Eco Hunting

M and I are anxiously waiting for 14 August to come by. That's when our current apartment will be "officially" sold to the expat Chinese family who has already placed an option on our current apartment.

Having said that, we will then have 45 days to sort out our next permanent home. One that will be our home on this island even when we eventually decide to move where our global nomadic needs call.

We have shortlisted 2 apartments which we have grown to love. It's not love at first sight (like with our current apartment). But more of the fuzzy feeling each time I look at the floor plans and my head runs away, imagining of what our new home will be like.

It's exciting times.

We have our girls' (Nadine and our fur-children) interest: (1) no to the apartment we viewed which is flanked by 2 continuously barking canines (imagine how much more the dogs will bark with our fur-children around being the curious furballs that they are); (2) close to my sister's so that she can help out with Nadine and the fur-balls when we need; (3) walking distance to the playground so that Nadine can have room to play with the other kids in the neighbourhood to interract and grow socially.

We are also at the same time on the hunt for a tried and tested general contractor. (Recommendations anyone?) One who understands our whims and crazy ideas. One who will not think we've lost our heads when we say, we may want to go with (1) concrete slabs or (2) linoleum as our flooring option.

That's our craziest idea so far.

The flooring option.

I can already picture my mom shaking her head when I tell her that we've gone for linoleum (if we have). Her first reaction would probably be of whether we have run out of cash to get a better and proper tile flooring seeing how linoleum carries with it a reputation of being a dingy home mainstay in the 70s. I'd probably shrug to her (and everyone else's) misconception.

Fact is, linoleum is biodegradable and does not emit toxic fumes. It's stain and fade resistant as well as being easy to clean (all plus points when you have 2 cats and a soon to be toddler running about the home!). Of course, it all depends on whether our feet likes the feel of walking on linoleum and whether our eyes are pleased with the array of design and colour palette available in the market now.

But hey, our dream of building an eco-friendly home is slowly taking shape.