Erin Moves: It starts here

Last night I moved in in the rain. Erik dropped my mattress on the wet steps, but what can ya do? We started loading in Royal Oak at 8:30am and finished unloading in Evanston at 9:30pm. We looked and felt like hell afterwards (see below), but were able to go out to dinner and down a beer without falling asleep at the table.

The theme of moving day was "Oops...Oops...Uh oh...Pivot!...Watch the light! Watch the light!...Oops, sorry...Are you okay?"

It's strange and sometimes sad to be here and have all of this on my own, especially now that Erik's gone. I've been talking to myself a lot and listening to the TV in the background. I keep walking from room to room thinking, "What was I just going to do? What was I looking for?" (Sunday: I've worn the same outfit for two days because I don't feel like searching through my suitcases or putting my clothes away.)

But today I met a neighbor (Beth) from across the courtyard. She was outside walking her cat (Tristan—a fat version of Sandy, for those of you who remember that angel). I asked her to recommend a bank and she invited me upstairs to her apartment and gave me a lot of information on Evanston while I took notes. We exchanged phone numbers. She's a biochemist at Northwestern and had a lot of spices out on her dining room table, and kept mentioning her spices and where she buys her spices. I'm trying to think of a good way to get her to invite me to dinner so it seems like it's her idea, but all I've got so far is to tell her, "I like spices." (Sunday: I hope I don't run into Beth wearing the same outfit I wore yesterday. Although maybe she'll feel bad for me and invite me to dinner.)

Today was beautiful and we walked to town without coats on. There are a lot of rug stores.

It started with backing into a tree, even after a lecture on how I'm responsible for all damages.

Erik assesses our stacking.

Closing up shop.

Saying goodbye to my house/Christmas wreath.

CUT TO: Ten and a half hours later...Yikes, I look scary.

There are swastikas in the front hall.

Today we put together my IKEA bookshelf.

And by "we" I mean Erik.

Yellow shoes drying in the sun.

I got cable today.

This won't come off.

View from my bedroom window.

Dining room. For which I have no furniture. I'm thinking of making it into a dance studio.

Kitchen. I want to put saloon doors on the half-walls, but I'm afraid to approach the landlord about it. He might think, "I don't know about this girl. She has big ideas."