Settling--Round 2

I have been in my "new" apartment for almost 5 months now and am getting a real feel for my traffic patterns in this space.  When I moved in, I bought the necessities: a bed to sleep in, a refrigerator to keep my food from spoiling, a stove on which to cook , a table for eating and a desk on which to write.  I confess to buying things in a bit of a whirlwind visit to IKEA.  Jason so very kindly drove the truck I rented to Toulouse, but we were under a bit of a time crunch; there were not spare minutes to dally and dream.

Maybe that was a good thing, because it made decision making fast and clean.  And I have been remarkably pleased with that day's purchases and the frustration associated with assembling the "box springs" and the tedious chore of getting rid of all that cardboard is a distant memory.  I am happy with the rather Spartan way I live. 

Now I am in round 2.  I finally bit the bullet and ordered a microwave and a cart on which to place it.  It will look cute in the kitchen and will make heating leftovers more energy efficient (and result in lower electric bills). These two items are due to be delivered early this week.  I am looking for a coffee table, as people are coming to visit now, and I need a place for them to set their coffee cups or wineglasses as we indulge in conversation.  (I finally did get some real wineglasses and some water glasses that mat, so I can now offer refreshments.)  I picked up a great print for the kitchen while in a Montolieu book store two Sundays ago. The print is titled La Cantiniere (the uniformed woman who  provided refreshments to the French military.)  She carries a wine bottle and wears a little cask--brandy probably. 

Now where to place them?

My art has arrived.  I will need a new frame for my favorite watercolor landscape, but when I unpacked it and saw it intact, my heart went "thunk" just as it did on the day I bought it forty years ago.  Now I need to decide where things should hang.  My books and CD's are on their way here and I will need to get some bookcases to hold them.  (That's what the consignment shops are for!!!) Soon enough I will be so cozy in my nest that I will never want to leave it.  

I am looking for a little additional seating in the living room..  My heart went thunk when I viewed the pink loveseat.  Pink!!!??!! This is going to take some real thought.  My friend Shelley, who lives up the street, when her job allows her time to come to Carcassonne, agrees that it will work. It is  unlike the things I think I should buy.  But honestly, I have never been happier with purchases than I am when I listen to that "thunk":  a buttermint yellow recliner, a red refrigerator, a Dennis Frings watercolor I really couldn't afford....and maybe now, a pink sofa? 

Thunk!