Turning in My Key

Many moons ago (ok about 36) I was writing about leaving an empty shell of a home and how that particular song kept playing in my head.  I have a key holder I bought when I got my first apartment in med school.  It's the kind that has the envelope slots on the top and then the key holders on the bottom.  One of the last things I do with every move is take it down and pack it away to be hung in its new home.

I think I was saddest today when I took that one last look around the empty apartment and took down my key holder.  It had been in the same spot for the last three years.  Since leaving for residency, I have not lived in one place for longer than one year.  In fact, my cats got so used to moving every June that they started anticipating my pulling out the boxes.

After my first year here in Buffalo they starting looking around and acting strange.  As June stretched to July, they continued their wariness but not quite as keenly.  The following year, they really didn't react at all.  Over the last month I've been getting ready for this move, and the older cats seemed to take it all in stride.  Not Lacey.  I got her while here in Buffalo, and she's a Special Needs Kitty... she's deaf.

Still, as we packed everyone into the kitty carriers and got them loaded into the moving van, she took it all in like a pro.  We've just arrived at our first hotel spot, and Lacey was the first one to jump on the bed, roll around and make herself at home.  We'll see how she fairs after the next day or two.  Until then I'm on the road....