A deluxe apartment in the sky.

We're all movers and shakers these days, aren't we? Thursday's the day. We're closing in the afternoon and need to be completely out by the evening. How much have I packed, you ask? Does throwing away ten pounds of ugly preschool art from the back of our Subaru count? This afternoon, after we go sign Madeleine up for soccer at The Y, we're making the rounds to the print shops to get boxes. Then they'll sit in the living room, collecting stray Playmobil parts and uneaten chunks of cheese until Wednesday night, at which point my period will start, as will the moving angst and irrational crying. I'm saving up the champagne for the grand fete!

Madeleine whimpered herself to sleep last night, as she finally realized we're not going to be in this house at the end of the week. No amount of cajoling would shake her sadness (Dairy Queen will be two blocks away! The new house has mice in the garage! You can hide Pooey in the closet!). But I get it. It IS sad, and we've decided to have a Moving In party to welcome our new house into our family. (Heretofore unparalleled levels of sappiness. I know.) I'm sure House will be an exemplary family member, what with the sheltering, warming and allowing us to wash and poo in it properties.

I've gotta cut this short. Madeleine overheard me talking about soccer sign-ups and donned her fake jersey (#8 taped on the back of a t-shirt with electrical tape and silky shorts that are most likely swim trunks) and tiny soccer shoes and is practicing against the dog.

Here's the new place...

The first thing Jim said was, "Well, at least the tree is leaning away from the place..." That's high praise.


The view through the front window, better known as "The view the neighbors will see in the morning when I run down the stairs half-dressed to a wailing confused child or to take out the trash. Depending on the day."


Cool. There's hubcap art next door. I fucking hate neighborhood associations.


The view through the back window, or better known as "Mignon, buy yourself some goddamn clothes. You're not always on your way to soccer practice any more."