Moving

At first I was amazed by how many people said, 'I'll never move again,' or 'I have so much stuff I'll just die here.' Until a week ago, I would have given a nonchalant answer about how much I love moving. And I do - that almost giddy excitement about making a new home, exploring a new neighborhood, meeting people who will become new friends, hearing new stories. Until a few days ago, I might even have claimed that we didn't have very much stuff; and until yesterday, I might have added that we're really quite organized. Only this morning, I might have claimed that we're much too young to think about settling down. But I'm older and wiser now.

I've been packing for this move by myself, while Nathan works long hours and the girls are at school. For the first week it went well, but over the past few days it seems that there is always another cupboard filled with things I'd forgotten and yet another drawer crammed with so much stuff that it is difficult to open. I have at least twice as much as I thought I had, and half as many packing boxes.

This morning, at the dog park, I was chatting to a woman I haven't met before.
'I'm moving tomorrow,' I said.
'Ah,' she replied, 'I'll never move again. I've lived in our house for 30 years and they'll have to carry me out in a coffin.'
Truff sat politely at her feet with her dog's ball in his mouth. Her dog was enthusiastically sniffing another dog's bottom so I didn't feel guilty.
'Where are you moving?' she asked.
'Vermont.' I answered, preparing to answer the usual slew of questions about how close to Burlington, which junction of the Interstate, how long a drive to Montreal, the quality of the local schools and the possibility of keeping chickens.
'So you're retiring up there, are you?' she asked, and I wanted to scream 'No! No! I'm 41- of course I'm not going to retire!'

After I had rescued her dog's ball from my dog's mouth and walked home, I looked in the mirror. The woman was right - I looked about 60. Of course, if I could only remember where I had put my moisturizer and my hair brush, I might lose 10 years; but maybe it's just nature's way of telling me it's time to settle down.