Aside from a few lingering items in the refrigerator and freezer, we are packed and ready to make the move to Sunrise at Penguin. It always amazes me how quickly we can shift from fully settled to nearly out the door. Living this nomadic lifestyle for so many years has taught us to move with purpose, and today will be no exception.
Before noon, which is our expected arrival time at the new house, Tom will load the little car with our neatly stacked bags. I will stay behind for the final task, emptying and cleaning the refrigerator, one of those small but necessary rituals that signal the end of a stay. Once the car is packed, Tom will drive over to Sunrise at Penguin, drop everything off, and then immediately turn around to come back for me, along with the remaining boxes of food and our assorted odds and ends. Two trips should do it, and thankfully, the drive is short and easy.
We have truly enjoyed our time at this property. The grounds have been peaceful and comfortable, and they have served us well over the past couple of weeks. Still, there is something comforting about returning to a place we already know and love. Ten years ago, we stayed at Terry and Fran’s lovely three-bedroom home, and the memory of those expansive views of the sea, the ever-changing Bass Strait, has stayed with us all this time.
One of the things I am most looking forward to is more space. At the new house, I will finally unpack everything instead of living out of my suitcase, which, while manageable, always leaves me feeling slightly unsettled. Being able to put things away properly, to open drawers and see order instead of carefully layered packing cubes, will feel like a small luxury.
At some point during this stay, I plan to lighten my load a bit. After years of travel, it is amazing how easily extra items accumulate. I intend to sort through what I no longer need and donate a few things to a local charity. It always feels good to pass useful items along to someone who can make better use of them.
Fortunately, we have enough food on hand for tonight’s dinner, which makes moving day easier. Tomorrow, once we are fully unpacked and settled, we will head to the big supermarket, Woolworth’s in nearby Ulverstone, a mere fourteen-minute drive, or to Devonport, a 27-minute drive to an even larger market. Around here, and in many parts of the world, it is affectionately known as Woolie’s, and it should provide the broader selection we have been missing.
While Henk’s IGA has been a pleasant and convenient local market, it is simply too small for all of our needs. The beef, chicken, pork, and seafood selections have been limited. Since we moved in on February 13, sixteen days ago, I have had salmon four times, shrimp four times, and chicken on all the remaining days. Tom, ever content with his favorites, has enjoyed a steady stream of beef and pork roasts without complaint.
But even the most routine eaters appreciate a little variety now and then. I was delighted to find one package of New York steaks at Henk’s, which we wisely tucked into the freezer. That will be tonight’s dinner, a small celebration at the end of moving day.
More than anything, I am looking forward to being fully unpacked, comfortably settled, and standing in front of a well-stocked refrigerator filled with fresh options. That’s it for today, folks.
We’ll be back tomorrow with photos of our new holiday home.
Be well.
Photo from ten years ago today, March 1, 2016:
