Adjusting to Stationary Lifestyle in Tennessee

The next day after closing on the house, I asked my friend to help out yet again moving, and finally after over 2 years of keeping my things in boxes, it was time to unpack. With three small bedrooms, I had more space than ever before, so unpacking went smoothly in less than a week. I realized quickly that my first order of business was to order two beds with mattresses so that I didn't have to sleep on my 3 inch mattress I used back in Knoxville (although that arrangement worked just find for me). I ordered a medium-firm and a firm mattresses of different sizes to fit my small bedrooms. It was odd having a brand new bed to sleep on.

I started noticing sounds around the house. The dog next door yapped in the high pitch voice at least several times a day with the owners not bringing it in; the traffic noise from cars driving by was higher than expected for the subdivision, especially during the morning and evening rush hour; the house made odd cracking noise in the evening as the temperature dropped down. Most of these were annoyances that I would ultimately get over except for the yapping dog. After a few attempts talking to the owner who said they could not be bothered shutting the dog up, I accepted my fate of living with a noisy neighbor's dog, yet again.

I changed the location of my room three times (well, I have 3 bedrooms). I started out with the master that faced out to the road and the neighbor's dog across the street, then I moved to the bedroom across at the back of the house only to realize that my other neighbor likes to drag metal things at midnight occasionally. I settled in the smallest bedroom of the house located between the other guest bedroom and the kitchen. Also, there was a fan in this bedroom, hence, the final decision. I had to downsize to a full size bed and left the queen one in the master bedroom. Small spaces appeal to me, they make everything feel cozier.

I started gardening pretty much right after I moved in. I ordered 13 trees to plant in the back and front yards, 3 peaches, 7 apples, 2 pears and 1 plum. I made 4 raised beds and planted a variety of vegetables from tomatoes to peppers. The harvest was the best I have ever produced, although there were quite a few failures.

I learned that it takes garlic a long time to grow, and that onion needs well-draining soil.

Cucumbers (after blight set in), tomatoes and jalapeño peppers

This is the only corn that I got from my 7 plants - fail!

Beautiful cucumbers before blight set in

Tomato plants - only 4 plants total, but produce a bunch of tomatos!

One yellow squash, he just survived. So far produced 2 fruit with 2 more on the way.

I bought a ton of furniture in the first month, but tried to keep the house minimalistic as I like it. I bought my first book, "Flour Water Salt Yeast" to make a variety of breads, I caulked the bathroom, replaced the kitchen faucet and stained the deck, bought a bike, planted succulents that ultimately died and got at least 10 estimates on the basement renovation which I never completed - all that in just a few months.

I started looking for my community, like-minded people who might be outliers among the mass in the area. I began volunteering for a local animal rescue farm and even joined a young professionals group realizing that I no longer belong there. 

The need to travel never goes away though; the desire to live in a small place with limited expenses is still there. Perhaps I am taking a break and ultimately will continue with nomadic lifestyle in the next few years, but for now I need to start enjoying the routine, relative stability and Kitty's satisfaction with my house choice. Heck, I bought a house for my cat!