Making A House A Home

We didn’t bring much to Hong Kong except our clothes and an adventurous spirit. I brought mostly kitchen items: some dishes, glasses, silverware, wine bottle opener, a few bowls, that lovely coffee pot which blew up and whatever I thought we might need to get started. I packed big bath towels to fit our big American bodies. You see I wasn’t sure if the bath towels would be the same size as Chinese bodies and there’s nothing worse than a tiny little towel. I loaded up on toiletries like soap, shampoo, creams and lotions since our freckly, sensitive skin may not tolerate whatever brands they sell in HK. I also brought some over the counter medicines just in case, but definitely didn’t prepare for the allergy issues I would have. So if anyone wants to send me some Zyrtec I would forever be indebted to you!

The one thing I didn’t bring was those things that make a house a home. Nothing of sentimental value from our travels did I think to pack. No watercolors from Germany, no masks from Africa, no pots from New Mexico, nothing to make our home feel like us. I mistakenly thought I would fill my apartment with items from our new travels and new life. But that takes time. 

Now I did bring some photos of our children and I must admit that although they’re certainly not the best quality I treasure each one. I also brought my wooden bear from Alaska since, according to my sons, I am the ultimate “Mama Bear” of the family, but that was it. One small wooden bear that marks this as home. So I desperately needed a few things to warm the place up.

I went with one of my girlfriends to Queen’s Road East in search of some vases and basically anything that might strike my fancy. We went in and out of frame shops, furniture stores, and drapery shops. We squeezed into little closet sized stores with everything from porcelain vases to wood carvings to Buddha statues. I bought sofa pillows, an end table (which we carried down the street, up an escalator and into a taxi), a table runner and 2 beautiful batiks. 

One of the batiks was rather large, 3’ x 6’ feet, and we thought it would make a fantastic wall hanging. It was deep blue, green and red with Chinese dragons, water and fire. It had great feng shui. The price was incredible and, according to Kay, all I needed to do was sew a hem in each end, insert a bamboo rod and ta da - art! Well of course I could do that. I’ve sewn quilts, costumes and clothes back home. No problem.


But this is Hong Kong and of course nothing happens easily. I know where I can buy a needle and thread, but bamboo rods are you kidding? I’ve certainly never seen Home Depot or Lowe’s and even just a little hardware store sounds like a delusion. So that is how we ended up in Wan Chai market on Saturday afternoon.

Kay’s husband had been told about a store that carried everything from small steam pots to sewing kits to baskets. They had already been there to explore and yes they had found bamboo poles. They agreed to meet us on the street and take us to the store. Because how do you give directions in Wan Chai market.? Do you say go down past the live fish that may flop out at your feet, continue beyond the pigs’ snots and hooves, then just across the road from the goats’ heads is the store? I don’t think so.

We made it to the store and in the very back past the dirty pots and a tortoise shell cat were the bamboo poles. Kay and I selected the straightest one, measured it with the tape measure that for some reason I did bring to Hong Kong,  and she ever so nicely convinced them to cut it for us. I had my bamboo rods. Now all I have to do is start my sewing and get ready to make this house our home.