Room 1, Chaos. Room 2, Pandemonium.

(From an email I sent yesterday)

Our little condo is in chaos this morning because we are improving the feng shui with new carpeting. Out with the bluegreen floors of the previous owners, in with a light tan! All of our worldly possessions--aside from the furniture itself--are stacked and shoved in the kitchen, with only a small avenue clear to reach the fridge, coffeemaker (for G), electric kettle (for me), and toaster. We even emptied our storage closet into the kitchen. (That closet doesn't even have the bluegreen carpet of the rest of the place. It has the original, bright orange, shag carpet! Oh my!)

The carpet layers will move the empty furniture into the common hallway as they work. It should be interesting. G is home to help, I am hiding at work.

The cats are funny in their reactions to the odd situation. Cats are very territorial, you know. They generally like things to Stay The Same. Noah was distressed last night as we engaged in the absurd act of packing all our belongings into the kitchen. He kept looking up at us and "quacking" for reassurance. Luna, on the other hand, was excited that she could jump into the empty bookshelves, climb over the growing jungle gym of boxes, and generally get in the way.

We also used the opportunity to pack the car with lots of items to donate to charity. Some were odds and ends our parents have given us over the years, such as decorative boxes and baskets, miscellaneous lamps, and two picnic baskets (we kept the third). The donations also include odd clothing my grandmother bought me (hot pink dress pants, for example), a complicated boardgame, and my collection of throw pillows. I made sure to give thanks for all the items and the kind thoughts and good memories that came with them. Be free, miscellaneous items! Be free!