The move

I'm one of those people who believes in filling a home with lots of laughter and good memories.  I have loved the apartment I've had for the last year and a half.  When I think about it, I remember the 1AM Ukrainian lessons Nazar and I had when I was suffering from jetlag and he was suffering from a Master's thesis back in my first months here.  I remember when Mefodyi was a kitten and crazy.  I remember sitting in the hammock and watching the day fade into night.  And dinner parties with friends, and staff retreats, and Masik showing up on death's door and being brought back to life, and Thanksgiving fun, and all of the other good times.  

But it was a hard year and a half.  My home was filled with frustration and hurt and sorrow as well. There were problems with the house,too. The bathtub was too small, and the hill too steep, and the walk to the grocery stores very far, and the neighbors were mean and sullen, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing.  

I'm good at making a house a home.  It broke my heart that after so many months, it still just felt like an apartment I was renting.  When the landlord came with lots of excuses and wanted to raise the rent - I knew that I could do better.  

My realtor is really wonderful.  She puts up with so much from me - this is the third or fourth time she's helped me find something for different reasons; and she always finds something just right.  I told her I wanted something that cost less than I was paying, was near the center, and could handle a dog and cat.  She usually finds three options very quickly - but this time she found only one option.  

It's much smaller than my current apartment - but it feels a bit like home already.  The yard is filled with fruit trees and gardens.  My hammock is hung between two trees.  Masik runs outside all day and Mefodyi is quietly stalking every corner of the house.  It is really just outside of the center - and most of my friends live much further out.  It's on the road to the biggest suburbs and is surrounded by dormitories.  It's the smallest house on the street, and is surrounded by monstrous mansions.  There is a big stone patio out front which has already been filled with great people. 

Moving has been an extreme inconvenience - especially over the Easter weekend.  My brain is just fried from trying to remember where things are, but it is slowly coming together.  

And I believe that this will soon be a home.