I can occasionally still summon up that kind of energy, but pay for it the next day. There are so many times this year that have I come home, help get the kids in bed, and then sit on the couch, planning on reading and waking up 3 or 4 hours later. I guess I am learning to conserve energy to some extent, trying to be more efficient and simply giving up on things (like running over to the library) that really can wait. Still, the new house can't wait as much, so I do find myself in a sustained state of exhaustion. However, my daughter's room looks quite nice, with only a few spots I'll have to try to lift some paint (including one spot on the floor) and one area around the window where the tape lifted off the new paint. It isn't quite a professional-looking job, but it isn't bad. The downstairs study area looks even better, though it is very, very blue.
Anyway, I got all the books off the 4 main bookcases (and into boxes),* though I gave up with the overflow bookcase and just stacked them in piles near the computer. That can wait now. I had a co-worker come meet me at the U-Haul rental centre, and we got a 10 foot truck and drove it back. It took a while, but we got the 4 main bookcases into the U-Haul and then the bookcase in my son's room (that one seems to have suffered the most in the move). We got them into place in the new house, though it looks like I have to shorten up the curtain rod, as it sticks into the area for the top shelf of books. I can't start putting books away just yet, since I need to see if the downstairs area needs a bit more shoring up. Second, I want a sense of just how damp the room will get, since it may make me rearrange books and not put my favorites right near the door. Finally, I need to have them shimmed up a bit and anchored to the wall (and this goes especially for the bookcase in my son's room). But maybe by next week. In the meantime, there are several loads of boxes that can be moved over and a few more things to pack up here in the basement. Nonetheless, the worst is clearly over. As my wife says, at this point, movers could take care of the rest -- it's just a matter of how much we would be paying them. Still, I like to deal with the books myself, and I've done a pretty good job to date, maybe even gotten a week ahead of schedule.
However, after wrestling the bookcases into the new house, my co-worker and I agreed it was just too stressful dealing with the U-Haul -- and the fact that I would have to parallel park it -- and the fact it was getting late, so I dropped him off at the subway and returned the truck without making a second trip. Five years ago, and certainly 10, I would have pushed through with another load today. In fact, I would have moved all the bookcases without any help (I was able to load one onto the truck by myself), but those days are gone. I guess I shouldn't lament too much, though growing old is no fun. At any rate, I'll almost certainly take 2 loads over tomorrow, so there is no point in going completely over the top in any one day. I think I should see if I can get any rest tonight, as I'll need it tomorrow.
* It does seem so weird to not even have the bookcases downstairs. All of a sudden there is this huge blank wall. It is a bit disconcerting to know that it may be weeks before I have the books back in place (delays with the contractor and just needing time to sort and unpack the boxes at the new place). I did pull a short stack of books that I want to read in the meantime (mostly on days that I am not biking to work), but I am sure there will come a point where I want to grab a book and realize it is not available. I'll just have to push (but stay within my somewhat reduced limits) to minimize the time until things are back to normal.
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