How I Spent My Summer Vacation - Julie Devereaux

It is a wonderful life. I've had to remind myself of that truth many, many times over the past few weeks in the middle of change.

Life's top three stressful events are: death of a loved one, divorce/separation and MOVING. I'd somehow forgotten that; or perhaps I blocked it out.

Moving is disruptive, disorienting and distressing in the best of situations. It had been thirteen years since my last move and it was time.

I'm famous (or some may say infamous) for biting off more that I can chew. I did it again. I bought my own house. I've always wanted my own home and I found myself in a situation where it could actually happen. It was either jump or shut the hell up about it. I decided to jump.

I have no idea how any of this will turn out but I do know I don't wanna be on my death bed wondering or wishing I'd had the experience of having my own little piece of the planet; even though we both know the only thing I really own is the idea of ownership cos I certainly can't take it with me when I go!

But I do love having something tangible to leave to my children.

vacation boxes deux

Ah yes...the beginning of Hell. I started off collecting boxes from the grocery store and the liquor store but quickly realized with all the stuff that needed "moving", I'd never make it without the pros...so off I went to UHaul. One of my neighbors also gave me THE BEST BOXES. He'd just helped relocate an office and had some amazing boxes left over! I basically, popped them open, filled them, sealed them and carried them with their sturdy handles. Sorry, no pics of those boxes!

vacation sink

Got moved in. Things immediately needed fixin'. Look at my new, non-leaking sink pipes!

vacation shower

Aaaand since the plumber was already there, I asked him about a leaking faucet in the bathroom. He banged away at the tiles and for a moment it felt like a scene from the movie "The Money Pit". But he happened to have a new $hower faucet in his truck! How lucky was I?! $ure! put it in!

vacation cabinet

New fridge coming? This will need to be removed if I want the fridge to fit underneath. This project I did myself (with minimal damage to the woodwork) but dammit, that fridge is going in that spot!

vacation wheel barrel

I was hoping to find a nice, used wheelbarrow (confession: I always thought it was "wheel barrel"...nope) but then gave in a bought this beauty from Ace Hardware. I like the classic metal type.

vacation concrete

You'd think that since I have that handy wheelbarrow I'd utilize it to wheel this out of the back of my jeep. Nope. Sixty pounds of concrete...I can't budge it. It's for my old-school clothesline. I'm gonna need help putting that up, and making the cement, and getting the cement out of my jeep.

vacation salad

I took a friend of mine out for dinner Saturday night because he's been incredibly helpful with the move (he has a van!). We went to The Meadow Brook Restaurant in Hanson. THE best food and service! Definitely going back! This was an arugula, watermelon salad! Delish!!!

vacation george

Finally had a moment to do something that had nothing to do with unpacking! Took an early morning bike ride through my new 'hood. Was this house built by THE George Bailey of "It's a Wonderful Life" fame?!

vacation space ball

Saw this space ship out on my bike ride. Wishing I could hop aboard and fly far, far away to get out of all the unpacking and cleaning I had waiting for me back at my new residence!