Exhale Deeply

[Above photo: Vineyard Haven harbor from the ferry.]

6 June 2022

I’m sitting on a couch in my sunny living room, looking out the front bay window at leafy trees and the neighbor’s garden in back. This part of moving is kind of fun, emptying boxes, breaking them down, and tossing them onto the huge pile of cardboard on my back porch as the desired interior effect emerges. I have a box for the Goodwill, things I’ve dragged around, and stored, for years but neither need nor want. How has one old guy accumulated so much stuff?  Too easily, it seems.

My place looks pretty and comfortable and I hear nothing from either neighbor. I bought a powerful dehumidifier and put it in the basement. It has lowered the humidity from 59% to 47% overnight, which bodes well. Authorities suggest getting the largest one you can afford, within reason, and I did; it isn’t struggling at all.

I still sleep on a blow-up air mattress, but it is comfy enough while I search for the right beds. I’m pleased with how the place—my home— is turning out.

Ari was a great help, both with her muscle (carrying heavy objects down from the second floor of her barn) and for her discerning eye. We spent Tuesday driving to Bangor in her truck and visiting a couple of antique shops. The Schoolhouse in Brewer is a place we frequented to furnish our island cabin. It is full of wonderful finds. I bought 4 dressers and a couple of small bookcases which I picked up in the Uhaul truck on my way back to Portland on Wednesday. While emptying my storage space in Bar Harbor on Monday, I came across 8 dessicated mice in 8 traps which I think qualifies me as a successful small game hunter!

Rocket Movers, from whom I’d hired two guys to help me unload, were an hour late but got everything in the right place in only an hour and ½. The couch, which I’d bought from Cherished Possessions, a consignment shop near Portland, was delivered at 4:30PM onto the sidewalk. My Rocket guys weren’t the bulky Mainers I’d expected. Young and wiry, they confirmed that they drank Red Bull to keep up their mojo. The couch is long and wouldn’t fit through the front door, so they loaded it into the truck and I drove to the rear of the building. Even so, it barely fit in and only by being elevated over the kitchen island. It’s in, looks great, and is very comfortable.

Poki was generous with me about taking things she’d stored in Ari’s barn and wasn’t using. Carpets, a side table, two designer chairs, lovely ceramics, a 43” smart TV, and a dining room table.  Some of these we shared in our marriage and they continue to revive pleasant memories. And an amazingly beautiful coffee table designed by Isamu Noguchi—I’m sure it is in the MOMA NY collection, so clever and stunning is the design. With all of the moves, I broke one Chinese ceramic soup spoon and one glass. The pre-Columbian earthenware survived nicely, as did all the lamps.

My plan is to store almost nothing in the basement, even though I have plenty of room and shelf space.  Why keep what I am not using, excepting some journals and, temporarily, a computer/monitor/etc. whose contents I have yet to transfer to a storage device. I never want to move again! It was exhausting, I experienced too much uncertainty with so many moving parts, and I dislike living in chaos.

The neighborhood is quiet and yet with wonderful destinations for walking. It is two blocks downhill to the Eastern Promenade, with its lawns, food trucks, and splendid sea-captains’ mansions looking out over Casco Bay and the islands. Heading inland and up the one block to Congress Street, there is a coffee house, an Asian restaurant, two bakeries, a small market, and more. Dropping down to Washington Street brings a wide array of eateries, from fancy to simple take-out. It reminds me of the Elmwood but with the ocean, and ocean breeze, nearby and not so crowded. Still, there is no Elmwood Theatre, Café Roma, or that wonderful Mexican chocolatier.

I hanked on the roller furling genoa and the mainsail with friends on Saturday on their 26 foot Tanzer, At Last. Since the anticipated afternoon rain morphed into a sunny day with a 12 knot breeze, we went for a sail around Clapboard Island. At Last is a nice little boat and it was fun to feel her heel and scoot along. Having roller furling makes a sailor’s life practically sedentary!

Our country is barely recognizable to me. Prevent mass shootings by passing out more rapid-fire high-capacity weapons?  Mindful of weapons manufacturer’s bottom lines, let’s address the murder of schoolchildren by arming teachers and having just one heavily-guarded entrance to all schools. Not so good in case of fire, I think.  And it doesn’t help much with massacres in synagogues, mosques, Walmarts, nightclubs, and other spots but, hey, Ted’s just trying to do his part.

I have yet another list of things to purchase, so am off again, after a bite of lunch.