So, we got in after 1 last night, after a very pleasant dinner with Paul and Marcia, and then birthday celebrating at a bar with the grad students. Played some pool, chatted, sang karaoke. My two karaoke tips -- have someone to be silly with, and know the song really really really well.
Got home still buzzed, so called Jed for a bit before bed. Not sure when I got to sleep, but I think after 2. The light woke me around 7ish, so I spent a couple hours quietly packing, trying not to wake Alex who was asleep in the living room. He took me to get boxes yesterday morning, so I had tons of them to work with. I packed one box with all my fragile Christmas ornaments yesterday; this morning I packed one box to store under the bed, of heavy sweaters and Indian clothes that I hardly ever wear and costumes. Then I did another of autumn/winter clothes that I probably won't wear much in the next six months. I might unpack that one when I get to Chicago -- it depends a lot on how much space we seem to have when I get there. Kevin's place is a two-bedroom, but only one of them has a large closet. We'll see how it goes.
Around 9:30, I started hauling things downstairs. Various bedding, camping gear, many books, some old luggage. All out on the lawn. With a book and some tea and Carol and Alex to keep me company, spent a pleasant afternoon and made about ten bucks. :-) Gave lots away as well. Then Marcia came by at 3 to take what was left to Goodwill, and Holly and Bev came to take the books to a kids' charity. Just as they arrived, an older guy asked if he could buy the chair I was sitting on. I explained that I hadn't planned on selling the furniture for another week or two. He offered to pre-pay, to reserve stuff. So I brought him upstairs, and ended up selling him my dining table chairs and my work table for $70 -- I'm not sure what I paid for them originally, but I think that's at least half, and probably more, since I bought them all used. So that's pretty pleasing in one sense -- in another, it's kind of disconcerting.
See, all the other stuff I was getting rid of...I could still put that down to house-cleaning, really. None of it was stuff I was using; it was just accumulated nonsense of various kinds. But my chairs, my table -- they're for real. I'm actually moving. Eep! Even if Kevin or I freak out in the next few weeks and change our minds (unlikely at this point, I think), I'll definitely be moving somewhere. And it's all feeling very real right now, and a little overwhelming. I think I'm going to spend the rest of the evening doing very mellow things...reading, maybe, or watching tv. The sun is shining brightly, and there's a pleasant breeze wafting in my bedroom window. I'm sure with a little rest, I'll be fine. Just slightly dazed at the moment...