To yurt, or not to yurt, is today's anxiety

I am going to live in a yurt (the traditional felt tent of the Mongols). I am going to erect it in the back yard, just over form the compost bin and not too close to the garden shed. When I am tired of the view I may move to the other side of my yard. Variety is the spice of life after all. That way I can minimize my household, and no longer have to take responsibility for the possessions that we have accumulated in a 30 year marriage that has produced three children.

I will come into the house to use the bathroom and dishwasher. And maybe to watch television and use the computer. Aside from that…oh and the laundry … I revoke my house usage.

The open life for me. My family may visit me, as long as they promise not to bring any odd pieces of paper, store catalogues, junk mail, old magazines, research notes for a degree completed in 1992 or the 7th draft of their latest job application.

I have tried adopting the “one new thing in, one old thing out” but my husband refuses to go. Just joking . The theory of buy a new thing, discard an item that you already own, should work well. How to choose though? Like for like? A skirt for a skirt? What if I love all my skirts, and wear them on a regular basis? An item for an item? A skirt for that disgusting bright orange blown glass vase that we got as a wedding present, in 1977? But what if the relative that gave it to us visits and it is nowhere to be seen? Could I handle the family rift on top of all my other anxieties?

The yurt (pronounced ger, by the way) seems like the best possible solution to me. No decisions to make about “stuff” and if I am lucky no one will notice where I am for a day or two.

What has brought on this desire to abandon all? The pest control man is coming on Friday. He is going to open all my cupboards to search for white ants/borers. I am going to be socially embarrassed in front of someone I do not know and will probably never see again. Why does it worry me? Why should I care? I don’t know, but it does. However at the same time it doesn’t motivate me to go to Olympian efforts to turn my house upside down and declutter on a major scale. I will just wallow in my own physical and psychological mess yearning for the elusive yurt..