The chaos is upon me. Boxes fill the living area. We hadn't intended to start packing up the kitchen and pantry this soon, to be honest. With the ability to stage the move from apartment to house in a somewhat leisurely manner, we'd planned for... more time. But the apartment complex sent notice that tomorrow we will be having, along with several other buildings, a pest control and treatment day. We were instructed to empty all cupboards, drawers, and the bathrooms completely. And the pantry had to be emptied.
At that point, it was decided we might as well pack the kitchen all up. Closing on the house is a week from today. The final walkthrough is scheduled for Friday afternoon. A last flurry of documentation was requested and supplied today, along with yet another attempt to explain my job situation... evidently working through agencies as a contractor, pulling a W2, is not that common outside my field? The appraisal and survey have been done, reports will trickle in this week and hopefully be favorable. Monday! Monday the closing is in the afternoon, and utilities have been arranged (well, the internet will be installed the next day. The teen wonder will have to survive 24 hours without the 'net. It's going to be rough!)
This weekend is a gathering of the Tribe, being the North Texas Troublemakers and beyond, in an annual event. Timing is... well, timing is good. We'll be up there for the walkthrough, and we will get home on Sunday (because we also will have a young friend to return to her home) but then the First Reader will deal with the paperwork (we've anticipated my not being there) so I'll be up after work on Monday and then the fun really starts.
The Little Man is beyond excited. He's vibrating with anticipation over being up there by himself for a few days at a time, responsible for starting the reno work. I'm curious to see how long the eager lasts, and just how much is waiting for me on the weekends - I'll be working at the apartment, so I'm not trying to do the Day Job in a construction zone. He will have the cat and the dog for company, and friendly adults a matter of blocks away for support if needed. It will be a highly salutary experience for him. We have made plans. So many plans. How many will survive contact with reality, my old enemy? That remains to be seen.
In the meantime I'm looking at the past. It was about one year ago, almost to the day, when I left Ohio. I would return, briefly, to sleep and then accompany the big moving truck back to Texas... and I never went back again. Eight months later, The First Reader was finally able to join me down here. And last month, we made the decision that it was time to put down roots again. A short period of upheaval, not nearly so drastic as the last one, and then, perhaps, peace. The storms may come, but when you have roots, you can sway with the winds rather than being tossed on the rocks.
Home soon.