readjustment

I have to say, I used to be quite experienced at moving to a new place. But of course, that was back when "moving" meant throwing a bunch of stuff into a car and taking a drive. No need for a truck, no real concern about things like utilities and mail delivery, and my social life was all on the computer anyway, so my perennial social ineptness wasn't so much an issue.

This time around, things are a bit different. And I find myself running into challenges that I wasn't expecting.

There's the mundane, like the ongoing issue of how to get the various mail carriers to place our packages somewhere safe that we'll a) see them before the snow soaks in and b) not run over them. The annoying, like the driveway that, once iced over, is apparently going to require full summer (and certainly not two major snowstorms) to be entirely clear.

And the same ol', same ol': friends. Only now, it's not just me who needs friends. I have to start recreating the entire web of relationships that provide my kids their socializing, as well. Over the last 5+ years, I've learned a lot about relationships between between women in specific and friendship in general. Key among the things I've learned: not to take things too personally. And to accept that these things take time. People I didn't think I'd like when I met them became people I hope to call 'friend' for the rest of my life. Wouldn't have happened if I'd listened to my first impressions.

So it's a slow process and requires a fair amount of work. You know when a bad time is for it? Right before the holidays during snowstorms and a serious cold snap. Fortunately there's school to help keep the kids entertained, and over the holidays I just have to look for gatherings of moms/kids where I can find them.