This evening, while I was out, I stopped to pick up some Thyme and Oregano. I had to marvel at how nice it is that that's all we needed at home.

Over the last five years, I've gained a new appreciation for the effort it takes to build a life, having had to do so from scratch twice in that time. When I arrived both in Vienna and then San Francisco, I had nothing but suitcases of clothes.

In time, in both places, I/we acquired what was necessary for a household, and it's so easy to take for granted things like shampoo, a bed, twisty-ties, a computer monitor, or a screwdriver.

When on every trip out-of-the-house, you have to think about what essentials are still missing, it's nice that the day comes that all you need is some Thyme and Oregano.