Monday, November 7, 2011

Snapshots: Our Flat

while i was intimidated at first, i've started running again. dunedin's natural landscape has been described as an "amphitheatre"- all hills around the bay. it's been nearly 4 months since i last went for a run, but it seems my hip flexor is back in fighting action (fingers crossed). the hills, combined with my lack of fitness, have made my slower than slow pace leave me completely breathless in no time at all. 

but breathless is good (not for my pride). it means I'm getting a great workout. barring that i don't overdo it and get injured, i might come home a better runner than ever. MAYBE i'll even be able to do grouse grind without wanting to throw myself down the side of it after the first 1/4. 

we'll see.

another challenge has been nesting at the hostel. very few girls have lived on site. the last guy who lived here had left fish in the freezer that had thawed enough to leak juices and then said juices froze to the walls of the freezer. despite all the cleaning and the fresh coat of paint on the walls, our home away from home for the next 8 months needed a woman's touch. after i disinfected every dish, surface and handle in the place- as well as defrosted the freezer and drenched it in vanilla extract (which is supposed to help get out any fishy smell left in a cooler), i began spreading out our stuff. i brought a couple things form home with the intention of using it to nest, but due to the weight limits (we actually managed to stick very close to the 60lb weight limit per person- scotty accounted for about 15 lbs of the allotted 120). 

the bathroom: a toothbrush shelf also makes a great necklace hanger. the tiny shells are from fiji. i made a wish every time i came across one on the beach.

the kitchen: the only frivolous purchase i've made since leaving Canada. i spotted it in a vintage shop in town. i absolutely melted, but held off on buying it for an entire week just to be sure i really wanted it. 

the kitchen: one of a kind art is the best kind of art


the bedroom: thank martha stewart for the tissue paper pom pom. already secured a public library card. i like anything free. i'm teaching myself crochet- i'm in the land of wool,  i'd be a fool not to take advantage.


the living room portion of the bedroom: chair and table stolen from the common rooms

the bathroom: disney paris themed. i'm making a hanging abstract art installation over the toilet out of found objects (so far i have yarn, magazine clippings on wire, and cut up plastic pop bottle)- i'll call it "the magpie nest" (the magpies here like to steal windshield wiper blades off parked cars).

i've managed to make it feel nice and homey for less than $15. it's amazing how far you can get by stealing pretty much everything you need.

1 comment: