SO, we have successfully moved into the temporary apartment. As much as I mourn our beautiful home, the likes of which we will NEVER be able to afford on the OTHER coast, it does feel somewhat like a vacation to live the apartment life. No cutting grass, no sweeping the porch- just going to work, playing with babies, going for a run, folding laundry, then going to bed. The ONLY bummer is that J and I have agreed to do the house cleaning for the three months in the apartment, a small economy on our part. Huh.
After not having had to pick-up a vacuum cleaner in, ahem, five years, I found myself somewhat rusty when vacuuming the Big House just after the removal of the big furniture. I surmised that we should probably vacuum prior to the carpet cleaners visit, so I spent last Thursday evening alone in a (mostly) empty house, surrounded by silence, vacuuming away. I vacuumed, and I thought, "hmmm... so this is pretty much why I have paid people to clean my house for the past five years. This is truly the most boring enterprise EVER. And monotonous. And boring. " As I was thinking these deep and worthy thoughts, the vacuum (which was a virgin vacuum, having been bought a year ago but never used) made a strange choking sound over the berber. As I quickly pulled it the two feet toward me, I noticed an empty, berber-thread width line begin to form. My quick wits deduced I should stop pulling on the vacuum immediately, then I discovered the berber thread wrapped around the vacuum's roller, about three feet worth. THREE DAYS BEFORE CLOSING. These incidents are why I have been barred from using the lawn mower. They are never really my fault, it's not like I fed berber thread through the vacuum, but these things JUST HAPPEN TO ME.
So, babies, books, furniture, papers and other sundry items are now successfully moved, mostly in an organized fashion. One of J's friends gets kudos for saving our sorry slow asses. Thanks, T!!!
I wanted to mention books I've been reading, since my stay at the hotel apartment (right, no maid service, damn!). Most recently, I think I've mentioned the fabulous fantasy series by Jacqueline Carey, starting with Kushiel's Dart. Next comes Blindfold Games, a new stand-alone thriller by one of my favorite mystery authors, Dana Stabenow. Kate Shugak kicks ass, y'all! (er, for the record, Blindfold Games does not feature Kate).
Interestingly enough the book I just picked-up, by author Gwyn Hyman Rubio, deals with a character with Tourette's Syndrome. I had no idea, just got the book because the OTHER book I've read of hers, "The Woodsman's Daughter" just HAUNTED me for over a week. I always forget, are book titles underlined or in quotes?
The Tourette's pretty much is shown to the reader in the first few pages. Her descriptions are painfully familiar, stimulating my own compulsions to no end. I totally understand the character's almost orgasmic release of her compulsions whenever she is finally, blessedly alone and in hiding. ** an aside, have I mentioned here how horrible my C-section was, not in itself, but the paralyzing effects of the epidural drove me mad, not being able to complete a tic below the middle of my back. It was the biggest mind-f#%k ever, me needing to spasm, or thrash, or jolt a muscle group and not being able to move. If i were ever truly paralyzed I think I really WOULD go mad.
I think I will start a book list here, again. I stopped the one I had before because a) I read so many books I'd be updating it almost daily, and 2) I felt obligated to write reviews (even though I never did so).
The babies were pretty stressed out with the move, at first. I think realizing Super Apa will still come to the apartment to baby sit them, and adding a fun regime of swimming at the apartment pool has really helped to alleviate most anxiety. Super Apa is WONDERFUL and loving and good to those babies of ours. We are lucky lucky to have her.
That's all for now, oooohhh! I almost forgot. Comcast struck again, with adding on hidden line installation charges to our first bill with our move (for lines we told the installer NOT to add) and with our cable ALREADY failing. I. Am. Getting. Satellite. when we finally settle. I swear it.
Please go and wish Liza and her J and Noah a hearty congratulations and other well wishes for FINALLY getting their second parent adoption legalized.