A big moment. Although a week late, this morning at 7:20 the moving truck arrived at the door. In the days before, we sorted, packed, threw things away, and prepared ourselves—bit by bit each day. The delay was due to the kitchen not being finished.
The doorbell rings. Five strong, young men eager to get started dive into the boxes and furniture. Everything quickly disappears into a large MAN truck and is already being unloaded at the new house by 11:00. We are just moving within the city, so travel time is short. By 14:00 the five finish their work. Everything intact, everything in place. We sign, give a $50 tip, and everyone receives a bottle of vodka. Then we are alone. The unpacking begins. We won’t be finished today; tomorrow is another day.
Everything feels so different. Some of our furniture doesn’t quite fit the new rooms, but for now, it will do. I connect the TV and Yamaha system. At least we have music and pictures tonight. Around seven, we sit in the evening sun. She embraces me...radiant, settled, and so am I. The house is finished, our home is ready. We made it. Our first real house—not a row house like before, not a large apartment as a transition, but a house with a terrace, a space to walk around. Yes, now we are suburbanites, savers, homeowners, browsing garden center brochures. And that’s a good thing....Karsten
The doorbell rings. Five strong, young men eager to get started dive into the boxes and furniture. Everything quickly disappears into a large MAN truck and is already being unloaded at the new house by 11:00. We are just moving within the city, so travel time is short. By 14:00 the five finish their work. Everything intact, everything in place. We sign, give a $50 tip, and everyone receives a bottle of vodka. Then we are alone. The unpacking begins. We won’t be finished today; tomorrow is another day.
Everything feels so different. Some of our furniture doesn’t quite fit the new rooms, but for now, it will do. I connect the TV and Yamaha system. At least we have music and pictures tonight. Around seven, we sit in the evening sun. She embraces me...radiant, settled, and so am I. The house is finished, our home is ready. We made it. Our first real house—not a row house like before, not a large apartment as a transition, but a house with a terrace, a space to walk around. Yes, now we are suburbanites, savers, homeowners, browsing garden center brochures. And that’s a good thing....Karsten
Evening peace
A clear, polished sky. Stars are twinkling. In the west, the last light lingers. Cold settles over the bare new construction site—still without trees or bushes, only delicate green shoots sprouting from dark soil. The cat and I are listening to Finnish rock music, the Crash.
Outside on the sea, the buoys are blinking; on the horizon, container ships head toward St. Petersburg or Riga. It has almost become windless. I quickly took the laundry off the line—it's not going to get drier. The wife is out, Yamaha system turned up loud.
Evening peace. Red Band wine gums. The Marlboro smokes, uuu uu uuuuh, I wanna love you croons from the speakers... Cheerio, folks, Cuba libre, long live the Red October... Karsten
A clear, polished sky. Stars are twinkling. In the west, the last light lingers. Cold settles over the bare new construction site—still without trees or bushes, only delicate green shoots sprouting from dark soil. The cat and I are listening to Finnish rock music, the Crash.
Outside on the sea, the buoys are blinking; on the horizon, container ships head toward St. Petersburg or Riga. It has almost become windless. I quickly took the laundry off the line—it's not going to get drier. The wife is out, Yamaha system turned up loud.
Evening peace. Red Band wine gums. The Marlboro smokes, uuu uu uuuuh, I wanna love you croons from the speakers... Cheerio, folks, Cuba libre, long live the Red October... Karsten
Concrete example. Some friends of ours run a nursery with a construction division specializing in garden structures. It was only natural that they designed our garden. Then my wife went with him through the countryside and the greenhouse to pick plants that no longer looked great but could still be sold, or others that had outgrown their pots and needed to be replanted. That way, we got a large amount of greenery for a flat rate of $200. A whole lot. I don’t know the names of all the plants, but it’s all common stuff. Well, I recognize some: lemon balm, lavender, heather, apple tree. Karsten
Nordlys schrieb:
... Well, I recognize some. Lemon balm, lavender, heather, apple tree. Karsten Look at that! There's an apple tree too. Ha, we have two.
Environment
I come from the harbor. I worked on a ship. A harbor is a harbor. Sometimes there’s a dead rat lying around. A scruffy tomcat rummages through fish crates. There are places you’d better avoid as an outsider. With names like Seewolf or something similar.
I turn into the street leading to our housing development. Suddenly, it hits me like a splash of cold water. What a difference in environment! Karsten, you’ve got oil on your hands, are you even allowed to drive in here? The stainless steel mailboxes, one looks just like the other. Nonsense, I think, you’ve got one like this too. By Spiess and Clien. The outdoor lamps, perfectly aligned, nothing crooked, neat and polished. Pebbles carefully arranged around well-pruned boxwood shrubs. Nothing grows wild here, everything is planned, measured, arranged. Through large windows you see LED-lit living room walls with glossy finishes. Environment. Petite bourgeois. Building society occasion. What a contrast to the harbor. And Karsten, now you’re one of them too. With stainless steel mailbox and LED lights.
A slight urge for anarchy arises. Maybe kick a wire mesh fence a bit crookedly? Ah, never mind, Schwäbisch Hall, you can build on these stones.
I drive up my gravel driveway. It crunches so nicely. Like a mansion avenue. But it’s just a new development. Home sweet home. Even the cats look neat here...
I come from the harbor. I worked on a ship. A harbor is a harbor. Sometimes there’s a dead rat lying around. A scruffy tomcat rummages through fish crates. There are places you’d better avoid as an outsider. With names like Seewolf or something similar.
I turn into the street leading to our housing development. Suddenly, it hits me like a splash of cold water. What a difference in environment! Karsten, you’ve got oil on your hands, are you even allowed to drive in here? The stainless steel mailboxes, one looks just like the other. Nonsense, I think, you’ve got one like this too. By Spiess and Clien. The outdoor lamps, perfectly aligned, nothing crooked, neat and polished. Pebbles carefully arranged around well-pruned boxwood shrubs. Nothing grows wild here, everything is planned, measured, arranged. Through large windows you see LED-lit living room walls with glossy finishes. Environment. Petite bourgeois. Building society occasion. What a contrast to the harbor. And Karsten, now you’re one of them too. With stainless steel mailbox and LED lights.
A slight urge for anarchy arises. Maybe kick a wire mesh fence a bit crookedly? Ah, never mind, Schwäbisch Hall, you can build on these stones.
I drive up my gravel driveway. It crunches so nicely. Like a mansion avenue. But it’s just a new development. Home sweet home. Even the cats look neat here...
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