Cramped but cheerful

File this post under "decorating" and get ready for a behind the scene look at the first stages of getting a new home set up just the way you like it: the stage I like to call "ohmygoshthisiscrazywhatjusthappened?"

Last time I checked in from the old apartment, things were at about this stage:

On moving day, with the help of my rock star friends, we progressed rapidly to something more like this.  All these bags were full of clothes, shoes, and purses to donate.  Doesn't it feel great to purge your closets?

Now, I'm settled in at N's place, sleeping on the futon in the front room, and we're going to be roomies for about another week until she leaves for her new home in Cincinnati.  The painters have been in every night, so we have had to really cram ourselves and our stuff into a small amount of space so that nothing touches the walls.  I think both of us are handling it like champs, though.  Mostly we just go hang out on the roof with beers or sit in the park and talk in the evenings while the painters do their work.  In the mornings, we navigate the mazes created by large pieces of furniture so that we can get dressed and get out of the apartment.  Last night was the last night of painting, and I think we're going to move some of the furniture around to give ourselves a bit more space, phew!!!

This is the spare room, now totally full of my furniture, clothes, kitchen stuff, decorations, linens, and books.  In the future, it will be the office/yarn room (by which I mean totally awesome craft room in which I will also do my homework, I guess, if I have to).

It looks like a solid wall, but there is actually a narrow walkway for the cat to get to his litter box and for me to get at the books.

My gym bag is, unfortunately, buried somewhere in there and I can't find it.  That will mean no running for a while until I can find my shoes, boo.  In the meantime, I managed to get to my larger box of workout stuff and grab my yoga pants, so I can go to yoga class today - can't wait! After carting tubs and stuff up and down stairs, my muscles are really sore (haha, the other kind of "cramped"); hopefully class will be restorative and relaxing.

Speaking of, I taught my first solo (academic) class last night, and it seemed to go well.  At least, they have the syllabus and an idea about the course goals and structure.  Next week should be much better since the students will have done their first reading assignment and we can have a good discussion; I will also have a clearer head and time to prep a mini-lecturette since I won't be preoccupied boxing up my whole life.

This weekend I plan to sleep in, head to the farmers market and out for breakfast, sort through some of my belongings while watching movies, catch up on my favorite blogs, paint my nails, and knit up a storm.  What are you looking forward to?