"On the plains of Oklahoma, with a windshield sunset in your eyes like a watercolor painted sky, you'd think heavens doors have opened."
Fly Over States



Saturday, October 24, 2009

A Major Milestone


I've not posted in a few days because I have been packing like mad and had court most days this week. We were up until late last night, packing and getting ready for the truck. The truck was due at 7:30 and the muscle men were due at 8:00. We confirmed the time, twice.

We were up bright and early, eager to get started. While we waited for the men, the girls and I hung out on the deck. The girls went toad hunting and had a blast.



They were good girls, all day.


However, by 10:00, the muscle men still hadn't arrived or called. I was furious. Husband was beside himself (probably because I was on the warpath) and we tried to find some emergency muscle men substitutes on Craigslist, to no avail. No call. No show. The telephone number was useless. So here we sit with a 40 foot gooseneck trailer out front.


It was set to take most of our household goods on a cross country trip from a three story house and we had no good no way to load the truck. For thousands of dollars.

Husband and I just about put ourselves in an early grave trying to load boxes in the truck, not knowing if the muscle men would bother to show up. Going up and down the stairs with those heavy boxes was a killer. I had no idea how we were going to get the heavy furniture down the stairs and on the van.

So when the muscle men called at 10:00 to say they were fifteen minutes away (not that we believed that rot), husband insisted I not say anything to them to make them angry and run them off. Of course, that was obvious and I didn't argue with him. The fact is, telling them off was not the real concern. I was THIS CLOSE to taking them out on sight and taking my chances with a jury.

But it all worked out. They worked like animals and managed to get far more of our stuff on the truck than we expected. Here are a couple of nearly empty rooms:



They seemed like nice men and we gave them a respectable tip and fed them pizza and Gatoraide. In fact, we even want them to come back for the second load. We even lucked out because the rain that had threatened us all day held off until late in the afternoon. The temperatures were perfect for moving. Really a lovely day.

After the muscle men left, we sat around and chatted with the driver, who seems like the salt of the earth. He and his wife have 5 big dogs and he said he could tell as soon as he walked in the door and saw the girls (and probably the dog hair although he didn't say that) that we would understand each other.



He is going to come back through in about a month to pick up a second load. That should just about do it for us. I have been telling people that we are camping out but that is sort of tongue and cheek. Right now, we still have a bed, chairs, TV and a microwave. After the next trip, we'll be down to not much of anything.

I am so in need of some quilting therapy. I don't know if I will get to it, tomorrow, but surely I will find some quilting time later this week. My next (and last) court date is not until November 4th.

Off to finish my second glass of wine.

4 comments:

BilboWaggins said...

Congratulations - what you have just done is HARD, very very HARD.

Do the girls need extra cuddles? During our first house move with Ollie (after he had lived with us two years) he nearly made himself sick with fear - I know he thought that he was about to be left behind or abandoned or some such. Poor darling was almost shaking with fright as he watched the removal men take furniture out of the house. We calmed him by putting him in his Seatbelt Harness and settling him in the car - then he knew he was travelling with us, bless him.

ranette said...

Gorgeous colors off of your deck!

The girls don't look too concerned about the move and that's good.

Try not to wear yourselves out Penny, even though I know that's going to be hard.

The blog looks great!

Stephanie D said...

Too much wine and you'd best not handle heavy equipment or sharp objects! lol

Has there EVER been a smooth move? Seems something always goes awry--everyone has a horror moving story.

Well, less to dust now that the majority of the furniture is gone. And that means more time to play with the girls and quilt!

Sherry said...

I am excited for you! Soon you'll be back where "Y'all be careful" sounds normal again.