After some silence, I’m trying to begin again.

And, this time, for this period of time, since so many are asking about our plans for travel back home to Seattle, I’m going to travel log a bit.  So, this is Day One.

We awoke at 6 am so we could strip the bed and pack the last boxes before the truck came to pack us out of D.C.  It took all of four hours, but it was a full four hours!  Three men working non-stop carrying all our belongings down four flights of stairs.  I’ll bet they didn’t go to the gym today after work!

One of the men helping us move had a beautiful analogy.  When we were apologizing for having so many books, he said that living and accumulating things is like an oak tree.  At first the tree is tiny and small, but over the years it grows and grows and after it matures it provides a beautiful shade and demonstrates great strength and beauty.  So, when we grow over the years, we too, mature and accumulate things that help us to provide restful shade and show our inner strength and deep beauty.  He made having a lot to move sound really lovely!  It sounded like grace.

After the men with the truck left, we made a mad sweep of cleaning the apartment and worked ourselves into a sweat.  Then we packed up our little Prius so full she groaned and refused to leave space to see out the back window.  But, she faithfully gave us 50.3 mpg as we made our way north out of D.C., through Maryland, Delaware, and into New Jersey.

And now it’s time to rest.  Remember to rest!  Tomorrow is another day.