still-sound 197. Bookshelves

The last couple of months have been non-stop.  A strenuous test of patience and endurance.  After a search that required every spare minute since early summer, I moved into a new house.  And two weeks later my mom moved into the guest house in the back.  I worried that she could no longer live safely on her own in Arizona so now she's my neighbor.

One of the first things I accomplished after moving my belongings into the new house was to build a bookshelf. I enjoyed planning this.  In fact I often found myself debating the design details as I drove to and from work.  It consists of oak planks sitting on simple metal supports.  I tried fitting my collection of books on the shelves but there were simply too many.  So I edited.  I also displayed a CD of Jane Birkin called Di Do Da where she sings in a breathy whisper.  Rachel and I used to listen to this album in the perfume store where we work.  I remember she once said, "It's a shame about her looks though...."  Indeed.

I returned to my old place in Echo Park a couple of days after my move to clean the apartment and to remove any abandoned belongings.  There were more than I anticipated.  Two cars full.  It's funny how when things are scattered over a space they seem more minimal than when condensed.  I scrubbed the place like a hospital.  Usually a melancholy accompanies the clear out of an old home and this time was no different.  But mostly I was just tired and wired at the same time.