Freedom to Move

Greetings Kittens,

Here at the close of July I’m still heavily in the theme of freedom. In my case, it’s freedom from the feeling of confinement.

I wrote a few months back about the treachery of one’s own body betraying them. In my case it’s ME/CFIDS & FMS and it put me on medical leave since March. The loss of income resulted in having to move in with friends in April. Fortunately, it had been something we were talking about before I got sick as a way to help us all bounce back from the recession and get a savings going again. Unfortunately, we didn’t get that planned, budgeted move we’d hoped for.

Because of the last minute, unexpected nature of the move, we couldn’t move into the larger space we’d picked out together and had to make due with the apt they already had. For a little perspective, I haven’t had a roommate in almost 15 years, and now we’ve spent the last 3+ months as four adults, two dogs and a cat in 700sq feet.

As often happens, it was one thing after another once we got here. The new place had to be renovated and we were first told it would be ready at the beginning of May, then June, then July and now it’s August and FINALLY we get to move to the 1500sq awaiting us.

To make up for the delay, we were allowed to start moving things in the moment we paid the deposit. Each day of the last ten days has seen the migration of boxes and clothes and things too long in closets. And we actually have a bedroom closet in the new place and don’t have to store everything in the hall closet, so a big step up.  

We also have a real kitchen for the baking I miss so much, and I get my own bathroom again!

It’s the little things.

Speaking of little things. Our “bedroom” was so small that we had to downsize to a full sized bed in order to be able to walk along one wall. Right now I’m waiting for that bed to get picked up and for our queen sized bed to be delivered at the new place. The new room is closer in size to the one we moved from, so my freedom of space will not only be in the entire house, but in those intimate locations where it’s oh so important.

I’m also returning to work, likely part-time as I’m still highly symptomatic, but even that gives us a significant freedom. My sweetie found employment up here about ten days after we moved. This, after three years of struggling post layoff. That alone makes the small digs and expected irritations of living with other people well worth it.

Being a two income couple again, with $200 less in rent and half the bills, opens up so much to us. From the small freedoms of catching a movie when it comes out, or getting a meal out, to the large freedoms of having a savings again and being able to travel across the country to see my family.

Ultimately, the exact things we do aren’t important, it’s having the choice to do them that is everything.

May you all have the best of choices ahead of you.

Ramble Done, Kittens!