So I normally blog about writing, but today I’m not. I’m tired. I’ve been reading about writing, writing about writing, and researching writing a ton lately and I’m getting to that point where I might just end up like this crazy chick:
So what am I going to blog about? Moving.
As I stated in my last post, I just moved from Japan back to the states. It’s been an emotional ride for many reasons, but we’re now getting settled and it’s really exciting. What is the first thing I wanted to do when we moved in? PAINT. We rented before we lived in Japan, and then were in an apartment, so I never had the opportunity to paint. But we finally bought our own place for the first time, and I was chomping at the bit to get in there and go wild with color.
Okinawa was really an amazing place to live, but it is SO different from the states. Think of Okinawa as the Hawaii of Japan. It’s more laid back, a little more run down and hippie-ish. There are buildings and pavement everywhere, so sucks for you if you like trees. Alleys in Japan are a labyrinth of skinny one-way passageways that lead to who knows where. But the ocean! Oh, the ocean is absolutely beautiful, and I got to live with it right outside my window. Here are some pics of our tiny Japanese apartment:
Yup, that was our building. Not fancy, but very typical of the area. Everything was made of concrete to withstand typhoons; and let me tell you, these puppies won’t budge for an-y-thing.
Now for inside (these were taken shortly after we moved in 4 years ago):
Nothing special. But LOOK at what I got to see every single day:
Oh, how I miss it. It made up for all the ugly cream wallpaper and complete lack of storage space. It was great for us at that time in our lives. But we had a kid. Kids grow out of things like toys, cribs, changing tables… You have to have a place to put all that stuff, and the Japanese do not believe in storage closets.
When we got back to the states we really wanted GRASS and SPACE. Not a ton, but enough. So here is what we have now:
Look at all those beautiful trees in the background! And the grass! And the mulch! You don’t know how much you love it all until you’ve lived without it for four years.
So what did I do as soon as we moved in? You guessed it. This is my son’s room and my very first painting project ever:
It came out exactly like I pictured it in my head! After that we got started on painting the living room:
So I got a little of it out of my system. But I’m not done yet. I still have lots of damage to do. 🙂
Anyway, I just wanted to share what other projects I have going on in my life right now. Lots of fun, but lots of work!
Ciao!
2 Comments
Love the little one's room! Nice to meet you too 🙂
Love the colors! And your house is too cute! Congrats on finally getting to paint. 😀