About 10 years ago we offered a friend a place to live during the week while he commuted from his home in Louisville to teach classes at a local university in northern Kentucky. Isaac was an easy guest. He often cooked, brought international friends to visit through the exchange programs he organized, and even bought a bed and other bedroom niceties to help make his bedroom feel like home.

Well, Isaac has gotten a Fulbright to teach in Norway for a year and thus has moved out. So has his bed. This is fine but now we have quite a big hole in the middle of the bedroom. (We of course got rid of extra beds during our “give away year.” This is not a huge problem, but it does illustrate the other side of giving stuff away – Someday I might want an item that I gave away in a fit of generosity. We’re expecting some Korean guests next month and the floor is fine with them; in fact they prefer it. But other visitors have more American tastes. So, we’re looking.

PS: But we’ve found a car. You may remember that about two months ago our car died. We’ve been living on borrowed cars till a week ago. For all those who have been holding their breath wondering what kind of car we would decide on, the decision has been made. It wasn’t without angst, but after almost buying a used gas combustion car, we found a good deal on a hybrid and are now happy to report that our values and car are in sync. (Not that a high mpg Toyota Corolla would have been a bad choice, I just feel better about supporting the movement to less gas consuming, polluting vehicles.