The Move According to Nick
Thursday, June 26
(I wrote this Friday morning, 6/27, as sort of cathartic relief and sent it to a couple/three friends. Originally in two parts, reflecting on move to that point)
I could write a book just on the last 48 hours, but will spare some of the details in the following long and rambling.
When we last left our intrepid heroes they were in a packing frenzy on Wednesday night for the Thursday move.
Grossly misunderestimating the amount of time/effort/boxes required to finish packing, the rush was on to finish.
I passed out from exhaustion around 1 AM after finishing what was absolutely necessary. I left a ton(well, not literally) stuff in my office to be moved by me over the weekend.
Vib worked feverishly packing up a seemingly never-ending series of items, mostly relating to offspring. She worked until after dawn. Got a 1 hour cat nap after I woke at 06:30 to get ready to meet the COMCAST installer at 07:45 at the Knight Ave house.
I head over to Knight stopping for fuel at the local Dunkin’ Donuts.
House looks basically beautiful, if you can look past the works in progress(as in, must be finished by folks AFTER we move in, a headache for all) Pictures, eventually.
Painter was able to paint the walls in the bedrooms, my attic office and the living room, the bare minimum in terms of how disruptive(read more $) finishing would be.
Handyman still has to hang all of the ceiling fans after the painting is done. Did I mention the new kitchen floor to be installed, too?
The painter finished around 9 PM the night before(a crew of four), leaving a trail of plastic drop cloths I had to remove.
So, to summarize, contractor tools/supplies in various locations to be moved around so movers can put stuff where it’s needed. The bathtub is occupied by two of the ceiling fans.
The two new beds(Anna and David) were delivered around 10.
COMCAST installer arrived around 9:30, left around 2:30. He had to install four new cable outlets, all of which required drilling holes through the outside of the house.
We bought a refrigerator, air conditioner for my attic office and dishwasher from Sears. Due for delivery between 9 and 11. Oh, yeah, the dishwasher required a pricey install, the refrigerator needed a water line run. Water line install due 2 to 4 and they dutifully showed up.
Lost in all of the confusion, literally, was any thought of the dishwasher. Certainly, by me.
Around 8:30 Vib discovered it wasn’t actually due to be installed, we’re supposed to get a call from plumber/installer.
WHAT ABOUT THE ACTUAL MOVE?
OK, let’s talk ‘ACTUAL MOVE’.
There’s our poodle, Fang and the two cats to be moved, too. Fang goes along with Vib. Cats drama at the end of this overly long missive.
I had piled my car full of items I needed to be able to go to work on Friday morning(not arising until 03:45, an extra ten minutes earlier for the longer trip to the bus). Also packed were some of the myriad electronics(cable boxes/DVD players, etc. SIX SETS of these, I only took one along in car).
While at the house, I take on the task of installing the air conditioner. Narrow window, worried about securing AC against falling out. RTFM reveals unit is actually inside a mountable casing secured to sill prior to installing actual AC. With a little side trip to the local ACE hardware store to buy nuts/bolts to replace those supplied that didn’t fit where they were supposed to, I manage to get the AC installed.
One other task is to assemble five garment racks to hold clothes.
Our movers are the intrepid team led by the Reverend Odom. Really. He brought along four helpers.
They showed up early and start loading their moving van, “Korean church van”(13 passenger van) w/large flatbed open trailer behind. There’s more to be moved than can fit into these three conveyances.
Vib is ably directing them in making sure that the right items are taken. Quite a few furniture items are left behind. Some are for Liz’ move on 6/30, some are for disposal via moving sale, some are for trashing(old beds).
It’s not until around 3:00 that they actually show up at Knight and Vib has to play traffic cop directing where things are to be put.
Did I mention we have WAY too much stuff? I estimate the new house has LESS than half the floor space(square footage) of the house from which we moved.
Over 200 boxes had to be moved. 25 or 30 are targeted for my attic office(about 10 actually end up there). The other boxes are put into the basement. Only a picture(coming later) can begin to show how much space these boxes/filled trash bags take up. I’ll have to find the office boxes and move them upstairs later.
Movers have to struggle to get stuff to 2nd floor bedrooms.
Movers have to REALLY struggle to get stuff into the attic through narrow 24 inch-wide door. Lots of office furniture goes up there. There’s a 15 x 10 closet up there to be filled with assorted clothes on hangers. Packed into about 30(!!) trash bags pulled over them like the plastic bag packaging from the dry cleaners. They are not thrilled about this. I remind them to think what it would be like had I not gotten the air conditioner working. It would be 90+ and humid instead of the 80 and not humid.
While this is going on, I make another ‘electronic retrieval’ trip back to 417. I wait long enough for Reverend Odom to come back with the van/trailer.
Upon return, park car in front of moving van and put flashers on. ‘Flashers on’ becomes important, soon.
We have A LOT of stuff, movers are making very slow progress with Vib continuing to play traffic cop.
Somewhere in here(time sort of lost all meaning), Anna and David come over to see the new digs and to share a Chinese dinner with Vib..
I take that as an opportunity to return to 417 for more electronics.
Notice the flashers aren’t flashing.
Turn key in ignition; not even an audible click.
Hmm, HOLY CR&P, dead battery or bad alternator.
This care needs to be jump started/possibly towed!!
Call AAA for jump/tow.
1 hour later, guy shows up to jump car. Assures me it was only my stupid use of flashers(about 90 minutes) managed to fully run down battery, no other problems.
PHEW, bullet dodged. Vib would have had the unenviable task of taking me to the bus in the very early AM.
This little ‘side issue’ meant I had to just move stuff around at the house until the sheriff arrived in town to rescue vehicle.
A quick jump, 20 minutes idling without the AC on, car seems fine.
Arranged for daughter TK to pick me up from repair shop in the ‘thought very likely scenario’ tow and/or repair needed.
I mentioned we are having a moving sale. Actually, Nick is having a moving sale as Vib has to leave for Anaheim ALA conference very early on Saturday. Should have had the sale an earlier weekend but logistics wouldn’t allow for it. So I maintain.
Our daughters Natasha and TK wanted a crack at what we were getting rid off and add a bit to the pile.
So, at 8:30 I go over to 417 to meet them.
They help set up SOME of the moving sale items, select some stuff for their way overcrowded 2 BR apartment.
Also, the Reverend Odom shows up on a THIRD and final trip to pick up some items forgotten.
While I’m here, Vib calls to inform me that our large dresser(well, her large dresser) will NOT fit into the bedroom so it’s moved into the garage for a later sale.
Then the daughters are enlisted to fulfill the last remaining major task while I work on moving sale stuff.
Cat rustling.
Neither cat went into the container willingly, the second in caused several bleeding wounds in TK. That would be 15 pound Pepper, normally very docile. Her feisty buddy, Cleo, the mean Siamese, was expected to give the most trouble but she was captured first with no injuries. When they went to stuff Pepper in the crate while keeping Cleo from escaping, Pepper put up a fight which she lost but not before inflicting aforementioned injuries.
Accompanied by the expected cacophony of agonized meowing, cats transported safely to next way station in their little lives.
Reverend Odom and crew finally depart around 9:30 after putting in a 13+ hour day counting their commute, etc.
Phew, basically done.
Let’s get ready for work.
Oops, need a shirt to wear to work, overlooked in earlier needed supply gathering. Make a quick trip back to 417
Get back.
Need ‘temporary lighting’ because ceiling fans w/lights uninstalled provide major lighting(lamps living in the van until morning)
Manage to quick hook up just basic cable for Vib to have today.
Asleep around 11:30, alarm set for 03:45.
This marks the end of a rather interesting moving day with many more to come.
Further adventures?
Stay tuned.
