studio living

Moving day, February 23, 2015,  was surprisingly uneventful. We hired movers and they made quick work of the furniture and boxes that were left.  Other than some pissed off kitties, I think we all survived somewhat unscathed.

Loki enjoying the "Studio"

Then it came time to get settled into our new place.. for now.  My mother has ever so generously opened up her home to us.  We'll be staying in the top floor bedroom of her townhouse, and trying to stay out of her way.  We'll have a bedroom and bathroom to share, and then an open loft for shared storage between our things and the furniture we had to move out of her guest bedroom.  It'll be tight, but I figure I have friends in NYC living in about the same square footage.. so we'll call it the "Studio".

Through the whole process.. the phrase that kept being repeated was "we can make this work" and "OMG we're homeless" or "babe, guess what.. we're homeless."

Not to make light of the serious issue of homelessness.. but there is something about owning a home, and then not.. and owning-a-currently-just-land-but-soon-to-be-built-house-but-not-yet that leaves one will a feeling of loss.. and slight disorientation.

Inari on neighborhood watch at the new place.

A few things stood out to us that first night in the Studio.. it was hot, and our cats were WILD.   Also.. I'm glad we really love each other, and already have quite a few years of cohabitation under our belts.  Small spaces can do some serious damage to a marriage if you don't really love your partner and their empty Mountain Dew bottles.

A rare peaceful moment.

We still had to finish cleaning up the house, so we went back over for a final "quick tidy."  I left my vacuum and a few cleaning tools there.. and this is where the day started to fall apart...I vacuumed the master bedroom.  Emptying the vacuum canister as I went.  Then moved to the guest bedroom.. and then.. heard a horrible noise.  Guys... our NEW (bought on Black Friday) vacuum died when I had 3 rooms left.  To clean.  After we moved. Ugh.

Seriously.

So.. time to break for lunch, and a run to Target to get another vacuum.  I swear, I only cried like 6 times that day.  Once we got everything cleaned, with our new "it'll do" vacuum, we took a few minutes to enjoy the house together one last time.

We sprawled on the floor of the Master bedroom.. and daydreamed.  About what our new house would be like.  About what we'd miss.. and what living in the studio will be like for the next few months.   We dreamed about our porch, and garage, and basement. About new floor tiles, and laundry rooms, and how to decorate for Christmas.  We talked and laughed about what we hoped would work out and the future freak-outs to come. We sat there silent for a bit.. just watching the wobbley ceiling fan spin.  Then we were back.. laughing at how funny it will be to see the kittens in the new house.. Loki running down the stairs with his belly swinging, and Inari finding her perfect perch on top of the kitchen cabinets.

It was the perfect way to end the chapter of our first home.  In love, and hopeful.  Just like when we bought it.