Next step

As usual I've spent a lot of the weekend reading blogs.  I am starting to want to make my space here more of a sanctuary.  I just read a blogger who used that word and explored the meaning for her.  The word resonated with me.  At this point I'm not so much talking about a sanctuary from the violence and chance of robbery here.  I have that pretty much under control, as much as I can while living in a 3rd world country.  I'll explore that issue more later.  I have unpacked enough of my things that I'm wanting to have my apartment be more than just a temporary hotel room.  Looking ahead, my lifestyle for the next few years looks to be mobile, if not country to country then at least city to city.  I want to find year to year contracts in different places.  So the 'temporary hotel room' is the canvas I have to work with.  I never have been the type to put art on the walls. Just ask Turtle Lady, who as my resident artist has hung most of the art for me.  I do enjoy color and texture and 'homey' type environments.  So, my project is to create a homey, colorful, textured, comfortable sanctuary that is minimalist and mobile. 

One of the first issues I need to deal with is food.  During the week it's not too much effort to get food, I just eat on post.  On the weekends I have limited myself to the chicken place next door, the restaurant downstairs, or getting a delivery from Pizza Hut across the street.  All of those are getting old.  Pizza Hut and the chicken place are too processed.  The restaurant downstairs is better, but has the issue of lack of communication.  They try to give me what they think I want, which can have a new and exciting combination show up on my plate.  I'm working on my Spanish...  I am putting together a list of foods to get while in Tegus next weekend.  I need my comfort foods.  Luckily I'm going with C who knows Tegus, and who also knows the types of foods I like having lived in the Middle East and knows where to get those foods down here.  Things like humus, lentils, dates.  This part will get better.  But, I have to hurry to find these places as he leaves in a month.

The rest of the sanctuary will be a work in process as I sift through my things.  The hotel is installing a kitchen style sink for me tomorrow.  This is part of attempting to get hot water to the sink in the bathroom.  They really are trying to give me what I want.  The flip side of that is that I don't want to pull much out until that is finished so I won't have people in the apartment.  Also, I think Friday they must have had a bit of a flood while working on the water lines.  I had everything up off the floor when I left for work (habit from camping, in case of rain), so no damage done,just a really clean floor and a single damp paper.  I already have a pile of things to send back, and a pile of things to get rid of.  Small piles, but a start.  What stuff I have here now doesn't fall under the definition of 'mobile'. 

My thoughts are starting to scatter.  It's time to head down for some breakfast.  Then I think I'll look into ordering some foods online from the backpacking sites.  It's a start.