home is a shelter from storms - all sorts of storms

    Well, the deed is done. Pretty much. I'm moved, with the help of nine friends. They: helped me pack; cleaned (like removing the foil from the windows in the bedroom!); organized; disassembled and reassembled furniture; hefted boxes (yes, mostly of books), furniture, sensitive plants, and miscellaneous odds and ends stuffed into bags; two special people bought and made food for an army, which both fed the army that was here yesterday and will cover my lunches and dinner for a few days, until I have my life back in order; drove the moving truck; and most of all--they were there when I literally couldn't have done it without them. What a treasure are these friends.

    Now, "all" that's left is to clean the old apartment and move the last bits of stuff that weren't ready to go yesterday when we were ready to roll--some exercise stuff, the contents of the closet in my office (which is, admittedly, a nightmare that I'd been unwilling to attack!), and the cleaning supplies that are needed to finish the job. And then, to return the borrowed items from my place of work (a dolly and the first of several dozen boxes, which will be reused...again...). And then, to return to the new place.

    It's quiet here. Really quiet. Good-quiet, of course, with no one audible through the wall, no bars within walking distance, the fire/police station now a mile away. I hear birds, rain, thunder, and the occasional car driving by at 25 mph. And the sounds of my own silence, which isn't yet comfortable in this vast, messy space. (So much unpacking to do, and so much to organize. And recycle, give away, sell, or toss. I will never move this much again!)

[title quotation from William J. Bennett]