We don’t really have that much snow, but the temperatures are cold enough to keep what little there is on the ground. It’s been enough to force me to buy boots, but not a winter coat yet.

More excitingly, though, is that we finally got the rest of our stuff moved in! There wasn’t really all that much — maybe 15 medium and small boxes, but the big ticket items were the key: kitchen pantry, dressers, Joe’s organ and the Sumo!

Clothing-wise, we’d gotten very good at living with whatever a medium-sized suitcase can hold. It now seems both ridiculous and obscene that I unpacked a dresser drawer full of only socks, underwear, nylons and pyjamas. For the last six months, I’d been living with less than that in total.

As much as it bothered us to be without our stuff, for me at least it was more annoying because it was a sign that things weren’t done yet. For sure, a dresser is far better for clothing storage than a rubbermaid container on the floor, but I’m not as thrilled about the literal “baggage” that came with it. Yes, it’s nice to own some clothing with sleeves now (remember, the suitcase was packed in June!) but it will be interesting to see how much of it I keep, or at least keep out and not in storage in the basement.

Despite all the frustration over delays with finally “moving in” I know for me, the experience of “living without stuff” was very rewarding. This coincides nicely with our family’s new “pick one couple to buy for” rule. We already bought Mom and Dad’s gift, and I’ve already ordered Joe’s, so my holiday shopping is done! It’s not that I would have minded buying more gifts for more people, but I just don’t feel a need to. And, I certainly don’t want more crap filling up our little house. There are still some things we need. (or do we . . . ? The jury’s still out on that one.) Joe won’t complain about the addition of anything fleece to our household. But otherwise, I think we’re doing pretty well and have managed to adopt the change in lifestyle we were hoping we would.