The Nomadic Life of Transitions*

When I started packing our luggage the first week of July, I told myself:

Gear up for 3 months of nomadic life. You're not going to feel this settled again until at least the end of September.

I'll be so glad when we've settled. So many details in moving and starting school at the same time! Finding a place to live being the big one which takes 3 face to face meetings before you actually start to move in. View it. Intent to lease deposit. Sign the papers get the key.

For various reasons there are documents to copy (where do you go to get a copy made in this neighborhood?), money to change (the best rates were a 45 minute taxi ride away), obtaining bus/train passes, setting up phones (which cell phone service actually has the best rates?), electricity, gas, shopping for car, arranging movers, getting a medical check up for Cameron, finding where to buy groceries, signing up for sports, a contract for who'll service the airconditioners, finding a handyman to make minor repairs.

Yesterday afternoon Jim and I met in town for lunch and did 3 errands (only 1 was profitable). Since we don't have a car, it took us FIVE HOURS. UGH. It took and hour to get to where we were meeting. With a car it would have been a 15 minute journey!

I also sent a note to Cameron's teachers today asking for grace on the deadline to get his textbooks covered by Friday. This laborious task is definitely not a priority in the next 2 days!

I rode the public bus with Cameron and Tyler the first day of school and then for the second day, I walked to the bus stop and put them on one I thought looked like was faster. An hour later, Tyler called and said they weren't anywhere near school yet. They got off the bus, found a cab and still were 15 minutes late to school. A TARDY on their second day.

Today, Tyler took off ahead of us, was nowhere to be seen, and Cameron was too nervous to ride alone. I didn't have my phone, and was in my lounge pants I'd slept in, and empty coffee cups in hand (I'd told Jim I was going downstairs to sent the kids off and I'd get us both a 70 cent cup of coffee at the outdoor coffee shop on my way back from the bus stop), but feeling guilty about the day before, Cameron prevailed upon me to ride the bus with him. I got back 1 hour and 10 minutes later at 8:45 and told Jim:

"I'm officially starting my day over from right now."

Got in bed, pulled the covers up over my head and prayed for peace. (actually what I said was, "Into your hands I commit my spirit." but it's evidently not my time to go just yet!)

I'm up again now and ready to start fresh!