Several decades ago, my parents moved from their rented house in Cape Elizabeth to their new home in Gray. They arrived in a torrential downpour with a loaded moving van, kids and numerous pets, and were met with a disconcerting scene. The previous owners were still in the house, sitting at the table eating a […]

My mom and I were sitting on the steps going to our front door on a warm day in June when the movers arrived to pack up our belongings. After talking to us for a short while, they joked: “Which one is the mother? Which one is the daughter?” Mom was amused and flattered. I […]

I have moved oh-so-many times, according to some friends, with yet more moves to come. But two moves stand out, both firsts: my move away to college at the University of Maine at Orono, and my move to Lewiston, into my first apartment after I got my first teaching job. Both moves marked my independence. […]

The moving van left yesterday, but not until late in the day. Now, the next morning, I’m back at the house for a last look and walk around. The emptiness has a sound, like an echo. Not even one packing carton is left. Vacant picture hooks are lined up on the walls like upside-down question […]

Not one person thought we should go. My editor at the Houlton Pioneer Times took my husband, Marshall, aside at a party and told him he was ruining my life. Friends cried a lot with me. On an August morning in 1973 we nosed our new Chevrolet Monte Carlo out of Houlton heading west. I […]

My first big move was in 1965. Not yet 18 years old, I was to embark on my college experience. I had never been away from home for more than a week! So this was a daunting task for one naive to the challenge of packing. What to take? I remember making a list, which included my […]

In 1981 our South Portland home was getting a bit crowded. You wouldn’t think adding one tiny baby would make the house suddenly too small, but that’s what happened. My husband gave me a list of “must haves” and “must not haves,” along with a list of “would like to haves.” Since he is 6-foot-5, […]

It was a nice sunny Saturday. Perfect for a short move across town. My two small children and I had moved three times since their father left us to start another life with his girlfriend. It had been a rough few years, and we were all tired. I had been up early and finished most […]

Moving Day? It is never just a day when military personnel and families move from Germany to the United States, it is referred to as “rotating,” and it takes a lot of preplanning and varied packing. My family anticipated this move for the three years we were stationed in Wiesbaden, Germany, and the move spanned […]

On the June day I moved out of New York City, it rained really hard. The rain came down so much that we seminarians took out our Bibles and compared Noah’s experience with our own. Despite the rising waters, despite the guaranteed drenching each and every one of our possessions would receive, my fiancée and […]