So much fun! And what a tiring, happy, difficult and special 3 days! It couldn't have gone better - Brian started by packing the truck in jig time, and there was a tiny bit of traffic around New Haven, but we sailed right into the city easily. AND found on-street parking for the moving truck and my car right on 20th street! The boys worked so hard in the humidity, but the city was quiet, and only one other family was moving in and there are two elevators, so it was smooth sailing. It took 1 1/2 hours to unload the truck. I had labeled boxes well, and unpacked as fast as they brought them up, so after rugs were down and then furniture, then bookcases, I just started unpacking books and dishes and clothes. It went like clock work. Pam came down after the service to help move me in and stayed with Brad, Peter and I as Brian and Scott headed home with the moving truck. In the elevator the rest of the three days, we would meet people and they would say "And who is the new seminarian?" and look first at Brad and Peter and then me - as the boys pointed right at me quickly! So many of the folks in the apartments have dogs, I'm afraid I know their names a little more than their owners. I asked Pam yesterday " now who owned Lola (a little yippy dog) - was her name Cindy or Sandy?" I had better get on the ball!

I LOVE  LOVE LOVE the apartment! The bedroom - in real estate-ese - is "cozy"! It is only 8x10, but my bed is on risers and the bedside table holds my CD alarm, stained glass lamp and books - all I need! The closet is spacious, and I already had Brian hang iron hooks from France with fleur de lis on them that are so pretty on the side near the door. The plum rug Brian and I picked out is perfect. The colors of the bed linens and shams and pillow are all sage green and plum. Lots of plans for the walls. And the bathroom is all white - tiled with a little cute window in the shower. The dragonfly shower curtain and periwinkle rug looks great, and we already shopped and have shelves to go up. The kitchen is a galley kitchen with tons of cabinet space and a broom/coat closet and a linen closet – all arranged and neat! The gas stove is a little shabby and looks well loved, but clean. All the floors are wooden parquet and the walls are ivory – newly painted and the kitchen is painted yellow with deep green windowsills - big window – great for plants! The kitchen window is on an angle and is near a window of the next apartment - we could literally loan each other a cup of sugar out the window to one another! My neighbor is Barbara from Pennsylvania - i am looking forward to getting to know her. The lon hallway actually turns into a little room outside the kitchen – the tea cart from the shop has the microwave on it and the jelly cabinet holds all my groceries. And there is even a bookshelf for my cookbooks!

The living area is the best part – huge 8’ windows overlooking the Close – green, leafy trees and a view right into the chapel! I already have herbs out on the fire escape – I am not planning to need to escape from anything, and boy do they look pretty out there! Everyone groaned moving scented geraniums and rosemary down to NY, but I ignored them – I know what is important in life! The furniture works in lots of different configurations and the table I had refinished from Eastern Butcher Block from the shop looks great – and feels reassuringly comfortable. I brought the desk from Peter’s room and a filing cabinet from the office for files. Near my wing chair and footstool I am setting up a little area for worship - my tiny stone fountain, icons from my travels, candles and incense. I have so many of my beloved things around me, it is new and old and exciting and comforting all at the same time – go figure! And the sunshine in the morning POURS into the living room – really lovely.

The first morning when I woke up I just stared at Brad, Peter and Pam in each of their beds – willing them to wake up – but noooo they wanted sleep! So I went for a walk in the neighborhood and went to the French bakery on the corner and had a latte and then went to meet Frankie – a neighborhood legend. He owns a convienience store and knows each seminarian and runs a tab for each one of us. He has had a seat at graduation in the front row for years, and is beloved by the community. Well – I walked in and saw him look at me with interest – someone new! He said good morning and asked how I was. I answered “just ducky – and yourself?” Well – he just threw back his head and laughed – and stuck out his hand for me to shake and asked my name. Then he said “Welcome home, Susan. We are going to be great friends, you and I”  How neat. I almost started to cry with the happiness of it all. And I DID feel like I was home in a way.

We shopped, ate out, hung things up and put things away, shopped some more – fun! The best part was spending time with Peter the week of his wedding, he was so stress free and relaxed, and seeing where his mama was going to spend the next three years seemed to reassure him that this was going to be OK. We went to the March of the Penguin movie – really wonderful. And met Tola, the soloist at the wedding, for supper. And Margaret and Norman – friends of Peters and Beth’s for cupcakes and coffee. And we almost ran over Ben Adams in a taxi and hung out the window and yelled for him to meet us to help carry our air conditioner upstairs – and he did! Peter said there are 9 million people in Manhattan and who walks in front of our cab but Ben! We took the train back to Don’s and then grabbed the car, arriving home a little bit ago. I already feel good about going back Sunday – I made everyone take a few minutes to spiff up before we left this morning for Grand Central – all the trash out, the dishes out of the drainer, rugs vacuumed, bathroom scrubbed. There are fresh flowers on the table and curtains up – sheer white organdy with appliqué flowers on the header that were blowing gently in the breeze – the windows wide open – no bugs! So it is way cool – I think I am liking this sanctuary very much. How blessed am I?