Instead of recounting the final aspects of the move, I will simply sing the praises of Starving Artists Movers (recommended to me by poet, milk editor and Myopic Poetry Series organizer Larry Sawyer), who not only carried the largest and most unwieldy pieces of furniture out of the apartment (after I'd failed to sell or even convince anyone I knew, save my cousin and her husband, of taking much of anything in the preceding weeks, and carted quite a bit out by myself for my neighbors to cull) but donated a large portion of it to Casa Aztlán, which among its other numerous wonderful services, provides necessary items to recently-arrived immigrants who may have nothing.
The drive, in two cars, which began pleasantly enough early in the morning in Chicago in Chicago (arrivederci!) but later in Pennsylvania felt like it would never end, in part because for sizable stretches the two-lane Interstate 80 narrowed to only one, finally did, early the following morning. (How, I will ask for the umpteenth time, did any government administer that state or any other as large as it (Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Minnesota, etc.) before the invention of the telegraph, the paddle boat, or trains?) We made it back in one piece, the boxes have mostly reached their destination, and now the process of unpacking, reacclimating to being home, and preparing for the new school year all begin. Here are a few photos that tell the story.
Public Storage, which was often closd when I stopped by there to buy boxes and bubble wrap (OPEN, COME IN, only you can't right now)
An empty bookshelf, with some artwork (by Tiffany Gholar atop the shelf, and the disc by Niz) and boxes
Boxes!
Packed up things waiting to be put into the cars
The apartment living room emptied out
A last glimpse through the blinds onto the front courtyard
In front of my last Chicago homestead (photo by C)
A farewell visitor
The final meal I cooked (there were two, these are the remaining halves, Italian sausage, and the vegetarian pizza for yours truly)
The route from Chicago (the Willits [Sears] Tower is visible in the background)
The 7th chamber of hell, or the endless, undulating blur, or driving from one end of Pennsylvania to the other at night
The farmer's market in downtown Jersey City
The drive, in two cars, which began pleasantly enough early in the morning in Chicago in Chicago (arrivederci!) but later in Pennsylvania felt like it would never end, in part because for sizable stretches the two-lane Interstate 80 narrowed to only one, finally did, early the following morning. (How, I will ask for the umpteenth time, did any government administer that state or any other as large as it (Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Minnesota, etc.) before the invention of the telegraph, the paddle boat, or trains?) We made it back in one piece, the boxes have mostly reached their destination, and now the process of unpacking, reacclimating to being home, and preparing for the new school year all begin. Here are a few photos that tell the story.
Public Storage, which was often closd when I stopped by there to buy boxes and bubble wrap (OPEN, COME IN, only you can't right now)
An empty bookshelf, with some artwork (by Tiffany Gholar atop the shelf, and the disc by Niz) and boxes
Boxes!
Packed up things waiting to be put into the cars
The apartment living room emptied out
A last glimpse through the blinds onto the front courtyard
In front of my last Chicago homestead (photo by C)
A farewell visitor
The final meal I cooked (there were two, these are the remaining halves, Italian sausage, and the vegetarian pizza for yours truly)
The route from Chicago (the Willits [Sears] Tower is visible in the background)
The 7th chamber of hell, or the endless, undulating blur, or driving from one end of Pennsylvania to the other at night
The farmer's market in downtown Jersey City
I always love when you do photo posts. More please!
ReplyDeleteHooray for the stress of moving being behind you now and WELCOME BACK to the Garden State!
ReplyDelete