Moving In

Hello friends,

Well, it’s happened: we now own a home in Oak Park. Right after the Fourth of July we drove from Cambridge to Chicago. We visited some old friends along the way. The visits were way too brief but did set us up for a soft landing. When we got to Pittsburgh Michaela saw fireflies and it brought back memories of midwestern summer nights and I felt good about coming back to the place where I’d grown up.

I saw my dear friend Laura who I have known for a quarter century and learned that she is running for mayor of her town. She wasn’t feeling well when I visited but is much better now. I’m looking forward to hearing about her campaign over the coming weeks.

Once we moved in, it took a while to feel settled. There was a weird smell in the back entryway that I have either gotten used to or gotten rid of. Supply-chain delays meant that we waited weeks for furniture to arrive. Boxes remain unpacked. We have yet to hang anything on the walls. But each day we make some small adjustment that increases our comfort and brings the house to life.

And then there’s the yard. I knew I wanted a garden, but I didn’t know how badly I wanted one until we moved in. The yard had been untended during the months when gardens are at their most fertile and lush—and it was completely wild. By early July the grass was as tall as I am and hackberry saplings crowded the perimeter and insects and birds flew everywhere. I imagine it was not unlike the oak savanna that existed here for 10,000 years until the mid-nineteenth century.

I loved chopping the weeds! It was a great way to relieve stress. After building up a sweat we headed to the local pool.

Sure, Chicagoland still has its faults. It feels like a lot has changed since I last lived here (twenty-five years ago!!) and also like nothing has changed. My mother still attends the same church she has gone to my entire life. The hockey team is still called the Blackhawks. Meanwhile we continue to get used to the house and the noises it makes and make it our home.

Love, Claire