Get back to where you once belonged...

Yesterday, after ten hours in 100 degree heat, the moving truck was finally packed, and on its way. I chose to hire movers this time. My parents’ house and its location are particularly challenging, and I knew I was willing to pay more to have someone else humping the boxes and (incredibly heavy) furniture down the stairs and around the corners, as well as lug the stuff into my new place once it arrives. Last time, I had more help, although then I had two Labradors and a baby to worry about.
Because of where the house is situated, a big truck can’t make it up the street, and so it requires a “shuttle” of getting a smaller truck and then shifting everything on to the big truck at another location. Last time, also in July, my dad and I did this with two hired teenage boys my mother knew, and it took days and ended up in some property damage. It was cheaper than this time, but I knew my dad wasn’t up to it, and I didn’t want to put myself through that again. And since it took those big guys ten hours (and I was watching – they busted their asses) I feel like the extra expense was well worth it.
So, this time, I packed it all myself, and then let the two impressively strong and very nice men sweat their asses off carting it all over Auburn. I was very happy to say goodbye to the storage unit. I hope to never have a storage unit again. It killed me to pay to keep my boxes in a bigger box. In comparing the total cubic feet of all of my stuff to last time, it came out the same, so I didn’t accumulate more stuff – which is good.
My daughter and I have been living in an upper bedroom wing of my parents’ unusual house for exactly four years. Yesterday I vacuumed and dusted the empty space we were so smooshed into and then set up the air bed we’ll be sleeping on for a while. We slept in this morning and then I got a load of laundry started. All I have to do today is pack my vehicle for the drive out to Colorado. Between the beach vacation and the camping trip, not to mention the grinding commute I’d been doing, I feel like I’ve already done so much driving and I’m not really looking forward to more. But, I have done this route countless times before, so I don’t anticipate any surprises.
We are going to leave Auburn tomorrow morning and stay in a hotel in Utah overnight. Then we should arrive in Colorado Saturday afternoon. I can’t wait to see my townhouse! I was able to lease the one I wanted, and it should be very nice. It has a garage, a pantry, a separate laundry room, walk in closets, and a fireplace. And 1036 square feet just for my daughter and me! WooooHoooo!!!
I am so thrilled to be leaving. I arrived here four years ago unhappy and determined to accomplish some very tough goals. I was going to pay off my debts, finish my degree, take care of my daughter in the best way possible, and save up some money. I wanted to gain back more control of my life and get back on track.
I accomplished everything I set out to do. I am very satisfied with what I have been able to complete. While we were here, both of my beautiful dogs got cancer and died, and that is a loss that I feel deeply. But my daughter is healthy, happy, energetic and full of imagination and curiosity, ready to begin kindergarten this fall. I have a paid off four wheel drive vehicle in good shape, a clean financial sheet and a good resume, some money in the bank, and a brand-spanking new B.A.!
While here, I developed some new skills, polished some others, made a lot of good friends, and by sheer force of will, managed NOT to smother with a pillow either of my parents!
But I will not miss this place. While I wait for the dryer to finish, I think about how I haven’t really had the space or time to process a lot of things. I have clenched my teeth and held my tongue far more than is healthy. I haven’t had a safe or pleasant place to walk, time to spend listening to friends, or any real privacy at all.
I look forward to this next phase as an opportunity to stretch, to explore, to play, and to get to know the more interesting and nicer parts of myself that have been kind of packed away for too long.