Tag Archives: moving

Back light and self pity

11 Replies

It’s a little funny to me that just beyond this serene house quilt is the huge mess associated with tree clean up.

Happily, my brother in law came to help yesterday, otherwise we’d really be behind the eight ball.

It’s still a bit daunting. For one thing, on closer inspection, we noticed that the tree did hit the house, so I’ll need to get an insurance adjuster out here as soon as possible (after two back to back nor’easters, I imagine they’re very busy!) More snow coming Tuesday, P.S.

With the ladder leaning on an about-to-be-cut branch, there were plenty of Wily E. Coyote jokes.

We tried to broker a meeting between Finn and his dog cousin, Ziggy, and did everything right up to a point — (starting in neutral territory, keeping a good distance, then closing the distance, then a break apart) after which it did not go well. It turned into a minor disaster, actually, because when Finn went apeshit, I slipped in the snow and let go the leash. Ziggy seems to be fine, but it didn’t prevent one of my self-pitying laments about difficult dependents.

Speaking of which, after eight years on the wait list and three application updates, my sister has gotten subsidized housing. This is the best possible news for her (and secondarily for my brother, whose financial burden will be greatly reduced). For me, it is a giant chore with no real benefit (did I mention self pity about difficult dependents?) I am happy for her, don’t get me wrong. I just wish there was someone else to orchestrate the move.

Meanwhile, these are my last few weeks to prep for Newton Open Studios. We will pay rent for my sister’s current apartment through the end of April, which hopefully will make the transition manageable.

(Just so you know, we moved all her belongings into storage in 2009, out of storage in 2010, and then had to assist with near complete possession pack up during the bed bug ordeal last year. These were the same years that we moved our sons a total of seven times).

2014 1381

kid enjoying the rain in Montreal

Another week gone — a run to Montreal to move C. into a new apartment then bring him home; a run to Salem for yard and kitchen clean up with my sister; my own yard pick up begun, and stocking the fridge for two young men, instead of one. We have had two glorious days of sun this week, but it rained virtually our entire stay in Canada.

We arrived at our hotel to find it shrouded in plastic and scaffolding with super-high decibel power washing in progress. When we asked to audition the noise-level in the room prior to checking in, the clerk was a total bitch. FURTHERMORE, the sole ‘working’ elevator worked only barely, and neither the thermostat NOR the AC worked. The only way to control the sauna-like heat of the room was to open the balcony door. When it was windy, we were regaled by great fwops of plastic as if aboard a schooner on the high seas!

2014 1402Somehow, once we settled into the room, all the flaws about the place just seemed to melt away. It wasn’t even that I had to work at it, really — you know, as one of those ‘opportunities’ to practice acceptance? There was just a lot to do. And I had my Dickens to read and finally finish!!
dickensActually, I came to love the geometries of the scaffolding, and walking down 14 flights of stairs was surely good for my legs! And, to be fair, the second day when I asked for a discount, that clerk was extremely nice and even, apologetic. We were comped four days of parking fees.2014 1399 2014 1387The visit was a working one — with an IKEA run in there and lots of loading, then unloading of the van. Nevertheless, I managed to squeeze in a trip to a fabric store — Effiloche. I learned that Effiloche means ‘frayed’ and in French, like English, can refer to either fabric or nerves. I didn’t buy much (Holy Christ, the prices!), but what I did get is in that softer palette I’ve been hankering for — taupe, grey, military blue.

2014 1410This figure watched K and me eat our curry on what must have been girl’s night out. We were the only two people over thirty in the Thai joint were I shot this photo, never mind OVER FIFTY, and K was one of only about four men in the whole place.

There is tons to do in the yard — it really is a mess. My sister needs more and more help — there is very little that she can do for herself at this point, actually. And with two boys in the house again, mess gets going in a hurry. Nevertheless, I hope to be back here soon!