Family in Boston

This is the best we got in terms of photos this weekend, there was a lot going on. We helped transport our girl to her new digs in Cambridge, a campus apartment that was even smaller than she feared, but she and her love will make it work. It's a beautifully appointed space, with washer, dryer and dishwasher right there in the apartment, appliances that made my girl very happy, as such things are not standard in New York. 

We had rolled out of Harlem early in the morning, while the movers were still packing the truck, and left Boston on toward evening, having decided to do the round trip in one day. My daughter's in-laws will remain in Cambridge until tomorrow, helping the lovely couple unpack and do shopping runs. I get periodic videos of the progress they're making. The place looks good, though they haven't yet figured out how to position the bed in the very cozy bedroom so as to also fit the dresser. But they're far enough along that my girl is starting to think about accessorizing. "Need to roll out the rug and get some curtains in here," she texted me this morning. "Everything is hard and sturdy, like a hotel." 

I am trying not to call her obsessively to see how she's doing, knowing her as I do, knowing change is always a bit hard for her, it takes a moment for her to emerge from that place where she wonders what on earth she's done. It's fascinating to me how that part of her co-exists with the adventurous spirit, because she is that, too. She's tender-tough, feels the fear and jumps like a champ. And now she has Munch, her adorable emotional support puppy, and also her live-in love, who arrived hours after we did, as he'd stayed back in New York to supervise the movers. When he walked in he wrapped our girl in his arms and they both held tight for a long time, eyes closed, it was a moment. I think he understands how she manages transitions, too. 

And no, we won't talk about how I'm managing this transition. You already know. But here's the good news. While he goes to grad school, she will be continuing to work remotely for her job, so when people eventually go back into offices in New York, rumored to be happening sometime this fall (barring another covid spike), my girl will be back and forth between Boston and the city twice a month for work, staying with us each time. Now there's a silver lining.

Also, that rapidly growing pup Munchie, who we now think is a cross between an English bulldog and an Irish wolfhound, has completely stolen my heart.