Downsizing Stinks!

Downsizing stinks!  Not for the obvious reasons - that you have less space.  I have no problem with a smaller living area, fewer rooms, and zero counter space.  I can function (barely) in a kitchen about 1/4 of the size of my kitchen in Pensacola.  I can deal with one bathroom, and even smaller closet space than before.  Brad and I are both organized and we can both be minimalists.  (Brad would probably disagree with this; my version of "minimal" is just not the same is his.)The reason I say "downsizing stinks" is because we don't have easy access to our stuff!  Some examples: We cannot find the lids to any of my pots and pans.  My favorite hurricane to use on our dining table is missing in action.  Brad's favorite coffee mug is stored somewhere.  I won't be doing a lot of Christmas decorating, to avoid getting all of it out.

We talked all of this out before leaving town, and I labeled as many things as possible for the movers: the china cabinet and bookshelves were marked "storage;" we moved anything we wanted access to out of the guest bedroom and let them store everything in there; etc.  The movers were great to mark things appropriately, but I think that things like lids and small pyrex dishes were put into boxes with other items to take up space... now I can't find them.  Poor Brad had our storage area organized so well until I made him take it all down to help me hunt for these silly lids!  We never found them, but Missy lent us a couple of hers to borrow.

I forgot how much I love the location of this street, though.  We can walk around the corner to wonderful restaurants and a coffee shop.  We are less than a mile from a great park and library and more shops and food.  Everything is so convenient.  We are considering rethinking where we want to buy when it comes time for that!

Other things to note: the dreaded Stomach Bug attacked on our way out of town.  Literally as the movers were loading our truck, Addison threw up.  Later that day, as I was driving up here, I felt worse and worse, and wanted to die by the time I was in Birmingham.  (You would to if you came that close to barfing in a stall in Wal-Mart on Lakeshore Drive... not exactly the cleanest toilet to be crouched over, if you know what I mean.)  Brad and Bob have thankfully avoided it, but the Bug still plagues Missy in Pensacola and me here in Birmingham.  A is getting acclimated to her new room and our home... the rainy weather today has forced that a little.  She suddenly says "gank oo" (or Thank you, in English) any time you hand her something - so sweet!  She and I tried out story time at the Homewood Library... she made it through one story, but is a little rambunctious for more than that.

Brad is ready to start work tomorrow!  He is excited to get re acclimated to Dawson and the Rec Center.  A and I are looking for some pre-Thanksgiving projects to keep us busy in our new little home!  Any ideas???