
The Laurie House near the River is going to be changing hands this month. Interestingly, the comments on the blog tended to lean toward taking the essentials. I polled the Yahoo forum for expatriates. too. Their comments favored shipping most of my household goods. As a solitary sojourner in Central America, I have decided that shipping the majority of my goods will have to be postponed, or more likely, permanently dispersed in the US through donations, sales, etc.
I am going to be traveling in Central America in the upcoming new year to pursue training in missions, so the need for a household of furnishings is naught for now. And, some of my Louisiana acquisitions are impractical for the climate here. A white sofa and a stuffed wildcat seem incompatible with the dust and humidity of Honduras.
I may store my furniture for awhile in my Grandfather's barn. Anytime after March my things will deteriorate rapidly due to our torrid, subtropical climate. Or, I can use the family's hunting camp's shed in Clinton, Louisiana. If that sounds familiar to you, Clinton is the site for the filming of HBO's series, True Blood. I am not concerned about vampires reposing on my furniture for furtive daytime naps, but I am concerned about poachers and villagers breaking into the compound. (Incidentally, the world's best fried chicken can be found in Clinton, Louisiana. It's worth the trip, even if you have to traverse farm roads in redneck country. It's past the geographical line separating Cajuns and Rednecks. It's way up north, right above Baton Rouge.)
The top 10 list:
1. Mattress topper. I like sleeping on a feather-bed topper. And pillows, too.
2. Magnalite cast iron pots and skillet. Every Cajun has at least one Magnalite. I have a friend who lost everything in a fire, except her Magnalite stockpot. She is very spiritual about that pot. Magnalite cookware, we believe, have mystical qualities that render gumbo and jambalaya into culinary masterpieces.
3. Quality glasses and silverware. And maybe the china I got dirt cheap from a consignment sale.
4. Books. As a solitary sojourner in life, writers are my friends. I miss Bailey White, Lillian Hellman, Walker Percy, Rick Bragg, the Bronte sisters, as well the rest of the authors on the shelf waiting for my homecoming.
5. Good sheets and towels. You may think they are expensive in the US. Come to Honduras, and check out the prices. After you fall out in a faint, you will never question me again about this topic.
6. A few pieces of art, such as my Audubon print and brass jazz musicians. I am tired of magnolias, so they may hit the road and find a place in some friend's home.
7. My entire wall of dead relatives. Portraits of deceased relatives are on display in the toile room of my house. They are coming to Honduras. Curiously enough, the only relatives who fall off the wall with regularity (I have plaster walls) are the relatives with dubious life histories. My maternal grandmother, bless her heart, has never left her post above the day bed. One potrtait next to the window seat has fallen so many times, his glass has cracked.
8. The toile quilt and drapes are coming, too, because a dear friend made them. I want a reminder of her craftsmanship and fidelity. Maybe the Queen Anne chair, too. Upholstered in pink stripes to match the toile. Very southern, feminine, and fussy stuff.
9. Assorted electronics. I need the DVD, Ipod converter, TV speakers, and probably a huge plastic box of wires and cords.
10. I am sure I will know what the last item will be when I see it. Right now I can't think of what else I need for life and happiness, since I have lived here 2 and 1/2 years without all of that stuff anyway.
Soon, I will say goodbye to my new beloved New Orleans. Dented and bruised from Katrina, she's still a beauty to me.
