Learned the Hard Way

Two things I desperately wish I had on hand when we moved into the new digs:

1) Wasp Spray

2) A Plunger

(Not necessarily in that order, but I think I've said enough!)
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On another note, I'm glad to say that I've been able to wake up early enough the past three days just to have a bit of light restorative yoga in the early morning. It has felt really good to start the day with some stretching and breathing; very helpful for easing the aches and pains from all the manual labor lately!

Where In!

Quick moving update: we are in the digs! The POD has been emptied as of yesterday, and today Aqua Man and I unpacked and set up as much as possible. We are tired and sore, but feeling good about the new pad and neighborhood.

While we were doing this, The Kid has been having the time of his life spending the weekend with his aunt, uncle, and cousins. BLESS MY sister and brother-in-law for taking The Kid!

It was so great to know that he was having an awesome time, and the only thing I can say is; holy shit! Did it make things so much easier to get done with having The Kid around during unloading and unpacking and setting up. Wow.

Now finishing up at the old digs and going for our first night at the new.....

I Need To Get With The Times

The Kid will be starting Kindergarten in the fall. Between the end of preschool and now, The Kid has really grown and started to act a lot more mature. A good deal of this has to do with him spending so much time with his older cousins since we've moved here. It's been great to see him come into his own even more than before, but sometimes I am taken off guard by how independent he's becoming.

The other day the following exchange took place between The Kid and I in regard to me offering him some help with buttoning up a normally "tough" button:

Me: (After watching him struggle for a few moments, I casually ask)
Do you need some help with that?

The Kid: [A bit exasperated, yet with compassion at my "mistake"]
Mom-my! I need to PRACTICE. If I need your help, I'll ask!

Moving On Up

Up until about, um, 2 hours ago I was feeling pretty calm about our move. That is, until I sat down and checked the "to-do list." And despite my very busy day today and lots of running around, the list is still very substantial. Many things need to get done by Saturday, which is when our POD arrives and we officially move in. And a few crucial things need to get done by Friday which is when I will go to the house and clean up before the big move.

Yes, we move three days from today. And, I'm staring to feel a little bit tense about it. Just a leetle bit. How could you tell? Well, my high pitched shrieking at Aqua Man tonight about all of the things that need. to. still. get. done, dammit! Yes, this was probably the first clue.

Yes, logically, I know it will all come together, but, but, but.....they-meaning the people who have been hired by the owners to prep the house for our arrival-aren't done, well, prepping the house for our arrival. And we are moving in on Saturday! Did I say that already? ('What are you doing?!' I want to yell out the few times I've driven by the house over the past three weeks. And I STILL see a work truck there, and still see paint cans and ladders inside the house. 'For f*&k sake, people! The house just needs simple cleaning and painting! You ONLY have to paint a few rooms in a very, very modest size house, clean up a bit, and repair six boards on a back deck. What are you people DOING!?!?')Did I mention that this prep/repair/clean up crew is getting paid overtime to take care of this house? Way to milk the system people. I have to hand it to you there. At any rate, something tells me descending on the house, and yelling this out to the work crew, would not be the best way to start out our new rental relationship. (Yup, I'm quick on the uptake like that.)

I know it will all get done, but, but, but.....they haven't even finished painting the house yet! And, and, they haven't finished repairing the back deck yet! And, what about the yard? Huh? Some damn kids (damn kids!!) toilet papered our soon to be house, and, the current fixer upper/yard crew haven't cleaned it up and it rained this morning and now there is wet, white, smeared toilet paper in the front yard hanging on a big tree, since last Saturday. Yet, I haven't wanted to say anything and step on any toes, seeing that they do officially have two more days until our lease begins to get it all done. BUT, if I drive by tomorrow and see wet, soggy toilet paper hanging in the tree still...

*Sigh*
*Grrrr*
*Insert your favorite expletive here*

Pay As You Go Garbage: Or, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

I just found out that in our new neighborhood-to-be we have to pay $2.85 for each bag of garbage that we want the city to pick up on garbage day. Rather than billing you a flat rate as a utility bill, you pay each week, per bag. You purchase stickers ahead of time and put them on each bag. You also pay for your own paper lawn care bags and put the same stickers on them.

Recycling pick up, on the other hand, is FREE.

From what I found out yesterday, they appear to take a great deal of items for recycling, and they aren't fussy about the type of container you put out, or sorting items. I am on my way to buy recycling bins right now.

I am really interested to see how this system plays out in our everyday life. I think it will be a great opportunity for us to find ways to reduce, reuse and recycle and make more mindful choices.

New Digs Found

Happy update: We found a really cute rental home in the neighborhood that we really like. The new neighborhood is only a 22 minute express train ride (during the week-about an hour on the weekends) into the city, and about 35 minutes by car. Woot!

I am very excited to be able to live and shop locally, and to be able to get to the city so easily. Aqua Man can walk to the train station for his daily commute and we can walk The Kid to his new school, as well.

In our day to day, we will be able to walk to several parks, the library, a movie theatre, and to the town center where there are many independent shops, stores, pubs and restaurants. Also, (hooray!) there is an independent bookstore and a community yoga center just blocks away from our new digs, and a Trader Joe's (joy!) less than a mile away. Pinch me. Someone pinch me.

Should We Stay Or Should We Go. Now?

One of the big changes that has occurred over the past few months is that we have left our previous residence, moved out of state back to my hometown and have been staying with my family-my sister, her hubby, and their kids to be exact-while we search for a rental home. They have been unbelievably gracious, generous and just overall awesome hosts, not to mention a whole lot of fun to live with. They are known, among family and friends, for their constant generosity and love of having a good time. Living here has been nothing short of mind blowing to see how open and giving they really are to all who come across their paths. So to say that our transition has been "easy" because of how comfortable they have made us feel living in their home is a total understatement.

During this time, we have been looking and looking and looking for places to live. Nothing so far has been the right combination of factors that we are looking for: a neighborhood that we can see ourselves really enjoying living in; the right distance for Aqua Man's work; the right school for The Kid; the right area for me to offer my work; the right distance to the city; the right home for me to work out of; and of course, that pesky little detail of the right price. We have seen A LOT OF CRAP along the way. A lot.

Even though I'm back in my hometown-which I haven't lived in in over 11 years-we are concentrating on finding a place about 30 minutes from here, so it's a totally new area to cover. With the many factors that come with relocating to a new state, especially that The Kid is starting Kindergarten in the fall, we have been very fortunate to not be rushed by my family. Yet, this being said, we so Do. Not. Want. To. Be. Freeloaders!

So after lots of looking and researching and calling and searching we think we've found a rental home. We have a few final details to work out, and possibly by tomorrow it may all come together. And, if so, it could be as soon as next week that we could start moving in.

Even with all of the time that we have been living here-5 weeks now-my family is still saying, "Don't rush. There's no need to move unless its perfect!" Most people would be throwing us out by now!

Good people-you gotta love em-and feel really lucky when you can count them as friends, and family.

Speaking of Journey

So, I check the calendar today and realize that it has been three months since I last put up a post. Three months! Okay, wow. I didn't realize that so much time had passed since I last wrote.

How to catch you up on things? I don't know that I can do this very well. There has been so much change, so much waiting, and shifting and moving that I don't know that I can fill you in properly. I'll just share that there have been changes in our address, changes in Aqua Man's career, changes in relationships and with our family. There almost isn't an area in our lives that hasn't been changed. Basically, so many things that have been in the works, most for a long, long time, have finally gone through. And, as a result, lots of changes have occurred.

And more change is still occurring. Thankfully it's almost all positive, at this point in time. And although almost every aspect of my life and my families life has changed, there is a feeling of calm and balance surrounding it. Don't get me wrong, it's not without its trials and challenges, but overall, not an unsettling experience. Again, perhaps because the ground work was laid well ahead of time, in some cases years before, and then finally--boom--the right time, place, and opportunity came through. Perhaps this is why things still feel more balanced than imbalanced.

Like my oldest, dearest BFF says; life is a series of ups and downs, its nature is to constantly change. When you realize this, you can then enjoy the "up times" even more, appreciating them, knowing that "down times" will come, but when they do, you will be prepared for them because you know they won't last forever.

So, perhaps in future posts I will share more specifics, but for now I can put it best by saying that I am truly grateful and enjoying the "up" times that have come our way.