Still Packing

The entire weekend was consumed by packing. By Saturday night, even though the apartment is half packed, it doesn't look like it because everything is out of the closets and cabinets and the whole apartment is full of stuff. I did that job I hate, which is sort through paperwork, deciding what I no longer need and what I might need over the next month. Long distance moves are hard, in that everything has to be packed, no throwing the fragile stuff in the car at the end. June must be a good month for free boxes from U Haul, I have gone to buy boxes twice and walked away with free ones. I still have most of my boxes from the last move, so mostly I just had to pay for tape.

I sold my house in a short pay two years ago and with a short pay goes short notice, so I had a garage sale in the morning and moved in the afternoon. It was difficult to watch people drive away with half of the things I used to own, but I was lucky to have my brother John there to help me change my attitude and tell me that garage sales are where people pay you to haul away your stuff. I went from a four bedroom house to a two bedroom town home and then to a big one bedroom apartment and got rid of a great deal in both moves, but I am amazed that I still have so much. The house move was a terrible day and I am grateful to be moving this time with a feeling of hope, rather than failure.

Cats go to my Mom's today so the apartment can air out and they will not have to deal with movers tomorrow. Mom's house is dog-free for two days and they will like it there. I'm staying there tonight, so last night was the last night of the stomping upstairs neighbor. Yay!

My Tuesday night woman's coffee group surprised me last night with a going away dinner. I did not have a clue. I called Lani because I could not remember the house number and she says she's standing in front and can't you see me, can't you see me, and I say just give me the number! and then I finally see her, which is hard because of all of the cars in the way, then she tells me to park in the driveway, and I ask about the cars and she tells me all the cars are for a neighbor's barbecue and to hurry up! and come see the pond she built and then there they all were. I cannot even express how much these women mean to me and how grateful I am for their love and support and strength over the last 6 years. It was a great time and I did not cry, but I do not know how I am going to leave these women, except that the more love I feel for them, the more inspired I feel to be true to myself.