One week to go

From this point on, almost everything we do will be the last time we do it here.

I’m even getting misty over Tuesday’s upcoming drill & fill. I already know what’s going to happen because it always happens: The new dentist in the new town will take one look inside my mouth, turn to the trash can to throw up, wipe his mouth with his jacket sleeve then proclaim my previous dentist a butcher.

Then he or she will get down to the serious work of further butchering my mouth.

Tuesday will also be the day of my last trip to the medical marijuana dispensary; Wednesday will be the last farmers market; Thursday my last lunch with Susie-from-the-office; any day now will be the last trip to the local pool…

Maybe today? Probably not, forecast calls for a scorching valedictory week. We have plans to head out, the three of us, in about an hour, when the day’s heat reaches its zenith.

It’s weird not saying goodbye to familiar merchants you know you’re never going to see again. It’s just too much work. It’s awkward and not the fun kind of awkward, either. So I mostly don’t say anything. “See ya next week” is my new big lie.

Every little detail is getting charted out and attended to. Large, dead furniture removed, old computers disposed of humanely (when exactly is the land fill open?), the pair of upside-down-swimming goldfish off to new homes where they will terrify and appall their new owners on a daily basis with their eerie simulation of fish death…

My calendar is a mess, besides which, due to a cascading series of errors I was at the initiation of, we’re having to move mid-week, the week before my scheduled vacation. I’m having to take a sick day with the job I’m not even sure is going to keep me, just two days before my vacation starts. They have a stated policy (which I signed years ago) of not granting sick days immediately before or after a vacation day, we’ll see where they stand on taking sick days two days before your vacation starts.

My Father In Law is coming up to help in the schlep from this place to the new one. I didn’t imagine requiring three drivers for a day trip with two cars, but I’ve never said no to a reasonable offer before. It’ll be good to have someone else in the other car with the Giant Puppy to make sure he doesn’t get out of hand.

Also discovered that the adapter gizmo I bought for the Subaru’s tape deck last-whenever still works great with my old-timey, tiny iPod, so even in the car without the CD player, I’ll have some rockin’ tunes to jam along to on the ride. And fortunately, The Boy is on record as liking it loud. I have just the set list prepared for the trip. Lots of Guns N Roses, RUSH (I hope “Red Barchetta” doesn’t result in a speeding ticket!), Iron Maiden, AC/DC, live Blue Oyster Cult. I think I’ll bring some Pink Floyd along too and blow his mind! And some Zep…

Suddenly, I’m actually looking at the bright side of life! I expect Eric Idle to begin the singing and choreographed dancing at any moment… there’s plenty of room in the house for an elaborate production number tonight, just not the energy.