Empty Nest

The movers have come and gone, taking 150 boxes and assorted furniture with them. The house looks strange and empty. The three guys were very efficient and shockingly strong, just as the piano movers yesterday were able to take my piano out to go to the church in what seemed like five minutes (the prior movers who brought it into the house seven years ago took about 40 minutes, but that's another story). These guys emptied out three-quarters of my household in 2.5 hours, and are off to load it into a storage place.

It was embarrassing, the colonies of dust bunnies that lurked behind the bookshelves and under the trundle bed. I followed the movers around with the broom and dustpan and the feather duster. So much for my skills in the domestic arts! I tend to clean that which I can see, and the result was evident this morning.

Midway through the move, I got the bare fringes of a panicky feeling: "What are we doing? This is a mistake! I'm scared!" I talked myself down from the bad feeling, reminding myself that this was what I wanted and longed for, that transitions are always traumatic and this wasn't anywhere near as bad as others I'd been through, and it would all be good.

My remaining furnishings are down to the most basic. A couple of beds, a couple of dressers, a sofa and two chairs and a side table, a desk and chair, the dining room table with four chairs. It does feel bare, almost monastic with most of our artwork packed away. The house doesn't feel warm and fuzzy any more, but it does look more spacious, which was the whole point of the exercise.

I told PH to remind me over the next three years that I don't need to buy pantihose. I don't know how I accumulated so many pairs, but I went through the hose drawer last night, sorting out the winter heavy opaque stuff from the summer sheers, since the drawer was full to overflowing. Remarkably, after I removed the winter stuff, the drawer was still pretty full. I think every time I went into Marshall's I bought a couple of pairs. Everyone has their little oddities, and I suspect excess pantihose is one of mine.

StrongOpinions is a little disconcerted by this moving stuff, particularly since she'll be moving away to school in a few months and two moves in short order is a lot for anyone to take. I've tried to tell her that home is where your family is, and a house is just a place. I need to remind myself of the same thing today.