Welcome to Writing in Company. Each week I share some words and a writing prompt, meant to be jumping-off points for you to write about what matters. Use the prompts however you like—to journal, to draft thoughts for your own writing project, as meditation or prayer ideas, or for another creative endeavor. You can always look back through the archive for more ideas. Grab your pen and paper, and let your words loose on the page.
Today marks one week in our new house/new town/new everything, and so far, so good! We are living in a church-owned house. We’ve always called those a parsonage (in my husband’s Methodist tradition) or manse (in my Presbyterian one.) This is a Methodist house and came with his new appointment, but in a charming twist, we think this church calls it the Clergy House. They have been hard at work sprucing up the well-loved 70’s–vintage space (new paint, new kitchen floor, a yeoman’s amount of yard work, and more) and we’ve been trying to figure out how to use all the space here.
That, and find things. Here’s the current situation in my home office:
I did find the dog, but I keep moving her water bowl and crate so she is confused. She follows me from room to room, both of us a little lost and disoriented by new smells and no routine.
Our silverware was lost for four days.1 While we had packed most of the house and the kitchen, the movers packed the last bits for us, and I was pretty sure that included the utensils we use every day. I kept unpacking kitchen boxes, and it wasn’t in any of them. I found all the baking dishes, the appliances, the glassware, the plates, the ever-breeding water bottles and coffee mugs. I found the junk drawer, the kitchen towels, the cutting boards, and the tupperware. I even found the random kitchen things I never know whether to keep: the egg slicer, the cheese knife with the marble handle, the mixer attachments, and the funnel that came from the auto supply aisle. But I found no forks.
Kind church folks brought us dinner for the first week and included plastic utensils, but I started getting worried on day three. What if the lost mystery box was buried in the storage room? What if it was in a random room with the label turned to the wall, and I would have to move every single box to unearth it? What if it was simply gone, like that box with our digital photo frame that never did show up after that one move?
I looked in every room, and unpacked every kitchen box, creating a towering mountain of packing paper. I got to the last one labeled “plastic cups/bowls.” Underneath the five plastic cups we own, and a set of stainless mixing bowls, was our silverware tray. It’s beautiful and I never realized it before.
I have thoughts about how the box was labeled by our packer. But she was fabulous, and nothing was broken which was the main thing. Plus, whining about my missing spoons is such a privileged annoyance that I am tempted to delete all of this.
It does make me wonder: What are your essentials? Not the spiritual–emotional–inner peace essentials like forgiveness, or art, or the dog at your feet. I don’t even mean the valuable/important items like the lockbox or jewelry, or the sentimental items you move in your own car.
I mean: What are the essentials for everyday life in your home? What would you put in the Unpack First box? What should you put on the box labeled in capital letters, with stars and arrows and stickers on every side, so you can watch it be unloaded in the right place, and have what you need?
a writing prompt
Make a list of the ordinary, everyday items you have used today. Start with waking up (sheets, pillow, coffeemaker, spoon) and go from there.
Choose one essential item, and write more about it.
Or, imagine what you would do if you couldn’t find it/use it/replace it for four days, or ever….
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It’s not silver, but that’s what I’ve always called it….you might call it flatware or cutlery.
I'm glad you are getting settled. Moving is tough, but you are experienced!
Oh, I love the prompts that start with a list!
I’m glad you found your silverware and hope you feel settled soon.