RAVENLEA'S EXCELLENT(?) (INTERESTING?) (INSANE?) ADVENTURE

Unfortunately, I forgot to take before photos, so you have no way of knowing that this isn't just the way I normally live, but it really was kind of nice before all this started.

According to my plan for this move, the sofa and piano and much of the furniture that's still here (all of which I'm giving away) would have been long gone by now so I could spread my boxes out, and have space for organizing, but I seem to be the only one operating according to my plan - and even I'm not quite on schedule, so...

Anyway, as I write this - one week before the movers arrive - what we have is chaos tripled, Katherine panicking and Abigail really grumpy and nervous.... And I've realized that my boxes will now make it difficult to move the other furniture... Sigh. I'm not sure how the others are going to be able to get to their stuff now to take it away.... Meanwhile, tonight I have to box up all those pictures and the ones still on the walls (20 or more in total). And tomorrow I have to start in on the Laundry. That's as bad as packing....

I'm trying to just keep breathing and to chant my mantra... "It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... It will all work out... (I hope.)

Tuesday, April 18th... Only One Week Left!

Well, alas, the laundry didn't get done or even started. I did finish up the box of paintings (and of course forgot one)... and then had a lovely dinner with my next door neighbors. Nothing like leaving home as an ice breaker for getting to know the people next door. We had a good time and I wish we had done this sooner, but... Also resolved some travel plans which was good... The neighbors have promised to take the piano soon (it HAS to be soon, doesn't it?) and my friend Ellie has found a mover for the things she is taking. She will be moving on Easter Sunday. How's that for rebirth symbolism? Tomorrow is another day. Tomorrow I HAVE to do the laundry.

Wednesday, April 19th... Six Days and counting

Ok. I have conquered the foothills of laundry mountain. Have not conquered the summit, but made great progress. Tomorrow I can pack up the clothes that I washed and I am busy boxing sheets and towels....Ah, look at those nice clean clothes...

Tragic discovery, good for a bit of panic... The boxes which my kind box bringing friend Annikki brought me are not the same big ones she brought before. Oh, no....

Time to breathe again and remember my mantra... It will all work out... it will all work out... it will all work out... it will all work out... it will all work out... it will all work out... it will all work out... it will all work out... it will all work out... it will all out... it will all work out... it will all work out.. it will all work out... it will all work out.....

Was feeling exhausted and down this afternoon. Put my name on some Reiki lists (as I'm always telling others to do) and called Michael Ravenspirit for a counselling session. It was very good and helped a lot. He gave me some good suggestions for rituals to do as part of my "rebirth" journey. Cool. Thanks, Michael.

Tomorrow night Diana arrives. (Yippee!) Hopefully she will not take one look at the space and run for the hills... She has just bought and moved into her own house so I think it is extra-specially noble of her to take on another house full of boxes... She is definitely going to Heaven in about 80 or 90 years....

April 20 and 21 - Time is flying

Well, it has been a busy couple of days. The bulk of the laundry is washed and boxed, just a few blankets and last minute items to do this morning. The beautiful, magnificent Diana arrived Thursday night and did mega-magical packing.

But back to my incredible niece. She is AWESOME! (although I did start to worry as she sat exhausted whispering "must pack more, must pack more....") She has also been very strict with me about the letting go process. "Now do you REALLY need that?" She finally persuaded me to let go of a bulletin board which I am very attached to for no particular reason.

Managed to catch the neighbors who were supposed to take the piano just as they were heading off for the weekend and insisted that they take it right then. (I have been begging them to do so for WEEKS.) Fortunately my nephew had just arrived and between them we were able to get it next door. Now everything else is possible. Tomorrows movers will be able to get to Ellie's stuff with no trouble and it was just nice to have space to bring a little order into the chaos. Whew!

After weeks of trying, I finally managed to get through to the New York Times to cancel delivery. Not before a fun-filled email exchange with someone at their totally incomprehensible and user-hostile website. So anyway, that's where we are today. Diana has gone off to visit friends for the day and I will do the last laundry, finish packing up the dresser and work on the kitchen.

My "It will all work out mantra," is starting to have the ring of truth to it... Hmmm.

Sweet Abby is being a little furry trooper. Poor little girl. I got up early and started talking to Diana and forgot to feed her, then remembered just as the phone rang and promptly forgot again. She got her breakfast at 2 in the afternoon. And didn't fare much better at dinner time... Mostly she is hiding under blankets in the bedroom. Poor baby."

Well, guess I'd better get to work. And feed Sweet Abby on time this morning... (She just popped out to remind me.) Tomorrow night the computer gets packed and then I'm in cyber withdrawl for a while. Oh, no....

Saturday April 22 and Sunday April 23rd.

Happy Passover and Easter to everyone. I'm writing this at about 1:00 on Sunday afternoon. I should be working, but... Well, I can say that I'm tired. Much progress has been made, much still to be made. Diana took the day off yesterday and of course I didn't accomplish nearly all I thought I would. Did get the dresser all packed up and have my suitcase partly packed. Did a couple of small kitchen boxes, sealed up the boxes for my friend Ellie's move. Did a bunch of recycling and that's about it. Sweet Abby is being very brave through all of this. I am very proud of her.

This morning I got up at 7:30 (this is the middle of the night for me) and did some organizing for the movers who would up being about 45 minutes late for their appointed arrival. These were the people to take the stuff I'm giving to Ellie. Once they arrived they were like a whirlwind. In and out in about 45 minutes and off to Callicoon with Ellie who is starting HER new life. Cindy called with a Reiki request for her sick kitty so I had an excuse to sit and rest for a bit. There are only two chairs left and lots of dust. I hate to vaccuum on Easter Sunday, but we may have company later and I would hate them all to die of dust inhalation. And tomorrow the movers will take the vacuum cleaner, so.... The place looks really strange with everything gone. My air mattress leaks so the bedroom looks even funnier with a saggy green puddle where my futon used to be.

Guess I had better get back to work before Diana comes home and finds me sitting around playing at the computer. Tonight we have to pack the computer up to! Aaaaggghhhh! How will I live? Hopefully by the time I reach Arizona, the camera will be wiling to cooperate again and I can add some pictures to all this talk. Wish us luck and if you'd like to send your prayers with us on our journey, we will gladly receive them.

Monday, April 24th - The Movers Empty the Place Out

Well, somehow we managed to get everything boxed and labelled - partly because Diana is a dynamo and also with the help of my friend Annikki who brought me almost every box I used to pack with and who helped us do the last of the packing work. I know she thought I was never going to make it! And without her help I might not have. THANK YOU, Annikki. This is a terrible picture of you, but seems wrong not to document your incredible assistance so...

The movers were due at 9:00 am, so we were up early, ready and eager for them to come and be gone. So of course they didn't arrive until almost noon. We waited and we waited and we waited some more... We paced and we brooded and we wondered where they were. We called the company and were told they were "on the way." And they were, I guess. But first they did some kind of rescue operation for a friend and who knows what else. The team consisted of four very nice men. They kept me laughing and seemed to be taking good care of all my things. I reiki-ed all four of them to keep myself from going crazy and they seemed to appreciate it.

Had a nice break in our waiting when my friend Nancy came by with coffee and some wonderful pastry and kept me laughing for the last hour or so before the truck finally arrived. The one difficult thing about moving is leaving my friends behind. I have been so fortunate. Wish I could picture them all here, but only Nancy and Annikki fell prey to my camera, so...

Tomorrow is Diana's 25th birthday, so we are celebrating tonight as best one can in an empty apartment. Diana went out and got us some great Vegan Treats (she's a vegan) and we had a wonderful dinner - EXCELLENT deserts. Then later (and, alas, I forgot to document this), some of Diana's friends dropped by and we drank some wine and talked and laughed sitting on air mattresses and a remaining box or two. Nice people and a good last evening in my old home.

Tuesday, April 25th - Diana's Birthday and Moving Day!

Packing Is Not My Favorite Sport

On the Road

My Arizona Home

Snowflake