What I Did Last Summer...with pix!

No, its not the latest in the psychothrillers, but it is Moving!

In June I visited my kids to help them pack for a cross-country move. I really liked the town they were moving from, so, on a whim, checked the internet for local jobs listings. Lo, and Behold! I found one, decided to apply, was interviewed and accepted the job! From beginning of the process to my hauling stuff into a new apartment was a total of 9 weeks. Okay, scoff if you want, movers and shakers of the world. I had lived in one place for 34 years and now I was moving...ON MY OWN....to start in a new place at the ripe old age of 57! Without God's guidance and the dear, dear sacrifices of many friends, I would not have made it. But here I am! There are many stories to tell and a few pictures of the process. The pictures will be added when I am duly 'hooked' to the internet at home. Right now I am using my classroom's computer to start relaying the adventure.





My dear former team members gave all they could to get me finished packed, loaded and driven and even unpacked into my 'new' place. Upon reflection I am left with a conflict of emotions: (1) They love me so much, they did all that for ME! (2) Wow! They really wanted me out of there FAST!... You choose.

We had a packing, loading party one evening: results of that were:
-no time for a garge sale, so three days of 'free: take me away' junk in the driveway
-two half-eaten pizzas left of 4;
-2 bottles of wine given away (if I ever wanted to drink, believe me, this would have been the time!)
-2 liters of soda given away;
-one final call to 1-800-GOT JUNK?
-several large and small 'mystery' boxes...which I still have not unpacked;
-having to pack the last of the stuff in Karen and Ron's Astro van and my car since a 16 ft. truck wasn't big enough to hold my lifetime's collection of, (may I say it?)crap.
-one neighbor's borrowed stool to retrieve my cat from her hiding in the top kitchen cupboard so I could crate her for the trip
-wearing only flip-flops on my feet for three days while driving and unpacking. Oh, I did find 1 pink slipper as a supplement for the next three days. While most would not find that unusual, I remember being told as a child (when flip-flops were labeled "thongs") that I was Never to drive in them and to wear supportive shoes when doing manual labor. I did both in my flip-flops this summer.


The week before the move my friend Cindy and I traveled to OH (the new town) to find a place for me to live, etc. At the end of the trip, about 1 1/2 miles from my home, the car overheated, which resulted in having it towed to the fix-it shop and a new radiator and thermostat replaced.

My dear daughter came to help me pack and two days before I left for the big move, we took a short break for a Piece of Cake. Someone in the parking lot(does anyone do the right thing anymore, leaving their info in an accident like this?) knocked my driver's side mirror off and I had to have that replaced. Thankfully it all was resolved in a timely manner, though not without much worry and fretting.

Upon arrival at OH, I was so exhausted. I knew, also, that Karen and Ron, who had the willingness to drive the truck and van through nighttime Seattle construction traffic, were exhausted. HOW, I wondered, would we ever have the energy to get all that stuff unpacked? I ached and groaned just thinking about it. Having unsuccessfully tried to get some Navy friends to help, I just stuck out my credit card and called Mayflower for two hunks to come unload the truck. It was great. I was really in my element, supervising, pointing, and commanding, "Put that box, there, no there, no, could you move that couch one more time over to this wall, please? What's that? Oh, another mystery box? It goes in the second bedroom."
Then Ron had to take their van to the fix-it shop as it was making worrisome noises. I loaned my car to them while they waited for the van to be fixed.

My cat, Lilo? She hid in the closet for 3 days before venturing out. I even had to put her food in the bedroom to get her to eat. She did finally venture to the bathroom nearby where her litter box was located. Unfortunately I was not able to hide and recover. Monday demanded me at my new job. Whew!