Outside looking in

Gratitude. That's the main feeling--to have the choice about where and how to live. The sheer opportunity to 'leverage' owning one house (or 2 in our cases) to get another.

And this week the newspaper series--front page--about the effects of gentrification in North Portland--the forced economic diaspora of the Black community, largely at the hands of White developers and the White folks who bought their developments and shifted the tone and texture of the neighborhoods. How not to be a further force in that?

We will get a key to the house this Friday after the deed is recorded with the county. And then the waiting. Mark, the seller, has the option to stay another month...will have to get seeds planted before a month is up.

From this end, some of the move is underway...have packed up the buffet (mostly) bookcases (mostly) emptied file cabinets (mostly) set up a give/go area in the basement for things with a future, just not with us. Emptied the basement bedroom and other area on the west end...no small task. That made it feel like we really can move. 20 years deep in every corner here...we have our work cut out for us.

Looking forward to seeing if we can move with no dumpster...want to give away and recycle what we can't use. Hope that's possible. Still don't know about whether or not the chickens can move with us.

Everyone we talk to wants to see the place and have a party. Ok! We will have a lot of parties!