Thanks for all of the positive move mojo! 
Yesterday went very smoothly, and the moving truck pulled away from the new place shortly after 2:30pm – two hours earlier than estimated, meaning the final cost was $1000 less than estimated (
). But that money will be spoken for pretty quickly, because I can’t seem to stop noticing stuff I need for this place (e.g., I just realized that I need a chair mat for the home office, because the hardwood-appropriate wheels on my desk chair don’t work so well on carpet)! I was in awe of how efficient and strong the movers were. And, even though it doesn’t really matter, I was happy to see a woman as part of the crew: a short and fluffy Latina who carried just as much stuff on her back as the boys.
Speaking of backs, right now mine is very cross with me for moving to a three-level townhouse after 13 years in one-level homes. My knees are pretty annoyed, too. I didn’t help matters by deciding to move my large, solid-wood dresser (with attached mirror) to a different wall this morning: I took the drawers out first and used furniture-moving pads, but lifting that beast in order to slide the pads under the legs – and then pushing it around – was still quite an effort. Happily, I’m pretty sure that’s the only really big thing I’ll want to relocate. I’m used to doing stuff like this by myself, but I have to remember that the last time I moved I was still in my 40s. Heh.
The movers actually unpacked the kitchen and home office for me and were able to take a lot of empty boxes away, which was a huge help (though I’ll still be facing a mountain of carboard and packing paper for quite some time). That’s the upside of letting them unpack: the downside is that they put stuff everywhere/anywhere! I made a good dent in the kitchen yesterday, which wasn’t too bad because I just had to put things in cabinets/drawers, but this morning I tackled the home office and had to put away a bunch of unrelated stuff in order to clear off my desk before I could start setting anything up. My personal computer was the priority, and is what I’m typing on right now. The monitors I use with my work laptop are in place, but I haven’t connected them or that docking station yet. My tolerance for being on the floor/under the desk is a bit low at the moment. 
I had big plans for what I wanted to get done today, but I underestimated how sore I’d be (and I’m a little tired, despite sleeping well). So instead I will take the day slowly, and maybe just focus on moving a few of the things that will eventually go in the basement but are currently upstairs. I need to have one hand free for the bannister when going up/down, because my feel for the stairs isn’t great yet: it makes for slower transfers, and it’s harder to move heavy things, but I’ll figure everything out. I will likely spend most of the afternoon in the basement, since it’s going to be a sunny 91°F today. Yesterday I got the TV and new bean bag chair[1] all set up down there, and I also have some unpacking to do in that room. Possibly some napping, as well. 
That was a cutesplosion right there!
Great news!
My memory moments like that with my mom (who passed 10.5 years ago) are fewer and farther between these days, but things related to the dog (who passed 9 months ago) can still get me.
Don’t you dare! 
filling in until the new couch is delivered tomorrow ↩︎