Unpacking, Just In Time

We received our new bookcases this week. When we arrived in Tunis in September, I dragged DH out shopping and we hit every furniture store we could find looking for bookshelves. I even memorized the French words for both bookshelves and bookcases so I could ask at every showroom. No joy.

Finally, we broke down and asked one of the locals to go with us. As soon as she realized what we wanted, she took us to a shop that builds to order. The guy came out to the house and measured the spaces, then we placed an order for five bookshelves. Two tall ones and three shorter ones.

What sold me on this carpenter was the funky modern design. He made these bookcases with slanted shelves that were just fun. They really appeal to my sense of the absurd. A little costly, but they'd do the job.

My theory is that we can place these anywhere in whatever house we're living in. I knew it wouldn't be the only bookcases we'd need, but I figured it would be a start. I planned to put these in the dining room to extend my storage for barware and decorative stuff as well as some of DH's business books.

They turned out great. Really solid, excellent finish and very sturdy. I can see handing these down to my grandkids.

So, I dragged in the boxes of glassware and decorative stuff that had been clogging up my front hallway and went to town. I unpacked and set up the bookshelves. And they look great! I probably need a couple more to hold paperbacks, but I won't be ordering them in Tunis, that's going to have to wait. Because we're moving again. The packers are coming on the 28th of this month to box us up, again. Word on the street is that we have a 50%-50% shot of landing in Dubai or Houston, but all people in the know are leaning toward Dubai. Either way, just about the time I get settled in here, I need to pack up and move again.

Oh well. Remining flexible is my new watchword.

--Sandee Wagner