Monday, 26 November 2007

Σαν Σήμερα

On the 26th November 2004, I moved into this flat. This is a date that is fixed in my mind, because it was a day full of hope and enthusiasm. The flat was a lot less cluttered than the above picture, though the room was full of boxes, mainly containing books and DVDs.

I had managed to bring some things with me - the bookcases, the table, but I had to buy everything else. Plates, glasses, a bin, an iron, a microwave, a TV, etc. I had one chair for what is now the computer table, and another single chair to sit in. It took me 6 months to get round to getting a sofa, and another 6 to get my armchair.

I had a futon-type single bed. I got a proper bed for Helena's room in the first week, and my own bed by Christmas (I think it might have been Christmas Eve that it was delivered).

The first evening, I had my new TV on the table I now use for the computer. I had thought of everything, even down to getting tea towels and a draining thing for dishes. Well, almost everything. I had forgotten to get scissors. I had to cut some wire-grips off the cables on my TV. So I improvised with a knife. This did the trick, but also sliced into my hand. It was then that I realised I'd not thought about plasters. So before I could settle down to an evening in front of the box, I had to drive bleeding to the nearest garage.

Every year, I remember not the end of my marriage, but the start of a new life, and how lucky I am that it was a relatively painless transition (apart from the loss of several pints of blood). Last year, I bought my computer. This year my finances are too occupied with paying divorce bills to make any major home improvements.

Though perhaps I should invest in a maid...

22 comments:

Bee said...

Well congrats!
Your place is not half as bad as other bachelor pads I've seen (mess wise).

Hope the divorce is final soon so you can put it behind you and buy a freezer!

Jean Knee said...

well it's not messy enough for my taste. throw some crafting supplies and a hundred my little ponies around and it will look like my home.

think I'm kidding? ask bee, I emailed her a pic of some of my hoard/mess not even the worst, it is everywhere and I live in a pretty big house.

see, never fear, there is always someone worse than you. the only one worse than me are those poor people who are crushed to death by their stacks of crap.

I love spreading cheer to all my blogging friends

Brian o vretanos said...

Bee:

Yes, a freezer is the next thing on the list for the flat.

Jean Knee:

Your mess is creative. Out of it come truly amazing and scary things. Mine is just mess. Anyway, I've spent an hour or so tidying, vacuuming and ironing, so it's better now.

Jean Knee said...

don't disappoint me like that Brian

Bee said...

Are you upset cuz he cleaned?

Brian o vretanos said...

Jean Knee:

I'm sorry, I always seem to do the wrong thing - I don't even own any My Little Ponys... My bedroom's still a mess, though.

Anonymous said...

I know it's cleaner than my place!! You should be so proud! LOL!

I honestly thought bachelor pads had 1/2 naked women posters, beer cans, and that type of stuff all over ;-)

So glad to know you have taken the High road. And glad your hand is better ;-)

Jean Knee said...

how old is Helena? she might have some (my little ponies) she can spread all around

Brian o vretanos said...

Chris:

I don't want to live in a pigsty ;-) I'd have done the half-naked women & beer cans stuff 10 years ago, if I hadn't got married instead. It might be tidier than your place, but I bet it's not cleaner.

Jean Knee:

Helena is 9, so a bit too old for MLP. She was never into them. Or Barbie, which makes her less easy to buy presents for than her half-sister was - with her, you just had to head for the pink bits of Toys R Us.

Helena had some Barbies, but she painted them strange colours and decapitated them, so her mum got rid of them.

Anonymous said...

HAHA! Nope, mine is definitely not cleaner. For some reason when I worked and wasn't a SAHM my house was in much better shape. I am only obsessive about vacuuming and my kitchen :-D

BTW, sounds like Helen needs a paint set if she's coloring her Barbies! You may have the next great Picasso!

And what did you Iron? I see no clothes strewn about. Please tell me you're not one of those bed sheet ironing fanatics! LOL.

Brian o vretanos said...

Chris:

Stay At Home & Mess:

A lot of "mess" comes from a place being lived in. I like to be reasonably tidy, but I'd to live in one of those sterile places you see interiors of in magazines.

Fine Arts:

Helena does enjoy drawing - her mother's a painter, so there's always the chance that she's inherited an artistic streak.

Laundry:

My ironing pile is in the hall. I ironed shirts, which I've taken to wearing to work recently, and trousers. But I'm not bothering to do the T-shirts that I wear under the shirts.

No, I don't iron sheets! - though I sometimes do pillows and tea towels if they're badly creased.

Brian o vretanos said...

That should be "I'd hate to live in one of those sterile..."

Bee said...

You iron pillows? You're kidding!

I mean, I've been known to lift the mattress and box spring from the bed frame so I can vacuum the dead skin cells on the edges of the frame but ironing pillows...!!!!!!!!?????

Brian o vretanos said...

Bee:

I can't complain that you don't read what I write, can I? I meant "pillow cases". It must be the fizzy wine I'm drinking ;-)

Bee said...

You can't go around bragging about drinking fizzy wine and not inviting people to have some...

Brian o vretanos said...

Bee:

If you hadn't posted that picture of Sergio, I might not have been reminded that I should get a bottle, which I've done the other two years.

If I've any left over, I'll send it to you...

Bee said...

Left overs:
No thanks, I've got a bottle that's 7 years old, will 8 in January, that I might just open.

Jean Knee said...

I have heard just about enough of ya'll's depressing domestic habits. Dust is good for the lungs, bacteria strenghthens the immune system.

hoards are a sign of Jean-Yus I'm sure

Bee said...

I think the dust is settling your brain jean knee.

Brian o vretanos said...

Jean Knee:

I don't dust more than about once a year...

Bee said...

"in your brain"

Dayquil

Jean Knee said...

uh huh, if you want to tell yourself that go ahead