Four of Six

Our shipment of household effects from Jordan arrived at our home the same day as our unaccompanied air freight from Ballston. I took the day off from work. They originally told us the shipment would arrive at 9:00 a.m. then very late the night before, they informed my office that the sea shipment actually hadn't cleared customs yet and would be delayed until the afternoon. The fact 40 foot containers are not allowed to drive into central Colombo added a couple of hours. So the truck didn't actually arrive until 3:00, the same time as the air shipment. When it rains it pours.

I shouldn't complain though. We've never received our shipments this quickly. For example, in Brazil it was ten weeks before our air shipment arrived and three months before our household effects! 

Because of the afternoon arrival they were only able to deliver four of six lift van's which ended up being a welcome relief. Still it felt like a storm surge of cardboard. Elise and I were already feeling overwhelmed. We looked at the pile of boxes having no idea where to even begin putting things. Especially since our house -- as big as it is -- has no closets. 

In the photo above (in which Clem is included to provide scale) you can see the three story atrium wall I want to build a rock wall on. Elise hasn't totally nixed the idea. Though she has admitted she's not entirely comfortable installing a top rope in our house. 

We spent the entirety of Saturday putting things away. I've never climbed as many stairs as I did yesterday. 

Forgotten treasures discovered in boxes.