readers.
With kindness,
Wendy, JT, Lada, Molly, and Cookie Monster.
❤️