The windy city

Now I know why my neighbours chain their dogs down- it is soooo windy out there that they would just fly through the air like Dorothy's house if it wasn't for the anchorage the kennels provide. Today is a public holiday here in Korea- Arbor Day- when, by rights, I should be out planting trees. I had a rather more modest idea of going for a short hike. Which was later changed to going to the beach. Further modification led to me going no further than just outside my front door to put the trash out.

Shame.

Ah well. Woke up feeling not in the mood for exercise and noticed the wind outside. It looked to me like a nasty day to be out in the sand and dust. So I decided to stay in and start the packing. Packing, packing, packing, sometimes my life seems full of boxes and rucksacks. To be fair, I haven't moved house in just over a year though I have been mentally putting things into boxes for months now so it was actually something of a relief to start in reality. Also there was no water coming out of the taps. I thought that I might have to go to a mate's house for a shower but he sounded in no fit state for a visitor, though said it would be fine. I was relieved when the water started flowing again after a few hours.

Time to get on with the packing. I started gently enough with removing everything from my door. Maybe that sounds a little strange but the restaurants around here often stick magnets on the doors to advertise their menu and I collect them. The doors are made of metal so I use them to hang my photos and things from the door

Once I had made a start I just couldn't stop. I went into a throwing away frenzy. I have filled four bags of rubbish today (the legitmate bags that I pay money for) and several carrier bags (strictly illegal and it wasn't me) not to mention the four bags that Tania just left here with.

I had been packing for a couple of hours before calling Tania to cancel the beach date. She failed to keep the relief out of her voice and offered to come over. Turns out that she is even more of a squirrel than me:

'Books, yes, would love them... are you throwing away those singing Buddhist monk toys.... I'll take the pens and pencils... lovely, notebooks and post-it notes, just what I was looking for... empty yoghurt pot and mouldy orange, couldn't refuse really...'

and I know that she still has her eye on my computer speakers and table.

I have packed a box of stuff to go home to my mother's house. Packed up books to go to various destinations. And stuffed loads of things into the wardrobe to deal with later. Tania then rather patiently sat and watched as I moped through old photos and mini-videos from days gone by and basically talked about 'the good old days' of six months ago. And laughed at me as I compulsively packed and moved things, took down half of my photos and she tried to sneak the beanbag out of the door.... the last bit might have been a lie.

Pizza was delivered to the door so there was no need to get far away. Or any way away at all. Despite the wind it has been a wonderfully warm day so we have had the windows open all day. I feel like there isn't much left to do. How I am going to fill the next two weeks?? I should feel sad about not spending my day off out and about but I guess that I did at least do something productive- downsizing all my possessions and sending them off with Tania for starters.

Apparently, outside my house it was Spring but I didn't really benefit from that

Back to work tomorrow for another eight working days.