settling in

 Today is the 3rd day of the 39th week, the 24th day of the 9th month, the 268th day of 2024 [with only 91 shopping days until Christmas.  I'll stop updating this now because it isn't funny anymore, especially since for the first time in years, I haven't gotten my shopping done AND what I have gotten is buried somewhere in a box....], and:

• Festival of Latest Novelties - how many of these have you had at one point or another?
• Gallbladder Good Health Day
• Independence Day - Guinea-Bissau from Portugal in 1973
• Kiss Day
• Lash Stylists' Day
• National Bluebird of Happiness Day
• National Cherries Jubilee Day
• National Familial Hypercholesterolemia Day
• National Horchata Day
• National Professional Baseball Day
• National Woman Road Warrior Day
• Punctuation Day
• Schwenfelder Thanksgiving
• the last quarter of the moon at 2:52 PM EDT

Quote of the day:

"But what do we know of the heart nearest to our own?  What do we know of our own heart?"

~ Amelia Barr - Amelia Edith Huddleston Barr was a British novelist and teacher

Every morning, Facebook reminds me of things that I posted in the past, and because I posted extensively #theviewfromthebalcony, I am constant reminded of the view that I had for a decade and a half.  I remember when I first moved in, I looked out on the White Oak Shopping Center and the very busy New Hampshire road, then turned up my nose.  Over the years I came to enjoy watching the traffic patterns and of course, lifting my eyes to the horizon, watching the clouds sail over the building and listening to the kids at play below me.  Especially during the COVID shutdown, I spent a lot of time on that balcony just watching the world go by

I haven't ventured out much on my new balcony - the weather hasn't been conducive to just sitting and rocking, and it is rather noisy as well.  It really is startling how much quieter the apartment gets with the balcony door closed.  Another thing I have noticed about this apartment is that I use the room lights a lot more; there doesn't seem to be as much natural light coming in.  Of course one big difference is that I am 17 stories down from my previous perch and this apartment faces south rather than due east, plus there are trees directly in front of the windows and the balcony.  To my surprise, the tree that is closest to my balcony has already lost all of its leaves

I hadn't realized how much I had become a creature of habit until all the daily routines have to be thought about, which is tiring.  So many of the things I did during the day were on automatic pilot but now?  I don't remember exactly where things are and I find myself doubling back and retracing my steps constantly, which means everything seems to take longer to do.  I guess that is why I am so tired at the end of the day. Another thing I have to get used to is having bare floors.  My other apartment was fully carpeted, this one has what is billed as "hardwood floors" although I think it is more likely to be parquet of some sort.  I prefer to run around barefoot rather than wear slippers or socks, but I'm not sure about doing that as the floors feel...  well not exactly cold but odd to my feet if that makes any sense.  

 Altho the boxes are out of the bedroom, they linger in the hallway and the living room and the computer area is still in disarray.  The second bedroom remains a complete mess.  And I still cannot find several items that really are everyday usage items:  my ear buds, my "address book", my coasters, and none of the living room remotes.

Triscuit seems to be adjusting, but she too shows signs of the displacement which has occurred.  For example, she keeps trying to dig in her litter box for long times, which my son tells me the vet told him means she is actually trying to burrow her way back to her old home.  I worked from home last week and having me about helped I think, but tomorrow she will be by herself in the new place all day for the first time

Ah well, it hasn't been two weeks yet....

Tomorrow I will go to the old apartment for the very last time as the furniture that is getting donated is taken away, then on Thursday, I am turning in my keys and officially the entire move will be completed.  All that is left is settling in.