Moving in triple digit heat is NOT advised...and since my brain is still recuperating, here's a few photos instead of coherency.

Friday: Anu and I went for our last walk along Lake Bemidji in the early morning light. I knew we wouldn't have time the next day, so we took full advantage of everything we'd be leaving behind with an extra long walk.

We were rewarded for getting up ridiculously early with an incredible sunrise--and a little bit of "God Light" thrown in for extra effect. I took it as a good sign for our move to come.

Anu swam. Then we just sat at the end of the dock while I tried to memorize everything I was leaving. Impossible.

On the way home I walked past my studio, stopped, turned around, and took this photo. I'll miss my studio too--that place has been good to me. I learned a lot about myself there and count myself lucky for ever having an art studio at all.

Saturday: Moving day--after a night of sleeping on a blow-up mattress and wicked thunder storms, the alarm went off at 4am. Vinny was kind enough to drive to the 24 hour truck stop for some coffee. Tasted kinda weak to me--but it's the picture I'd been waiting to take all week!

The day before we packed this 26' U-Haul to the brim--packed tight--but, please, tell me: how the hell did we acquire this much stuff?? We baked our brains while loading it. I might never be the same again. (*ps. Did I mention that I'm getting rid of half of it--that's my promise to myself. I've already started the purge--holy hell.)

I like to think of our little house at 1018 Birchmont Drive as a transitional place. It wasn't hard to leave, but I took a moment to say good bye anyway.

The house, very clearly, said good bye to me also.

I followed Vinny in a car also filled to the brim--mine with cats and plants. You can imagine how much fun that was.


At first I was nervous for Vinny driving the "big rig"...but everything went smoothly and eventually I just gave myself up to the morning sky. It rained most of the way, with sporadic surprises of blue.

The scenery made me glad I wasn't leaving Minnesota.

After another long day of UNloading in MORE heat, I headed north the 4 hours back to Bemidji to clean the house we left and meet with my very untrustworthy landlord to do a walk-through. After more heat, a very clean house, and incredibly sore muscles, I headed back to the Cities again with not only my deposit, but Anu too. She was at the kennel while we moved. We missed each other! But she thought I had left her for good--poor girl. It was the longest trip she's ever been on, but she did great despite being crammed in between the last load of too much stuff. After being left behind once, she would have went anywhere with me under any conditions.

She is my sweetheart. I love her completely. Why can't people be more like dogs?

Monday evening: We followed the rainbow all the way to our new home.

Tuesday (today): And by the way...I love it here.