In the early hours of the night, I run through my usual bedtime routines and I feel the anxiety mount: this is insane, I'm thinking. My world is twisting sideways, heading into the unknown and honestly, everything had been so fine! Well, almost everything.
In the morning, I think about none of that. I am energized by all that I have to do to pivot onto this new track. A detour rather than a complete redirect, because I remain confident that this will be resolved. (Not sure if Ed feels the same way -- he lost control over this one and let me tell you, most men I know have issues with losing control. At least men in my generation. Still, there is so much love at the farmhouse...)
I go out to feed the animals.
And I do a spot check of the meadows. The front one, planted just this year... So pretty now!
The peach orchard meadow is next. Oh! I should be picking the peaches! They've been falling already. I pause to gather some now.
I eat breakfast: peaches from the orcahrd, flowers from the meadow.
Then tidy the house, and load the car with the first batch of stuff for the new apartment.
Here's a hint for those getting ready to move: do not pack stuff into paper grocery bags. Do not do this. You're not convinced? Well then at least do not then pile them one on top of another and hope they stay in tact. Because when bags start ripping left and right, you're in trouble. Just some friendly advice.
About that apartment. Here's the building: my unit of course isn't one of the fancy angular ones (made a little bit more angular by my straightening of the photo). I'm with the more conventional balcony and a window to each side set up. But they are not small windows!
None of this is a negative. I worry mostly about noise. Remember, this is a music themed building. I got a present of sunglasses and magnet saying something about rocking, and they dont mean in a chair. They have music concerts in the common area quite often. And no, it's not classical music!
Other issues? Well, the view is not of farmette gardens. But it's god its good side: I have an expanse of green. I see no residences from my place, and no one sees mine. This is great, because I like to have shades up pretty much always. And the staff of the building -- they're really lovely. And little perks that many of you take for granted: There is a heated garage. No more icy winter walks to the car. And there's even a pool. (Many large complexes in the suburbs here have pools. Depending on its usage, that may be an exercise virtue, though of course, our swimming season is short.)
Here's an important fact: it's thoughtfully laid out and it is immaculate. And only two years old, so they've addressed these -- lots of plugs, good wiring, good appliances, islands, granite, etc. But perhaps the most important virtue is that it is close to my daughter's home. Four minute car ride, twenty minute stroll. It's also close to the heart of the little satellite town where she lives. I can walk to several coffee shops, the library, the post office.
But the building itself is in an area that is a mix of commercial and residential. It's on the wrong side of the highway. Where as my daughter's home is in a lovely residential neighborhood that abuts the downtown, mine is a place of cars zipping in and out of large parking lots with mega restaurants and a couple of shops that you'd maybe find in malls.
And finally, here's the peachy plum for me: the apartment may not have many windows (just three, all on one end), but they are large and they face the south. I live for sunlight flooding my day!
I have a keys handover appointment and so I load the car and get going. (With a stop at Walgreens for Covid vaccination!)
Heidi and Corey are the two staff members I deal with and they are really lovely people. Just awesome! And as I enter the apartment (only for the second time), I think -- oh, but it really is grand! Not very large (1007 sq ft/ 93 sq m), but just perfect for me, with an extra room for sleepover guests and for the toys that I have to bring with me.
And now it's a question of bringing in the bags of stuff (that rip and spill at every turn), the boxes of deliveries (that will need to be assembled) and start thinking about what goes where. And to do another round trip to the farmhouse, to get more bags of stuff (that rip at every step of the way).
And the sunshine comes in and the internet guy comes over and sets up the internet and I am just so grateful for the smoothness of the operation.
I return to the farmhouse for a late afternoon Zoom with my distant (in location) friends. How lovely people have been! So much understanding for this very difficult moment!
In the evening I take care of the animals and pack some more, no longer harried or anxious. I know this will work out. How and in what direction -- I cannot tell, but it will work out!
with so much love...
