It is impossible to imagine a move without glitches. Like in travel, so many things can go wrong that counting on perfection is only going to leave you disappointed. You rarely get perfection and of course, that is not altogether bad, because through mishaps and miscalculations you learn and you grow.
But I don't think I learned anything or grew in any way today, as I sailed through the choppy waters of this very frustrating Thursday. (Sorry, I'm thinking about sailing these days.)
So let's see, how many things made me feel annoyed (sometimes, but not always with myself)? Let's start with the morning: a better one, in that I doubled my sleep hours. I swear I logged in about four, in two different stages. (In between, worried about something, only now I can't remember what.) I was dressed and ready by 7, but it took me forever to get organized. With what? I forgot. It was close to 9 when I finally fed the animals, noticing as I did so that I had left the coop door open overnight. It's no use putting them away (which I do by putting them in through the roof of the coop extension) if I then leave the front door swinging. It's an invitation to go in for the kill.
Luckily, no predator was lurking last night. All five accounted for. Fun fact: one of our hens is crowing. Did she switch genders??
Breakfast is late. On the porch, with peaches and farmette flowers.
Still scanning the rooms for forgotten items, making up a few more bags and boxes (I'm recycling the couple that are already empty), folding laundry -- sounds dreamy, right?
I'm on the road with a full car a little after 11. Just like the movers, only they started later and did more than simply add a few boxes and baskets and amazon deliveries in a car.
I suppose what slows me down is the heaviness of some of the items. I needed a small bookcase. I found one I liked that was just over $100 even as it was made from solid wood. From Brazil. We have a bunch of tall shelves that I've had since I moved to Madison in 1979, still working on (and never finishing) my PhD then, so money was very tight. The bookcases were cheap, but not quite ugly enough to replace. I'm still taking one of them with me, but I think the rest have to be retired. This new bookcase arrived at the farmhouse because I still often click through a sale too quickly and the old address pops into the order. Lugging the shelves from the front door to the car was a serious effort. Not to stop there: lugging them to the luggage cart at the apartment house and hoisting them onto it took time. Unpacking the boards took time. Putting them together? Are you kidding? There was no time.
Here's an accomplishment: I did put together a vacuum and swept up the apartment: floors and the hapless couch which the cleaners refused to clean. (They did clean the big rug and that looks beautiful!) And here's another heavy item: the new TV arrived. (I'm leaving the old one to Ed for reasons explained many days ago.) Taking it out of the box, unwrapping it -- time flew by way too quickly. It soon turned out to be the pick up hour for Sparrow. (Lunch? Granola bar en route.)
I did beg off childcare for today. Their mom was going to work at home, so after pickups, they could amuse themselves or play with neighborhood friends. But, I had prepared a fruit snack for both kids and I didn't take Snowdrop's out of the fridge, so I planned to make a stop at the apartment on my drive to get her. When Sparrow heard that, he asked to come, wanting very much to see the apartment. I thought this was a terrible idea. The place is a mess. It will only discourage the kids to see it that way. Still, the fruit was ready and waiting. So I agreed. First stop -- Snowdrop's school (or a couple of blocks away from it).
Then I take the two of them to the apartment for a first inspection. Some comments that came my way: "it feels small," "it reminds me of an AirBnB," and how about this one -- "I like the farmhouse better." Well yeah! These kids grew up with space. Sure, in their current home, two out of the three have to share a bedroom, but their play spaces are huge. I'm not going to even mention that when I was their age, all my toys fit in a cardboard box, which I kept under my bed. Most American kids these days are not short on toys.
(Sparrow discovered the balcony!)
Predictably perhaps,he likes it and she... well, her heart is still at the farmhouse.
I'm not exactly discouraged though. Here's why: despite the disruption, despite the rather dramatic uncertainty at the moment as to what's next, I happen to really like the new place. I'm very lucky to have found it and I'm very grateful for past tenants who took the time to review the rather new building. In the olden days (!!) you asked friends, you drove around with eyes wide open, and finally you came across an acceptable choice and you nabbed it. Now, all of my searching was online. That the unit feels so comfortable (well, eventually it will feel comfortable) -- I attribute that to the project owners and their architects. Thoughtful layout, good carpeting in the bedrooms, totally awesome amount of ceiling lighting.
But I have a lot of work before me. This afternoon, I return the kids to their home (five minutes away) and go back to attack the TV box. It's now just a little after 4. I really do want to unpack some more but I think the TV is the harder job, and I may never again get four hours of sleep this week. I'm bright and alert today. Let me tackle the set. I follow directions, screwing on the legs, linking the cables with the proper ports, and then allowing time for loading and updating all that you need to load and update. And on what must have been the last step, the TV (a beloved by all LG model) screen goes dark and I cannot get it to function again. I call the cable company. That's just plain stupid because it obviously has nothing to do with their service but I hoped I'd get somewhere with them anyway. Their offices are about a mile from where I am. Maybe they have insights?
They have no insights. Call the LG rep.
It always takes time to hear a real human voice these days. but LG phone one with hardly a wait. She had me do countless things while she watched through the phone camera. She got it to light up, but on the second step it went dead again. You'll have to return it -- she tells me.
To Amazon? Darn. In other words, I have to unbuild it and pack it up. Well there goes my day! I leave the apartment at 7 because it's getting dark already. And I think -- I unpacked one box and I vacuumed and I assembled and disassembled a TV. That's it. Frustrating indeed!
My apartment projects will take time. There are a lot of them, from setting up an even newer TV, to building tables, chairs and racks and who knows what else. And yet, what I really want to do is make progress on the unpacking. Let's see if I can speed this up tomorrow!
I came home at 7:30 -- high time to lock up the chickens and feed the cats. I filled out the return at Amazon and asked for an even exchange of TVs. They refused it. I got a go ahead on the return, but a no go on a fresh set. I wondered if they'd sold out? No they haven't, there are plenty on the Amazon website. But the price has gone up by $100! I have to pay more now? How is that even fair?? It almost had me regret staying with the LG/Amazon partnership. But, one bad TV does not a bad company make. And maybe tomorrow will be less stressful and more productive. Like in travel, you expect the bounces. Today was a bouncy day, both on the Atlantic Ocean and in my own navigation through my day.
I always wondered what happens if day after day you do not get enough sleep. Do you start fainting? Does your appetite diminish? Do you catch every bug that circulates in the community? I'll tell you what it feels like today: there is a world out there, and then there's your world and two aren't quite meeting up. Eyes are closing now constantly, but when I'm in bed, they will change their mind. But I aim high in life! I expected to find and move into a decent apartment almost immediately. No wonder it's taking me a while to finish up and move in.
with so much love...
