Settling in
Kasia December 28th, 2008
We moved him over here on Friday. All things considered, it was a reasonably uneventful move: apart from a bit of a mix-up at the bridge, everything went swimmingly. And really, the bridge issue was more of an inconvenience than a problem – the bridge employee directing traffic saw that we were in a U-Haul truck and sent us over to the commercial lanes. Because, you know, trucks go to the truck side. Except that an engaged couple bringing the fiancé over on a K-1 visa with his stuff in a U-Haul is not commercial traffic, and the immigration officer we finally ended up seeing had, in his words “done maybe two of these when I was training, with someone standing over my shoulder telling me what to staple and what to stamp.” So he called over to the main traffic area of the bridge, which sent over a more experienced immigration officer, and from then on it was smooth sailing.
Unloading was even smoother than loading, because we had three times as many people. It probably took about 15 minutes all told, and just as we finished, the pizzas arrived. Beautiful!
Since then, we’ve been trying to get him settled in (and me re-settled, and the cats de-freaked from all the chaos). I’ve been primarily occupying myself with unpacking his DVDs and books. It’s interesting to see what questions come up. Like: “What do we do with the duplicate books we have (i.e. Harry Potter 6 and 7)? How about the near-duplicates (i.e. the previous Harry Potter books, of which I have the U.S. editions and he has the Canadian, which are basically the British editions)? And can I sneak his copy of Bill Clinton’s ego-treatise into the trash without him noticing?”
(The answers, in order: “Give away the more-worn copy; we’re not sure yet; and I’m not going to try, because after all, he is not scheming to pitch my copy of The Purpose-Driven Life or Dick DeVos’ book Rediscovering American Values.” I am still debating about whether The Catcher in the Rye merits shelf space or should be relegated to his desk drawer…)
Anyway. So we’re moving right along. There’s only been one near-mishap involving a cat and his computer thus far; I’m thinking we’re going to need to keep the top of his desk pretty much clear to minimize the risk of further issues. We’re going to run to Home Depot in a little while, and we’re hoping to get to IKEA during the break; a friend’s husband just came over and the two of them lugged out a Seventies-riffic couch bed that my predecessor had left in the basement. I’d like to get a nice laundry table to put down there, and IKEA had a likely candidate last time I was there. Plus we need a new TV stand, and we’re going to look for a shoe rack while we’re there. Fun times.
(Actually, they are.)
So today I need to announce my yesterday’s and today’s updates to the Jaibee Challenge.
YESTERDAY: T minus 28 days and counting. I considered rhapsodizing about how he’d stuck it out and shopped like a trooper when TBS and I dragged him out (he’s a sniper shopper and we took him on a marathon), but that goes back to the first day’s challenge (being self-sacrificing). Instead, I’ll say that I really love his practicality. You have no idea how much stuff the guy pared down before he moved here.
TODAY: I love that he’s not ashamed of his faith. He’s not – probably never will be – one of those people who announces it as a matter of course. He’s much more reserved than that. But when the rubber meets the road…how many times, over the last week, when he got nervous about the move (which was several times at least), did he remind both of us that God is in charge, not us? Many. That’s just one example – there are many more – but it’s enough for me.
Have a blessed Feast of the Holy Family – more tomorrow!
Chuck Catcher in the Rye as soon as possible. In fact, burn it. It turned a whole generation and a half into whining brats. Plus which no one ever shot a Beatle after reading Gravity’s Rainbow, if we’re dealing with reclusive literary types here.
Hey, Clinton’s book wasn’t all that bad. Yeah, it was full of shit, but that was what made it great bathroom reading.
Also you should push all your bibles and religious propaganda (really, Katie, we get it, you’re Catholic, enough with the showing off already . . .) to the back of the shelf and give the Cato Institute’s handy-dandy pocket edition of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution some front-row publicity. Maybe also a book of Lincoln’s collected writings. Y’know, bicentennial and all.
Re Catcher in the Rye: yeah, I read it in high school or thereabouts and so have a vestigial sentimental attachment to the book, but even at the time I thought Holden Caulfield was a twit. And that’s sayin’ something.
Re showing off the Catholicity: are you referring to The Purpose-Driven Life? ‘Cause that ain’t Catholic.
Re a prominent copy of the Constitution and the Declaration: I own (and have handy) a copy of the former. The latter is primarily committed to memory, but is also easily accessible via the Interwebs. However, if you really want me to have this Cato edition front-and-center, you could always make us a wedding gift of a copy… :-p
The Cato copy is a good one to have. Good protection against redneck cops far and wide (like garlic against a vampire). I keep it close to my heart at all times, and I’m not being figurative there.
I got Catcher shoved down my throat by a Vietnam-addled Sixties burnout (long story there — the dude actually volunteered for ‘Nam and then came back and decided he didn’t like what he’d done and so determined to torment thirty years of English classes by using them as his therapist) so I’ve always hated it. Which I suppose is much more protopunk than it itself ever could be.
JW, has a point — *I’m* supposed to be the big Catholic nerd here!
What are you trying to do, steal my title? On the other hand, if you want to join us in the house blessing for Epiphany, I’ll pick you up some chalk for your doorframe…. 