and, we're in. tuesday was the moving day from hell, although i guess i don't have much to complain about because the lifting and carrying i did was minimal. the boys take a couch, jackie takes a box of socks. the boys haul in an entertainment center, jackie drags a single bedside lamp, first unscrewing the light bulb as to make it weigh less. the boys say, "it's not so bad," and jackie cries, "my fingers, they're a-fallin' off!" she trades in the boxes of socks for something lighter, like a bag of milk duds, half empty.

the place is great, so far. i thought i smelled leaking gas one night, but when i lit a match, nothing happened, so i suppose it's fine. the cable guy came this morning with his big spool of wire. the apartment people dropped off a newsletter the other day. wednesdays are yoga classes. saturday is tennis. sunday is the giganto yard sale. thursday, there's a cooking class. i feel like i'm in a retirement complex. now, i like the idea of these activities that they plan, but i really can't see myself jaunting down to the clubhouse with a bath towel, proclaiming myself ready to do some yoga with my neighbors. as for the yard sale, though, i am completely prepared to purchase some of my neighbor's junk. maybe one of them has an atari system. or a pizza cutter. or an ancient artifact worth millions. and i'll pay them only a dime for it and then end up having enough money to buy illinois so i can sell it to, like, oregon or something.

definitely cannot see myself going to the cooking class. i liken it to an armless man showing up for a clapping contest. there are basic skills you have to acquire first. if you get confused making a hot dog, you can't go to learn how to make texas chili. if constructing a sandwich takes up your entire afternoon, you're not ready to prepare linguine with clam sauce.

all in all, everything seems too good to be true. my mother is also fine; they're still not sure if what they removed was cancerous or not, but even if it was, she may have to go through a little chemo, but otherwise she'll be fine. it's amazing how going through chemo these days is kind of casual. i've known so many people who've done chemo treatments, meeting most of them this past half year. they say, "i'm going for chemo" like i would say "i'm going for a poop."

which i do say fairly often.