Connecti-kitzmans: Part 1

[Editor's note: I wrote this July 1. I was holding off on publishing
until I could upload more photos but our USB is in the POD, so enjoy this text heavy edition of Chez Moni!]

Whew.

Edie, my mom, and I are now firmly planted in Connecticut after a long four days of working round the clock moving the contents of our house into the POD/car/welcoming arms of Goodwill. Moving is so much dang work. Even though I've been faithfully packing for 6 weeks, there was so much stuff we didn't pack till the 11th hour (crib, silverware, Dave's vast and never-used CD collection). My mom was a task master: managing the girl, cleaning out our cupboards, making breakfast with the contents of said cupboards, and helping us pack our home.

Dave, some generous friends, and I did a lot of the heavy lifting. We were initially concerned that our stuff wouldn't fit in the POD, but once that big white box was planted in our driveway via crazy hydraulic lift, we relaxed. The first half of POD-packing went well: most of our big furniture is squared off, making for a manageable furniture puzzle. These items fit into their appropriate slots. But the proverbial wheels came off when packing the second half of the POD, as we loaded up Dave's beloved Barcalounger, floor lamps, vacuums, and kitchen chairs, which have very few right angles and tons of appendages just waiting to cause damage in a box freewheelin' down the highway. By the end, Dave and I were literally throwing stuff in the POD, as the driver showed up to take it away. We had to bid farewell to some baby gear and houseplants. Oh well.

Edie, my mom and I flew to CT, and Dave is driving in the Subaru with brother-in-law Jeff. I would love to drive cross country, it's been on my bucket list for a while, but not with an 11-month old. She's a great gal but traveling is not her strong suit. Driving cross-town is not exactly a day at the beach, and driving 3,000 miles with her would be downright

excruciating. The flight was okay, but what made it even better was the empty seat on the second leg of our journey. She entertained herself and slept in her car seat, I enjoyed some New York magazine, and we all arrived a bit happier.

So here we are, in West Hartford. The birds are plentiful, the radio is ho-hum, and the weather is beautiful. We're getting used to our new lives and looking forward to reuniting with Dave!