LTNS. Last week was the actual move. Loaded up on Tues and hauled to Ark. Unloaded on Wednesday. Again I thank the Powers for Ghost. The U-Haul truck was a 5-speed diesel dinosaur. It could have been perilous for me to drive it. Even though I do know how to drive a stick, this was a different animal. I had also stayed up all night Monday night trying to get the last of the packing done. I was supposed to drive my car so I could stay over the weekend to setup the house for Spouse so we could get him out of that expensive apartment. I couldn't have stayed awake for the drive. I decided to do the safe thing and rent a transport for my car. So, the diesel dino had a tag-along. Fun to be on a road trip with Ghost, even if the vehicle was a 15 yr old rattle trap weighing a few tons.

I have come to think of the new place as my treehouse. The deck is marvelous. The view from all but the front windows is forest. The birds are plentiful and lyrical. I've already filled the hummingbird feeder and they've already found it. Sunday morning, Spouse and I caught sight of the brightest little bluebird either of us has ever seen. I'll take that as a good omen.

I had a visit from a wood thrush a couple of days earlier. It miscalculated and flew into one of the bedroom windows. Stunned, he sat on the deck for a while, long enough for me to approach. He let me close enough to pet him. He let me slip my fingers under his feet and perched in my hand a minute. I set him back down and eventually he hopped to the edge of the deck then flew. He and his mate have a nest under the deck, with eggs. They are very welcome neighbors.

Ghost got to stick around through Friday morning before returning himself and the truck to MO. It was rather surreal to have him around all that time. We did a few impromptu rituals. After all, Wednesday was a full moon. We remember asking the Ancient Ones for that opportunity shortly after we met. Our wish was granted in spades.

It was also rather surreal for Ghost and Spouse and I to sit and chat comfortably together in the house and for dinner out. I'll have to say the comfort level wasn't all that surprising to me because I know both of them very well. Spouse was at work or at the apartment most of the time. Ghost and I stayed at the house. It was all quite natural, though I think very few people in today's society would understand how. These two men got along just fine and of course I am glad for both, in different ways, for different reasons. How Gemini of me, eh?

Ghost and I noticed a rather dramatic natural arbor visible from the deck. It's a couple of large trees whose limbs arch over to each other. There must be 20 or so feet between their trunks, and easily 40-50 ft up to the peak of the arch. Oddly, though the forest is rather thick otherwise, there is a noticeable little clearing between these two trees. Ghost set a stone circle in the space, about 12 ft across. He placed 12 large stones aligned with cardinal points and positions in between. So now I have my own compass, my own little stonehenge, and a reminder of that magical week with Ghost. Spouse thinks it's clever, although he doesn't put much stock in any other significance for such things.

On June 3rd, Ghost and I saw the full moon seemingly perched just above the peak of the arbor. She was large and bright white. I will again take this as a good omen. It felt very much like a blessing.

The transition isn't quite done, but nearly. Even though the move has been stressful, and no matter what happens from now, I will always cherish the memories from last week.