what can we store?

This post is named in honor of Michelle, who knew exactly what I was thinking and accurately imagined the current state of our new home, a one bedroom high-rise apartment. Yes, we’ve arrived. We arrived over a week ago, in fact. But it still doesn’t feel like home.

I’m an impatient settler. I like to clean and get everything put away…right away! We’ve had a bumpy first week, but we are mostly unpacked. We have to wait to arrange our library and put pictures on the walls because of painting. Some painters came yesterday unannounced at 8 AM. I was sad to send them away, but they would only have been able to paint the boxes white, not the walls. That seemed like a waste of paint.

Today’s task: Empty three large boxes labeled “Garage.” Hmmm … we don’t have one of those here. What can we store? All the closets and cabinets are full.

what can we carry?

The moving truck is coming tomorrow. I haven’t had to pack all the boxes myself this time, so the move still seems distant, days off. I’m still trying to figure out what treasured possessions should come along in the Civic and what to trust to the movers. There were a lot of goodbyes today, yesterday, the day before and before. It’s hard to go.

I’ve been listening to a new CD from Alli Rogers, a folk/pop singer-songwriter originally from Cedar Falls. I’m not great at remembering tunes, but I’ve had her song “The Things We Can and Cannot Keep” in my head these last few weeks as we’ve prepared to leave Iowa. It’s good for a transition:

what can we carry
what will stay with us
what will shine like gold
when the story’s told
some things will tarry
some will return to dust
there are things we can
and things we cannot keep

memorable morsels

Off the top of my head – favorite food moments from three years in Iowa City. A foodie yearbook page, if you will. Our friends are even more fantastic than the food they served.

Michelle’s cedar plank salmon and rosemary cheesecake (pictured at left) … indescribable. Good thing I’m not a food writer, because I couldn’t do them justice.

“Iron Chef” gatherings hosted by Emily. Squash, nuts, berries. And prizes for most creative, best presentation, and tastiest dishes!

Frequent family dinners, with countless desserts and lots of good conversation.

Cooking bibimbap with Jung Ok at Paula’s. Very spicy red stuff.

Bookish brunches and many, many fellowship meals at Lisa’s house. Coffee, casseroles, cookies. The door is always open there … just walk right in!

Darby’s scones, up on the third floor. She doesn’t live there anymore, but she still makes good things to eat.

Trying Thai recipes with Melissa – lettuce wraps and peanut-y noodles.

Orpah and Nate’s very cheesy pizza. Exploding beer and salsa!

finally, first farmers market

Saturday, I drove downtown and flip-flopped over to the first farmers market of the season! Walking down sunny, quiet blocks I kept thinking, “This is the day the Lord has made.” Usually, the first market is ushered in by blustery winds and regrets about leaving mittens and scarves at home. Michelle and I looked at all the pretty flowers and sniffed a lonely basil plant among flats of fennel. Oh, I’ll miss these early summer mornings.

My apologies—I don’t have the proverbial picture of asparagus to accompany this post. :)