We’ve been in denial about moving.  Afterall, on July 1st, we hadn’t even packed box #1.  I have been thinking about what we are gaining and, alternatively, what we are losing in our move.

Our New Old Farmhouse

Gaining:

Convenience is a primary thing that we are gaining.  We will have a dishwasher.  No more scalding of the hands while washing the dishes.  We are gaining 15-20 minutes with each trip we take.  We’ll be that much closer to the grocery store, work, etc.  (We’ll be that much farther away from the Bay and our neighbor-friends.)  We’re gaining a garden!  (Yeah right, you’re probably thinking.  I’ve heard that from you before.)  Well, despite you nay-sayers, I really think its going to happen this time.  Not only did our landlord say he’s excited and even tickled to have us as his tenants.  He also said for us to let him know where we want our garden, and he’ll till it up for us.  Yessss!  And, I think Gregg is finally over his burned-out-ness that has been plaguing him ever since he finished up Green Fingers’ Farm two years ago.  My helper has arrived.  We’re gaining a fig bush, a barn, a fenced in paddock(?) not sure that’s what its called, a free-standing garage, aka, storage bin.  We’re gaining air conditioning.  They’re window units, but that’s better than what we’ve got now which is nothing but fans to keep us cool.  And we’re gaining the prettiest 1970’s wallpaper you’ve ever seen.

New Backyard. If we didn’t feel rural before, there’s no question about it now.

Fig Bush/Tree

Wallpaper at a distance (and toilet)

Wallpaper: Put a Bird on It!

Losing:

The Chesapeake Bay.  And the porch that looks out over it.  A two minute walk to the beach.  On our last night in the house Gregg was getting sentimental about our move.  Thankfully, he took that sentiment to the kitchen and made us a dinner of bacon-wrapped scallops, marinated lamb, and corn-on-the-cob (Mmmm Mmmm).  Then, we sat out on our porch, listened to Bon Iver, and watched a lightning storm.  Why haven’t we done this more often we asked?  Life just gets in the way sometimes.

What’s next:

I’m imagining that as we move into this new house that our just-us time is over.  I had an idea to have a house-warming party and invite all the friends or acquaintances that we have met since we moved here.  I don’t think its going to happen because it would be very awkward for everyone.  There’s not a lot of overlap of the people we have met here and there around the Eastern Shore.  But, I just feel like, as soon as we move into this house, all our friends will arrive.  Or, the people that we’ve met, will all of the sudden show up on our doorstep with a prepared dish, laughing about an inside joke that we don’t have.  Not going to happen.  We don’t have inside jokes with anyone here.  No memories or easy breezy conversation.  It takes time.  Our new house is not going to be a magical fast-forward time machine of friendship.  But, I think it is one more step in settling in.