Packing Day

Things have been going smoothly 'til this morning. Today is Packing Day.

My three suitcases are lying like butterflied slabs of meat on the floor and bed. My clothes are hanging all over my closet doors on hooks like deflated versions of myself. And I'm sitting at my computer because I don't want to face trying to stuff the next 11 month's worth of clothing, shoes, etc. into those three suitcases, which suddenly look very tiny.

Tonight will be my last day in my own bed for almost a year. But isn't that what adventure and growth are all about?

We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all of our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time
T.S. Elliott

Getting Ready for the Move

I'm leaving my apartment on the Upper West Side of NYC in 4 days. Happily, this is temporary and by choice. My first stop on this year's journey will be my family in Rockville, MD, where I'll spend 2 weeks with the my newly discovered family. I didn't know my father's family until he moved in with his sister, my Aunt Gladys, almost 2 years ago. He passed away in her home last September 24th, a house that he and his brother built for their sister in the 1950's, and steps away from their childhood home. I can't wait to record the re-telling of some of our family's favorite stories about Dad and the other Hogan family members.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself. For now, this is the tornado of what was my apartment as I prepare to head off to Maryland for 2 weeks, then to Martha's Vineyard for 8 months:

http://www.vacationhomerentals.com/vacation-rentals/Vineyard-Haven-Massachusetts-vacation-rental-cottage-proID-1990.html

and finally to Colchester, VT for 2 months:

http://www.vermontproperty.com/detail/Vermont/lake-champlain-rentals/630/