Time to Get Gone

Packing requires a certain amount of ingenuity, a healthy dose of organization, and a decent bit of stamina.

As it turns out, I have less of these things the more I feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the undertaking...

I was grateful, therefore, to accept the help of a trusted friend.  Not just any friend either, but the one who claims to be the other half of my brain, and the much less scattered half to boot.

You see, Kristen--when told of my impending move--volunteered to drive the 5 hours that separate us in order to live out the reality of 'two is better than one' in the face of enormity.

Her presence took the impossibility of the thing away,

and helped there to be much fun at every turn.

So yesterday morning I put on my 'moving shorts' [as the only shorts I own, these beauties are pulled out most frequently when there is a call for lifting and transporting large and bulky items], threw out the nostalgia that Kristen informed me I would soon make more of, and wrapped up the wrapping up of soon-to-be-in-a-new-home items.

And then, right on time, our fierce moving crew arrived and the actual moving began.

Thanks to their organizational and carrying skills,

the cars were quickly loaded with extreme efficiency.

When the apartment was empty and the cars were full, we drove across town.

We arrived at our destination, we unloaded those cars, we put each thing where it longed to be.

Then?  

It was time to play.

We ate some yummy lunch,

while I dwelt in the goodness of 

having my people together in one place.

Then we explored the nearby thrift stores 

with specific things in mind,

but,

got a bit...

distracted.

It was alright though, because our day had gone so smoothly.

Smoothly enough in fact, for us to engage in a blind taste test of some of the items left in my old fridge:

(Emily savors Limeade 1)

(My turn...finally)

(Limeade 2)

Drumroll please...

...Limeade 1 is the all natural winner!!

(Yes, there is a clear difference between all natural and artificial limeade.  In case you wanted to know.)

When we were finished playing around, we reminded ourselves that the purpose of the day was to move, and henceforward put some furniture in my car and--well--moved it.

Then Emily and Aden left with my immense gratitude, and Kristen and I unpacked a few things until we realized we were weary.  We headed back to the old place for one last soiree... 

...consisting of bruschetta and other small items.

We decided we were really good at 'roughing it'.

Later, we went up on the deck with Pam and Del,

where many an evening has been spent with a glass of wine and some good chatting.

As the midnight hour approached we crashed into our beds and slept like people who had spent a day moving large and bulky items.  This morning Kristen packed her own bag and left me here, to clean, to have one last moment.

Tonight this place will sit barren and sad, thinking 'where did she go?', while I will be getting cozy with my new one, having gotten gone from here.

New nostalgia, here I come.