Moving for Dummies

June 18, 2013

The movers came to shuffle Taelor’s furniture around from one room to another, out the door, and into the trailer, to disappear around the corner. They removed their shoes like good little boys and traipsed around, murmuring the mandatory admiration for the new cat, while the gigantic dog pestered them for attention as well. It is an art to move the big pieces, an extended 70’s couch can quickly get the best of you. Maneuvering and adjusting, sizing up the doorways and corners, removing feet, coming to the conclusion that, if it got inside the house in one piece, it has the ability to exit. I directed from the outer edge of the space, encouraging and lifting a bit on one end, explaining my mature approach and acquainting the young men with the advantage of preparation. Drawers come out or the dresser is twice as heavy. Rugs must be pulled out of harms way and doors propped for easy exit. Place heavy side down on the staircase, vertical furniture is easier to manipulate, and padding essential. I am certain, though only four items were emptied out, the guys and Taelor felt satisfied in their work. I offered up a large swivel office chair but had no takers. It sits alone now, in the vast room, yearning for the companionship of a functional desk. I believe the black chair may go on a journey tonight, creeping along the vast street, in solitude. Perhaps it can meet up with the futon abandoned on the curb with a “free” sign attached.

My space resembles a student environment, for the time being. It won’t take long to fill-in the spaces and find the items I desire. Starting anew is always an intense and humbling experience. Once you have to wrestle with a primitive camping opener, you understand just how essential the small things can be. After the basics are acquired, I begin to pick and choose based on adoration and desire. I also commit to “one thing in, one thing out” again to keep me on my toes about acquiring non-essential things. We lived in Port Townsend for five years, the longest of Taelor’s short life, and Sacramento, California happens to be the place where I spent the most time in my adult life, (six years.) Taelor was born there which probably forced me to develop some roots.

A bit bleary from the goings-on last night. The family upstairs was wreaking havoc until 3:00am when the neighbor to our left shouted that she has to work at 5:00am and the few hours sleep she may get are essential!...or in so many words…some of which I cannot repeat on a blog or I will be 86’d from the sight. The men tend to come home in a rampage and either the women’s voices are too hard to discern or they don’t bark back. I will be relieved when they move out on the 22^nd of this month, though I will not hold my breath. There have been no signs of empty boxes coming in nor are they communicating their plans to me. I am encouraged to hear there is a couple moving in and the man is responsible for mowing the uneven grass, they claim to have their own washer/dryer and sound reasonably accountable. Of course, I will keep you in the loop.

This is the final day I have my daughter’s attention since she leaves for far away lands at the crack of dawn. I could not keep my eyes open by 11:30 last night so I went to bed, assuring her we have more time today. You know how that “early to bed” scene turned out. She will sorely miss the cat so I will have to take photos for her, though she cannot accept them on the other end. The rules are strict about what she can bring along on the Expedition Club group. They are going to a small village in northern Thailand to assist with the English school teachers at the school the group build a decade ago, spend time with the students and immerse themselves in the culture. It is her third year attending this Program and she is traveling as a chaperone this time. As a linguistics/biology major she will see things with a different perspective, I am certain. What a wonderful opportunity this is for her. Wish I could tag along but, sigh, that is not “cool” or whatever the latest term amounts to.