My View on the World from my Living Room

This...


...is one of the many reasons I'm filled with gratitude for my new home. This was the stunning sunset view from my balcony one evening this week. And in moments like that I'm aware, yet again of how very lucky a child I am...to have eyes to see, to have incredible exposure to brilliant sights, to have found a not only safe, but beautiful and inspiring home, to have a heavenly artist who likes to make unique sky-spanning masterpieces every morning and every evening for those who remember to look up now and then....

Sigh...life is, indeed, (mostly) good. Sure there's rubbish and evil a-plenty. My heart is aching for the mess in Sudan right now...among other tragedies. BUT, there is a surprising amount of goodness all around us. And moments of frivolous joy - like looking out on a sunset like this.

In other news of being pleasantly surprised by goodness, my new housemate, who I happened upon through a random connection, and met for all of 15 minutes before we decided to live together, happens to have a startling number of lifestyle and value similarities to me. And on top of that, she bakes fresh bread on weekends, and makes steaming porridge with raisins in the morning with enough for me too, and delicious Hungarian mushroom stews on spiced rice... I'm spoiled. The former tenant is letting us keep most of his furniture, dishes, and a beautiful selection of hand-me-down plants, including a gorgeous orange tree and an orchid! So we've moved into an already lovely home, and feel very much blessed to be at home, unhomeless, 'homeful', at rest... for a good while.

Last night we hosted a housewarming and invited the sum of each of our acquaintances. Frankly, I hadn't thought we knew enough people to have a housewarming party, but it turns out, she's more of a social butterfly than I am..and I must be relatively friendly too as I knew nearly half of the people. We had a full house of good people engaged in animated conversation, sipping fine beverages and snacking on fresh-baked goodies (my housemate again), olives, Hungarian sausage, and other tasty delicacies. It was delightful, and very affirming to have a lovely home filled with lovely people.

And I'm excited about this opportunity to be a full-fledged city-dweller in the heart of Europe. A new life experience in the global living spectrum for me. I happen to have found a flat in one of the hippest neighbourhoods in Brussels. Within 50 steps of my front door, I can go for a coffee and a croissant, get fresh bread or fancy pastries at the bakery, pick up food at the supermarket, buy stylin' shoes and clothing, eat hand-made ice cream, catch the tram, or... visit a variety of odd little shops (Brussels has a plethora of odd highly specialized shops. For example, if you need a button...you could probably find a "button shop".)

Here's the view straight down from my balcony on the happenin' street below (which, I admit doesn't look all that happening in this photo. You'll have to take my word for it - or the next photo is a little more convincing):



And it looks very charming in black and white (there's the tram in the middle):


But I'm not entirely sure that deep within I'm really cut out to be a city girl. I do love walking and cycling everywhere, and the access to cultural events and social activities. But I need to touch dirt and make things grow and commune with plants and animals every now and then. And thus, I'm inspired to use my ample balcony space to start a potted garden. I have big dreams...herbs, lettuces, tomatoes and flowers for sure, and I've read you can even grow beans, carrots and potatoes in pots. So we'll see how successful my mini-farm will be. While the thought of having some balcony chickens did cross my mind (I miss my Juba chickies - 2 of whom, I'm happy to report have made it through chickhood!), I think I'll not go quite that for. But I am seriously considering starting a vermiculture farm. Ok, yes, that's just a very fancy word for a box full of worms that eat your garbage. But, really, how cool is that? - worms that live happily, uncomplaining and unsmelling in a small space and transform your waste food products into organic fertilizer for your balcony veggie pots? Well...I think it's cool. And thus, I intend to meld my city and country beings into one Kendrah.


Cheers to one week in the new home I've been blessed with.

...And one more look at the view that inspires me to do a little dance on my balcony singing "chim chim'ney, chim chim'ney, chim chim charoo" from Mary Poppins.