The Move

I can tell you now from experience that it is challenging and strange driving a 12' wide, 13.5' tall house around behind you. It being Sunday, I normally relax in the tradition of the world's religions (like the secularist Sweden which has more religious work holidays than any country, I take the best and leave the rest:)). But noticing how there were so few cars passing by on our way to yoga in the morning I thought this might be the day to go for the move.

I hatched a plan whereby my mother was stationed one mile to the east and Ida my wife was stationed one mile to the west. On a three way call we were able to determine when the coast was clear enough on both sides for me to pull out on to the main road for the quarter mile, nervous jaunt. Ida and mom, at the time of the 'go for it' moment, pulled out of their perches and started towards the destination, slowly. That way if any cars came up behind them they could delay them with granny driving, or, if I had some unexpected trouble, stop their cars and pop on the flashers to alert approaching drivers. No troubles though!...at least on the main road. What a relief. Getting in our 500' driveway was another matter. I had to stop and reverse course several times to wind the eaves between bending birches. The big hold up ended up being a 100' birch I had to cut down, but who's will towards upward growth and sunlight was so innately stubborn that she mingled limbs with another birch and refused to fall, even under the persuadings of two come-alongs and all my willfulness, not an inconsiderable force.

But in the end, a few felled trees later, we got her more or less into place, a triumphant end to the beginning of a week, one that called for pizza, like a weekend well-lived should. One more step along the way to a dream realized, and a big one! Of course, I still have to do this three more times, but knowing that it's possible makes all the difference, and gives confidence moving into the next phase. I had deliberately been slow to start building the next unit before I was sure the delivery would work. Check.

Of course, the biggest challenge still lies ahead, that of hoisting them into their final places among the trees, but like a good challenge, this one unfolds incrementally, each upward step preparing one for the next.

From here on out the world is a big green antique pain-in-the-ass to hang open door