Moving Season

This one is for you, Mom.  As Iowa City residents know, it's that time of year and, this time, I was going to be part of the chaos.  As I was talking about how stressful things were, my mom said, "You should write about this in your blog."  At that time I thought, "Ugh!  I'm calling you as a procrastination or avoidance technique."  But now that I have "settled" into my new place, I realized she was right so here you are.

According to Jonah Winter, Beethoven had to change his address 39 times, including 5 pianos.  This picture book (2006) is filled with interesting facts and whimsical illustrations.  Reading it will make most moves seem quite easy in comparison.  The Berenstain Bears' Moving Day (1981) by Stan and Jan Berenstain depicts a more realistic undertaking.

The Bromeliad Trilogy (1998) by Terry Pratchett features 4-inch tall creatures called nomes who originated from another planet; consider them to be alien Littles or Borrowers.  In the beginning, they live Outside but too many predators and a scarcity of food convince them to migrate to the Store.  Other nomes already reside there and allow the immigrants to stay.  Soon, through a "great and powerful" object dubbed the Thing, they discover the Store is to be demolished and they must all move again.  This trilogy consists of Truckers (1989), Diggers (1990), and Wings (1990).

In the classic book From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1967) by E. L. Konigsburg, Claudia Kincaid is bored with her life and decides to run away from home and live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  She recruits her brother Jamie, primarily as a roommate to help with expenses.  They quickly settle into a routine when, one day, a mysterious marble statue of an angel arrives.  Jamie is ready to return home but Claudia is intrigued and refuses until she resolves the enigma.

How to Survive a Move (2005) is an advice book that I had not actually read before my relocation, but should have done.  It is comprised of recommendations from everyday people who have already undergone that experience.  Some are amusing and some are "what not to do" but most are beneficial.  Keep this book in mind for the residence reshuffle next year.

Whether you are already established in your home or still unpacking boxes, take a break to read about various moves.  Finally, a humongous thank you to all my friends and family who helped me change my residence so I would still have enough sanity to write this blog.