So everything was finally moved to the new apartment on Monday and Tuesday. We live there now, together.

Now for the chaotic first week when everything is still packed away for the most part, and the place is a mess.

Monday morning at 8am the movers arrived, and less than four hours later, they had completed unloading their truck at the new place. Very speedy and good. If you are moving in SF, use One Big Man.

So there I was alone in the new place, surrounded by stuff. I wandered around, realized I had no food and that the whole kitchen was in boxes, so I left in an unfed daze and started toward the main hub of commerce in my new neighborhood.

I walked to the cafe where Brian and I met, mentioned in an earlier entry, and ordered a turkey sandwich and a diet coke. My back was killing me, and my calves were starting to hurt too. I stared out the window and ate. Needed the calories badly.

Then Leigh called, summoning me to the East Bay for the Target excursion. I took the N and then BART, and slept as the train curved through Oakland/Berkeley, which is always such a good nap. Met Leigh at the station in her car and we drove happily through the sunshine to El Cerrito. Ah. Target. I so love that place, it’s embarrassing.

Spent a lot of money, but everything I bought was a neccessity. Trash can. Broom. Kitchen counter cleaner. Dish sponges. Acrylic cutting board. It just went on and on. We headed back to the City, hitting 5pm traffic.

At home, I showed off the new place to Leigh, and then hugged her goodbye. Brian was home, and so were the new poof chairs, all velvety and purple. We went out for dinner close by, and came home so tired. We had no TV or internet, so we listened to the Giants game on the radio. It was a good game, they beat the Dodgers.

I drew a hot bath and soaked in it for a half hour, listening to the game. Then I lay on the poof chair as the game ended in thrilling fashion in the ninth inning. At last, to bed.

The next day, I got up after Brian left for work. I missed my cats. I had to wait around between 8 and noon for the comcast people to arrive and install internet and cable TV. Little did I know at the time that they wouldn’t appear until almost 2. Fuckers.

Anyway, I decided that before anything else, I must unpack and clean the kitchen. So I methodically went through each box, putting things away. I scrubbed the top of the fridge, which was covered with a dark greasy film. It was soon evident that two men were the last people to live here — to be terribly stereotypical.

Leigh convinced me to buy this $7 iron at Target, so as soon as I saw that my new kitchen tablecloth was covered with a grid of wrinkles, I decided it was time to learn to iron. My kitchen came with a built-in ironing board, so I lowered it from its case in the wall and prepped the iron.

As I stood there in my bright kitchen, listening to the radio, methodically ironing the tablecloth, all alone, I felt like such a Fifties housewife. And I kind of loved it actually, all the while knowing I would be back at work soon and that it was just an indulgent fantasy. I made my kitchen perfect and beautiful, and when my man came home I served him dinner. Just kidding.

So after the stupid comcast debacle was over with, I met up with Brian on the N and we went to get my City Car Share stationwagon. Then it was off to my old house to rescue the kitties. They were of course traumatized to be in their carriers and then have to ride in the car, but once they were released in the new apartment, they set about sniffing and meowing with glee, tails pointed ceiling-ward, happy kitty faces. They like the new place very much.

One more damn errand — we needed food. So I drove to Andronico’s and painfully dropped a hundred bucks there, just because you need kitchen basics like spices and mayo and peanut butter and so on. I hope that food lasts awhile because we need to ration the spending starting now.

Came home and made sloppy joes, not from a can of Manwich, but rather from a can of tomato sauce and my own seasonings. Worked out nicely, and no corn syrup! After dinner we just vegged in front of the TV. The cats discovered the poof chairs and were pleased. I still have no idea how I will arrange the living room. I guess I will play with it once the armoire is delivered tomorrow night.

So we are happy. Still living out of bags and boxes, but I think after another week, normal life will start to emerge.