Dark Night

Unsettled summer

Things proceeded rapidly for Stan after that. Grandpa closed on the house a couple of weeks later, upgraded a couple of iffy appliances, including the washer and the dishwasher. The roommates repainted the interior before they moved in--Grandpa didn't put any color restrictions, but they sensibly kept to a nice neutral palette--and he replaced the sad carpeting with Pergo throughout with the stipulation that there would be rugs near the doors to ease the wear on the finish in those high traffic areas. The roommates pitched in on a lawnmower and edge trimmer, set up  big chart of chores in the kitchen that would be rotated, and promptly moved in. I was a little surprised at how fast it went, but when you're determined, most anything can be done on an accelerated schedule. Our parents were also surprised, but it happened fast enough that they were able to give notice on the condo and move into a smaller, nice place. That put an end to any nudgings on their part to move back with them, and I really relaxed.  I gave Stan a couple of cookbooks as a housewarming present and brought a tray of nibbles for the housewarming party. Todd was also really excited about having graduated and living independently. He and Nancy were sure they could build on their successes from last year.

Grandpa was an excellent roommate. I still had quite a bit of freedom but there was the added bonus of having a caring adult who asked questions about my day and my plans. It was also nice to share meals and the cats were great. They were always doing something funny or cute. Mom didn't, however, let up on her drive to get me college ready. It was irritating because I had two sets of linens plus a blanket and my comforter and two sets of towels; I intended to buy any other specific items I needed down at school, but with a gentle nudge from Grandpa, who pointed out that if I let her buy me another set of linens and towels that I wouldn't have to do laundry as often, I reluctantly submitted to a shopping expedition. We went to Macy's and she bought me some pretty white sheets with coral embroidery on the pillowcase and flat sheet top hem and pretty gray and white towels with an orchid design at Nordstrom plus a beach towel. There were a couple of swimsuits, a desk lamp, a green terry-cloth bathrobe, and a small area rug for my bedside before she was done, and I had to admit I liked the new things. It wasn't even horrible shopping with her; for once she listened to me about my preferences. Later I went to get a shower caddy, shower shoes, and a few incidentals that I didn't want to have to rush out and buy.  I wanted to leave room for new purchases once I was on campus, but I realized that I wanted those things to be primarily decorative things rather than necessities. I started a list of supplies, including laundry supplies and a few housekeeping things like electronics wipes, pledge wipes, and Febreeze. And a laundry bag; I wanted something that was flexible enough to go into my closet. And carryalls rather than structured luggage for my clothes. Dad really surprised me and gave me a lockbox for my dorm room so I could secure my jewelry from anybody who might be light-fingered. That eased a fear that I had because the dorms were pretty famous for open doors and friendliness.

When it was time to choose my housing, I went over the options with Grandpa and chose the deluxe residence halls as my first choice (because they have air conditioning) and traditional residence halls as my second choice. They were reputed to be more social than offerings like suites (even if I could get into a suite) which is what I wanted. It was at this time that Grandpa gave me a further forty thousand dollars for my education, to be joined with Grandma's contribution. "I told you that I'd help with your education, punkin," he said as he gave me the check. "You got a great benefit with the tuition waiver, but college is expensive and there are always extras. I want you to be able to take full advantage of social opportunities and new experiences, which includes living where you want. We can't count on the waiver every year and it's important that you have what you need." I filled out the roommate questionnaire and waited.

Meanwhile, I had work at the library and there was general rejoicing there when my work study assignment was issued: I'd been placed at the Arts library, which I liked the thought of a lot, it should expand my horizons. I also spent a lot of time at the park with my friends. It was good that I had my friends, because John was starting to withdraw.