As of November 15, Ken and I will be residents of the Adirondacks in upstate New York. In early October we found the home of our dreams--all 27 acres of it. We're out bordering wilderness, bordering state land that cannot be built on. I have been so overwhelmingly occupied preparing for this move that I've not had a spare second to do anything but focus on the transition. Actually, we move our total bag and baggage on December 14, but we will own the property as of November 15. At that time, we're traveling north with a truck or our new four-wheel drive pickup and a truck to begin moving the precious stuff that we don't want the movers to touch.

Although I'm so exhausted so much of the time that I feel numb, I'm actually extremely excited. We're so looking forward to this adventure and to the new world we're going to immerse ourselves in. Right now I can't wait to be there so that I can curl up on the couch in front of the floor to cathedral-ceiling windows in the living room and look out toward the mountains. We'll see the sun rise over our pastureland and woods out these windows. I'm eager to cross-country ski and snowshoe nearby, and do some downhill skiing at Gore Mountain in North Creek. (We're 11 miles from North Creek, the village we love.)

I'm anticipating the spring when I'll break ground for an organic vegetable garden, complete with an electric fence to keep out all the deer, coyotes, and other animals that frequent the place.

It's just that right now I feel we're never going to make it. Moving is so impossible. I had a huge yard sale Sunday (we got snowed out on Saturday) and after three days of work, I can say honestly that the returns are not worth all the work, although it was good to get rid of loads of stuff so we don't have to haul it north. I have handymen that promise and promise me they'll show up but don't. Ken has had to concentrate on doing his regular work, so I've been doing all the arrangements, and everything is so huge. The only thing that keeps me going is knowing that somehow or other we must be moving closer to our goal.

In any case, there will be a new blog coming called "Adirondack High." It will appear soon after December 14. If it's sooner, I'll leave a notice here. When I leave the marsh, "Musings at Redwing Marsh" will be no longer.

By the way, about books. Can you believe that I have not read a single book since our vacation in mid-September? Not a one. The literary world has whizzed by me in a blur, and I know nothing about it. I can't picture that I'll be in this state forever, however, so do not despair. Life and books will go on when the dust settles.