Moving Company

Goodbye Beige

Hello Timberwolf Grey (thxx Vic!)

We moved... with our brand new baby, we packed up our loads and loads of stuff and decamped to a new place in a new neighbourhood. It is over. And I am so happy. Here is some advice for you if you are considering moving:
Get rid of all your stuff now! Moving is hell and we are all depraved packrats. The madness must end. We consume too much, hoard too much, and we are amongst the (more) conscious ones!
As artists we are triply cursed: we love objects and create them; and we have poverty mentality and hold on to things
We believe in magic and see the potential in any forlorn cast off. I implore you, cleanse before you move. Be ruthless. As I attempt to pack our stuff, the folly is so clear. It's mostly crap! Books tools and some superb objects. Dash everything else!!!! Save yourselves!

All that being said, we didn't have the chance to purge before we moved. Moving was necessary considering the physical limitations of our old place on Kendal in the Annex. The apartment was like a tree house, nestled in the verdant treetops. That's 4 flights of stairs carved out of an old house, narrow, winding, never-ending, and scary with a new babe. And our live-in landlords weren't too thrilled to have a baby topping off their arrangement.  For the first 6 weeks having Amon home, I think I went out about 5 times in total on account of the extreme heat and the extreme stairs. So quick-like bunnies, we found a transitional place in a 60s highrise in High Park... lots of light, closets (!), kitty corner to High Park, and closer to Michael's work... perfect.
Looking after a newborn is full time +... seriously, it took me 3 days to pack one bookshelf. So this move was tricky. Camille (darling) came over the Sunday before we moved and helped me pack up the kitchen.

Beautiful Camille meets Amon Soleil

Emily showed up on the Thursday to help, and looking around at all of our unpacked stuff with wide eyes, in her infinitely frank and funny way, said, "I'm afraid for you... I'm coming back tonight with an army." And that, thankfully, is just what she did. My colleague Jen and her husband Kurt showed up at the beginning of their date night to help out; Krista, who had a preemie last year gave up her date night with Emily; Vic showed up after painting our new apartment (more gratitude!) and held Amon; and Emily orchestrated it all, giggling at all of our crap, taking photos, and shoving things in boxes until it was all done, almost 10.30 that night. I collapsed around 9 with Amon in the bedroom. The next day I left when the movers arrived, my little babe and me, on the bus, and camped at Carly's for the day, while poor Michael and Donny took care of the actual moving. Darling Fran helped Michael as the movers dragged everything into our new place. Sincerest thanks to all of our pals who arrived to save our butts... thank you... you make it easy.

From the 18th floor

Though we are still in chaos a month later, we are loving our new place.  It has an elevator folks! We hope this will be a sweet nest for our little family for the next year. Please come for a visit... we'd love to see you!