Across the Universe

View from the new crib's deck

At 8 AM the movers arrived.

Erin, Jen’s sister, and Erin’s fiancé PJ, are in the process of moving to the other end of the galaxy today.  OK, OK, it's just the other side of the Neck. 1.3 miles from us. May as well be Alpha Centauri. Hmmph.

Aside from the college years, Jen, 42, and Erin, 39. have lived together or right next door to one another, their entire lives.

The Amazing Bob, Oni and I joined forces with the McMurrer League, in East Cambridge, thirteen years ago. PJ came on the scene shortly after.

Together we found and fell madly in love with Valhalla. Two crews from Cheap Date Movers (now Olympia -- I TOTALLY prefer their previous incarnation) were hired. They raced to see which could finish first. Having only the junk of a two person household, our team won. Yea team!

That was on a cold, snowy, early December morning, nine years ago.

Maybe three or four years ago, one half of the duplex to the front of us opened up. Things were feeling a mite crowded in the ‘kids’ (this being how TAB and I have always referred to them) house so Erin and PJ shifted over. This gave them all breathing space plus the new digs had a spectacular view.

 Ultimately and unfortunately it proved not to be the most fab of fits -- they began a hunt for new crib-age. We were lucky. The new house is a lot closer than any of us figured on AND the views are even more astoundingly stunning than at the old yurt.

I suspect there’ll be more than a few BBQs happening on that gorgeous new deck this summer.

Here’s the other big separation anxiety causing bit -- Jen and I, after almost 20 years, are no longer rappelling down into the pixel mines together.

That ended with my recent exodus from Brighton.

Since July 17, 1993, apart from a capful of months, Jen and I have worked our respective ta tas off for the very same three companies.

When we lived in Cambridge and worked in the Back Bay, we'd slog through the snow over the never plowed Harvard/MIT Bridge on our three mile trek into work. From here on the Neck we'd take the Red Line into South Station, hoofing it the rest of the way. For the commute to Brighton we joined the grey faced sea of commuters on Route 93 North -- something I don't miss AT ALL.

Sometimes I was her manager, sometimes she was mine, sometimes we were just regular old worker bees allied in our mutual goals of learning interesting new shit, finding fresh ways to keep our customers satisfied. Satisfied. and laughing as much as our stomach muscles would permit.

We functioned like a spectacularly maintained Star Trekian team (honest and true AND there’s that ‘T’ word again). We assisted and advised each other, shared knowledge, talent and chocolate -- we supported one another with wise ass snarks, Zen-ish reality checks and burritos. Of course.

Dark chocolate and burritos. What else is there? Wine. OK, there is that.

'There is nothing permanent except change.'
Heraclitus

'The key to change... is to let go of fear.'
Roseanne Cash

'The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.'
Alan Watts

Across the Universe -- John Lennon