It’s moving day today and when we move to a new location the day feels somewhat wasted and that mostly nothing happens. We pack, we clean, we wait, we play sudoko and read books and news. Our check out time is twelve. Rudy cooks breakfast, cleaning out some of the last things in the fridge: some eggs, cheese, and fruit. We take a taxi a short drive up the coast to our new place and after a short wait we get into the apartment. It is hard to compete with the place we are leaving. The pool was glorious. The old condos had many windows in all directions and was so homey. It felt like we were staying at someone’s beach house. The new place will be okay but the neighbourhood is rougher and the apartment is small and a cookie cutter of many of the places that can be found on Airbnb. But it does have a washing machine and after washing clothes out by hand for a while I am so glad to throw a huge load into the machine and have it do all the work.
I am overwhelmed with the new place. I always feel this way when we move on. I decide that escape is the best choice and I lie down in bed with my book and before I know it I have fallen asleep. I wake to the doorbell. Rudy has gone out to look for a grocery store and has come back with a big bag of groceries for the week.
We hang the laundry out on the balcony. We are in a tall tower complex. However, the juxtaposition of what we see from our balcony is diametrically opposed to what our apartment is like. We look out upon a huge empty lot. Well, almost empty. It has some trees but mostly dirt and concrete debris and one small cinder block dwelling. It is very rough. Three or four dogs lie in the dirt around the tiny house occasionally getting up to bark and chase each other around. A young boy and young woman stack plastic patio chairs. A pig roots around the yard. It all seems very strange. The whole picture. Me observing the scene below and the people who live in the house being overshadowed by the modern apartment tower. What with all the crazy things happening in the world this strange picture of me in a luxury tower and someone else living with their kid and their pig in a small dwelling just below leaves me somewhat undone. The fast and furious pace of international happenings (many of which are led by the crazy stuff in the Whitehouse) cause tears to well up and threaten to spill out. It makes me want to be at home and not traveling. Being at home would not change any of what is happening but the comfort of friends and family would be good. Well at least I have Rudy and it is great to have someone to share all these feelings with.
Despite all those feelings I enjoy some relaxing refreshing time at the pool and Rudy tunes into the Jets hockey game in the evening. Life keeps on happening and we are lucky to be enjoying each others’ company in this beautiful warm climate.
