Mokciknab Mahu Meubel

My house, which I think is the smallest house on Jalan Sutan Syahrir, has three and a half baths - one cavernous one in the room at the back, with aquamarine tiles and a large corner tub, a rather dreary one somewhere in the middle of a dark passage, a small cute one in the front bedroom, and a powder room just off the living area. For some reason, the powder room gets the most usage. My maid and the kids take showers in this miniscule space, using the spray thingy by the toilet, and in the process sending soapy water seeping into the living room.

The point must be, we are not used to having a lot of space. (The other point must be, we're peasants)

The house is modest, but still larger than our two-storey link in Damansara Kim. My youngest daughter Aliya has been amusing herself by walking around the outside of house - she'd exit through our bedroom's small porch, and then she'd walk in through the kitchen door, which is on the other side of the building, at all times of the day, even at night. Meanwhile, Adam and Aiysha live permanently in the water, climbing out of the pool only to eat and pee. Oh, and Saiffuddin and I have also tried the pool. Yes.

We're happy with the house -- it's just the right size and it has character. But, it doesn't have our character just yet. The only furniture we have right now are spring beds, a teak dining table with two long benches (which I love), and a blue folding chair we got from Carrefour, on which Adam placed the laptop. The TV sits on two polystyrene foam blocks which came with the packaging. The wicker furniture which we bought in Kemang months ago would only arrive next week. (The shop owner told us her factory was hit by earthquake, and though it is entirely possible she sold our set to another customer, I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt). Just as I predicted, our clothes are still in boxes and in luggage, and it's impossible to find anything. I have been wearing the same bra since the day I arrived because I have no idea where all my undergarments are.

So it's obvious we need to buy stuff, like storage and places to sit. Yesterday, my dear friend Lindy became the first visitor to our house, and horrified by our lack of furniture, sent us two sets of her used sofa and chairs. Within an hour of her leaving, a small pickup rolled into our driveway, a feat considering Jakarta traffic. We put the upholstered three-seater and club chairs in the living room so that the kids don't have to lie on the cold floor while watching Spongebob, and the rattan set we put on the terrace, so that my husband has a place to sit in the evening, while he smokes and complains about work. It'll do for the moment, but soon, soon I'll need to visit Klender and Pondok Bambu and Ciputat for the stuff I'd want for keeps.

With a highly exhaustible bank account, admittedly it'll be a challenge. But shopping is a sport, and this is one event I intend to start very quickly. So if you don't hear from me in the next couple of days, you know I'd be in some small, dark shop, breathing in sawdust, sweating in the humid Jakarta weather, haggling over prices. Oh, and I'd be loving it.

mokciknab muttered at 11:16 am ~ ~