moving: chapter three (the arrival)

So, we’re here in Stoughton.  We’ve been here just over a week, actually.  I’m just now getting settled in enough to sit and write something about everything we’ve been through thus far…

The move has gone about as smoothly as could be expected.  On the day we left, the biggest source of stress was simply how to fit everything into our Volvo sedan.  Roughly 98% of our things were already in Massachusetts, since we had shipped them via ABF Relocubes several days before (a service I HIGHLY recommend).  But as we were packing those cubes, Alexander and I kept setting things aside, saying “We’ll just take this in car with us.”  

Well, by the time the cubes were packed about as busting full as they could be, we were still left with at least three car-loads worth of stuff.  More downsizing was in order.

Of course, since we were staying in Bloomington past our lease, we were staying with friends for four or five days.  Which meant these three car-loads worth of stuff had to be hauled over to said friend’s house and piled up in their garage until we found new homes for two-thirds of it.

Anyway, the day of the move… 

We had decided to leave late on a Tuesday afternoon, drive through the night, and arrive at our new home mid-morning.  This was mostly due to the fact that we have our two cats and weren’t terribly thrilled with the prospect of stopping at a hotel with pets in tow (nor with taking on the expense of a hotel room… moving is expensive, y’all…).  Amazingly, and despite all the worst warnings from friends with pets, Giles and Pumpkin slept practically the entire way.  

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why I believe in a beneficent god.

*****

There’s plenty more to cover, but I’ve been unpacking books for the last couple of hours and I’m feeling a little worn down.  We have a lot of books (in case you hadn’t picked up on that yet).  I have the beginnings of a plan for them… more details on that in a week or so… possibly…

*****

When I began blogging about the move, I anticipated that I’d journalize each significant moment in Bloomington as it happened (a “last time I’ll do such-and-such…” kind of thing).  Turns out, though, when you’re working 12-13 hour days for nearly two months straight, it’s hard to find time to even experience these significant moments, much less sit and reflect on them in writing.  

Now that I’m here, and without a day-job to occupy my time, I have more time for reflection than I could possibly hope for.  So I’m expecting that as I continue updating this blog, it’ll be some sort of blend of final memories from Bloomington and discoveries here in Stoughton.  Who knows… 😉