Taking Stock

It is hard to believe we've been here only five days. We have our routines. It is a small apartment for three adults. We are like those puzzles, where you have to move one piece to move another. Ray is at the breakfast table, Molli's in the bathroom, Patty's in the bedroom. Molli's in the bedroom, Patty's in the bathroom, Ray is still at the table. Molli's in the kitchen, Patty's in the bedroom, Ray is in the bathroom...we are all together in the living room or at the table some of the time, but we have to keep excusing ourselves to step over the person to get by.

Part of it is the interesting collection of furniture that Adrian and Molli gathered this fall. It includes a giant sectional couch that Barbara and Doug brought up from Barbara's friend Laurie on the Cape. It is a wonderful thing, great for Molli to sleep on and three of us to watch TV or work on our laptops or read, but it does take up most of the room, which has a lovely bow window and is not exactly square. There is a coffee table, but it is too big for the space between the couch and the TV, so it sits under the windows and accumulates stuff. The table is 5 x 3 ? and can seat 4, but then no one can get by. Usually, it is up against the wall and someone (me) is always in the way of anyone trying to get past.

Anyway, it's great, we are really enjoying it here. I have not been hot since we arrived, although Ray might have been sometimes. There is a very small fan that is sometimes on, but I haven't really needed it. I even use the oven without worrying about heating up the apartment too much. That is about to change, though. Today will be hotter than the other days and tomorrow even moreso. I am not too worried.

Yesterday, we walked Molli to her class at 10:30, so we didn't have to get going very early. I did walk farther than last time, but found a nice bench in the shade just before Northeastern. Walking back was a little rough for me. We finally made it to Stop & Shop, where I wanted to buy a shallot. Alas, it was not to be! I settled for scallions and packing tape. Ray helped me limp on back to the apartment. The four flights of stairs at the end are the coup de grace. 16 stairs each flight. It kind of made it hard for me to do much for a while, but fortunately I don't have much to do.

We had leftovers for lunch: me a hamburger and Ray a sausage. I did some online and phone work for H&R Block and didn't spend any time on my feet for a while. Molli came back about 4 and spent an hour or so before going to work. I made an interesting potato and bean salad and marinated the chicken thighs. I also packed a box of things for Molli's move, my excuse for why we need to be here, "helping." We had a lovely dinner about 8. The time before dinner hangs a little heavy most days. Sometimes I break out the potato chips or crackers and cheese and have a little wine.

Molli's friend Becca S. joined us, although she had eaten dinner. Then we walked to J. P. Lick's, a great ice cream place next to the Stop & Shop. We had Rockier Road and Ray got Meyers rum raisin. After I tasted his, I wanted to trade. Ooo, it was good! My mother used to like rum raisin ice cream. She would sure be interested in this turn of events, where Molli is living not far from where she grew up!