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Thursday
Nov012007
One
November 1, 2007
Well, today is November 1st, Moving Day and also the first day of that thing people do where they post every day for the month. I don't post every day, as you may have noticed. Some people already post every day. Good people like blackbird. But me, I thought, hey! It'll be fun.
Little did I know.
I think this upcoming month may be one of the busiest of my life. Good busy, but crazy busy. So, we'll see how my posting every day goes. I have the best intentions, of course.
So, today is Moving Day. And I'm still here, after an insane week of packing and sorting and purging and burning and cleaning. Do any of you clean under your couches? You really should, because then you won't be like me and be embarrassed when people pick them up and put them in the truck and it looks like a littered beach has been left behind on your floor. A beach littered with small toys. But who has time to move their furniture?
A bunch of stuff, including all seven pieces of our furniture and all of our strange instruments, are on the truck. It says a lot about us that about half of our belongings are cameras and the other half are odd musical instruments. We have more antique cameras than a camera dealer. But anyways. Some people collect Thomas Kincade, we collect Russian medium format cameras.
A whole lot of stuff is waiting for me to continue sorting it. We really are in the middle of this, right now.
I have survived without having a heart attack, and Renee, who is also packing to move, is just barely surviving without having a nervous breakdown. I had to look at her quite sternly yesterday and say, "Renee, you need to calm down." She has too much going on, poor girl. And Mike and Julie, the other couple who live here, are busy being the sweetest people in the world, watching the kids for us, making dinner, helping us load the truck.
It's going to be weird, going away from community cold turkey like this. As Renee said yesterday, I'm going to be looking around at about 10:00 in the morning and scratching my head, thinking--something's not right. Because where's Renee? She should be at my house making coffee by now.
But in other ways, it will be delightful. Chinua and I have lived with other people our whole married life, and before, too! We hope that a community will form in India. But until then, we need a little break.
The surprising part is that Chinua is driving the moving truck South, to Sacramento, and the kids and I are driving North, to Eugene. I'm on my way to Canada again. We didn't plan it this way, but remember how I said my grandmother was sick? We got the news that she's really quite sick, and I need to go and see her. So I am driving to Edmonton.
This will be a month of journeying, since I'm taking another trip at the end of the month, this one a working trip that is so very exciting that I can barely contain myself. I'll tell you more about that one later.
As for now, I need to finish packing. The morning light is just beginning to filter through the trees and the kids are being crazy in their room. I think I'll bring some coffee to Renee's cabin, across the Land. Today we are saying goodbye to our home.
Little did I know.
I think this upcoming month may be one of the busiest of my life. Good busy, but crazy busy. So, we'll see how my posting every day goes. I have the best intentions, of course.
So, today is Moving Day. And I'm still here, after an insane week of packing and sorting and purging and burning and cleaning. Do any of you clean under your couches? You really should, because then you won't be like me and be embarrassed when people pick them up and put them in the truck and it looks like a littered beach has been left behind on your floor. A beach littered with small toys. But who has time to move their furniture?
A bunch of stuff, including all seven pieces of our furniture and all of our strange instruments, are on the truck. It says a lot about us that about half of our belongings are cameras and the other half are odd musical instruments. We have more antique cameras than a camera dealer. But anyways. Some people collect Thomas Kincade, we collect Russian medium format cameras.
A whole lot of stuff is waiting for me to continue sorting it. We really are in the middle of this, right now.
I have survived without having a heart attack, and Renee, who is also packing to move, is just barely surviving without having a nervous breakdown. I had to look at her quite sternly yesterday and say, "Renee, you need to calm down." She has too much going on, poor girl. And Mike and Julie, the other couple who live here, are busy being the sweetest people in the world, watching the kids for us, making dinner, helping us load the truck.
It's going to be weird, going away from community cold turkey like this. As Renee said yesterday, I'm going to be looking around at about 10:00 in the morning and scratching my head, thinking--something's not right. Because where's Renee? She should be at my house making coffee by now.
But in other ways, it will be delightful. Chinua and I have lived with other people our whole married life, and before, too! We hope that a community will form in India. But until then, we need a little break.
The surprising part is that Chinua is driving the moving truck South, to Sacramento, and the kids and I are driving North, to Eugene. I'm on my way to Canada again. We didn't plan it this way, but remember how I said my grandmother was sick? We got the news that she's really quite sick, and I need to go and see her. So I am driving to Edmonton.
This will be a month of journeying, since I'm taking another trip at the end of the month, this one a working trip that is so very exciting that I can barely contain myself. I'll tell you more about that one later.
As for now, I need to finish packing. The morning light is just beginning to filter through the trees and the kids are being crazy in their room. I think I'll bring some coffee to Renee's cabin, across the Land. Today we are saying goodbye to our home.
Reader Comments (9)
It must such a gamut of emotions you're going through today, but it seems as if your head is firmly on your shoulders. Best of luck with the move today Rae!
A working trip? How exciting! Enjoy today even though it promises to be a "saying goodbye" type of day. Hope there are many sweet memories made on this trip to see family- praying for all of you and for your Grandmother.
I hope the leaving is peaceful, as peaceful as it can be anyway. Eugene? Does that mean we get to see you?? Yippee!!!
Oh good by lovely land and trees and community tucked into the woods. Goodbye sign with the dove and restaurant leaning dangerously down the hill. I'll mis you too, and you were never my home, really. Except for that lovely day when Chinua told us that we could always think of it as our second home, and we have, even if we never got back there again.
Will you come this far south on any of your journeys?
And love to your fam and grandma. I always think of your red suitcase when I think of her. I think I remember you telling me that they bought it for you.
wishing you lots of safe peaceful travels back to canada,
It does seem like you have your head on your shoulders girl! Your family will be so happy to see the children, what joy it will bring.
(I am visiting my partner's aging parents and my 92 year old grandma hasn[t had this many kisses in eons, i think we travelled all this way just for the hugs and kisses, and i wouldn't have had it any other way)
Cherish the time you have with your granny,
your visit is sure to bring good health and tripple the love you have had for her...
I wish that i could have visited yu in cali, (eugene is supposed to be great too), but god has another plan, and it's almost as though i got to visit your land by your blog.....
Enjoy the snow in Alberta!
Love and happiness to you all!
Good luck with your new journey, Ree. Hope it all goes well for you and your family.
We'll miss you.
This so weird for you to be separated from community! It has been such a part of your life for so long. But it's a good thing I think to just be with your wee family, to connect and bond together as a family and get ready for your move to India. It will be fun to be doing other types of work as well.
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