So, um, I moved. LOL. This is my second full week at our new place, and I'm kind of so-so on the whole thing. The first week I didn't have internet, and still managed to somehow survive with just my television and DVD player. But no net means no updates, so now I get to fill you all in at once! Aren't you excited? *hey, I heard that collective groan*
Jere and I have been dragging boxes down here since the 5th of April, right before I left for Baja. So when I got back, it was time for the movers to come. Army moves, as many of you know, are generally contracted out to the lowest bidder. Which is why many military families end up sleeping on the floor for weeks before their things arrive through a van line. When the movers came to do our pack out a year ago, they ran a semi-truck door into my sister-in-law's car. It's the lowest bidder thing again. But we're darn lucky when it comes to moving because of Jere's job in the Army. We can have tons of furniture because NONE of his books count in our weight limit. So we ended up with our own semi and our own move out date from storage. No sharing! But still, lowest bidder.
The movers arrived right on time, and they were fabulous except for one thing. The semi drove down the hill next to my apartment, and couldn't get back up. For hours. Stuck. They unloaded the whole thing, and it still wouldn't back up the hill. Which my neighbors though was pretty funny, and was how I realized that I now live surrounded by idiots.
After the truck finally left (which involved someone towing it), I was surrounded on all sides by furniture and boxes. I had been authorized for the movers to unpack everything and build my furniture, but when you have 43 years of your husband's bachelor stuff filling up an entire semi, there's no room to unpack or build. The movers were sweet, and left my room box free and set up my bed so I could have a room to sleep in, but the rest of the apartment was ceiling high with boxes and junk.
I set to work and didn't get far before it was time to sleep. When I woke up the next morning and opened my blinds, the door to my outdoor storage was hanging wide open. Great. Here two days and I've been broken into. I had set an empty TV box on my porch to get it out of the way during unpacking the day before, and brought it in at night, and I'm guessing one of my neighbors thought maybe I'd stashed the new TV in the shed. They didn't take anything because there was nothing there but a Christmas tree and some old blankets. Stupid redneck kids with too much time on their hands.
The next problem came when I started to haul things to the trash. I walked around the corner and was chased down by a wasp. One time thing, right? No, he chased me all day, and I finally realized he and his buddies live on my porch. I hid inside and watched them from my bedroom window. A couple days later a nice maintenance man came and sprayed the area, which did nothing but make them mad. After watching awhile longer, I found where they were hiding, and made Jere go after them this past weekend. It's been raining for three days now, though, so I don't know if it worked or not.
Unpacking has been unpleasant, to put it nicely. Jere has so much stuff I dno't know what to do. There were well over 40 boxes of books alone to unpack, and they're now sitting all over the office in no particular order. I'll give him big credit, he worked his ass off this weekend and got very far, while I sat around and gave orders (six days of unpacking, I wasn't doing another damn thing for the weekend). I have to admit, going through the dish boxes was like Christmas, because my macho soldier had some of the most beautiful china and crystal, most of which I kept.
Our biggest issue, besides the knick knack and book thing, has been an over abundance of furniture. Thankfully, the Salvation Army came Thursday to rescue me, taking a loveseat, four DVD racks, a dining table and four dining chairs, three living chairs, a TV, a coffee table with two end tables, and a few more odds and ends. I can finally move a little in here. We also have some Goodwill boxes going, and will deliver them when we're finished here.
Walmart has been a huge source of amusement the past week. Yes, I know, I'm boycotting, right? It's kind of hard to boycott when it's the only store for 25 miles. Plus, I don't hate this Walmart like I do the one in the NoVa slums. Everyone here is nice, and their Site to Store service is fantastic. But going to Walmart the past few days has formally introduced me to the south. Everything is slower. And there is unbelievable respect for old people, even when they go through the 20 items or less lane with more than 50 items. Now, honestly, would that fly in Michigan, or would we tackle them and tell them to find a different lane? I know I would, but I'm afraid all the good ole boys here will go to their trucks, get their shotguns, and tell me to mind my own damn business. I actually asked the sweet girl back in Site to Store if it was a southern thing to give the elderly free reign, and she assured me it was not only that, but their manager has made it store-wide policy. You are officially not allowed to ask the old people to switch lanes. Guess I'm going to have to learn not to mind it, and to always have a cart (because the first time I learned the old people thing, I had three heavy items that I was carrying, including a 12-pack of bottled water, and stood there trying to hold it all while a little old woman with a cart full of items in the express lane argued over the price of a can of tomatoes).
Jere and I moved Ginger down here this weekend, as I'm convinced he tried to slow roast her while I was gone. She loves all the space and all the places to hide. She's a military cat, I tell ya. Used to moving. I called the vet I picked out for her today, and LOVE them. They had plenty of room to board her while we're in Myrtle Beach, and she didn't have to have any kind of consultation to become a new patient since I have a full copy of her records. Sweet! A vet who isn't trying to gouge me from the get-go.
Lastly, I have to tell you about my favorite thing in the new apartment. I had a nice little desk shipped from Walmart, put it together, stuck it in my room, and made my own scrapbooking station. I love it. I'm so excited! I sat down to do some scrapping last night, and when I was tired of working on the pages, I just left them there and walked away. Now I just need a better chair, and I'll be completely set!
I hope it stops raining so I can unload the car and get groceries.
Today's lesson: Never underestimate the amount of clutter a man can accumulate over the course of his bachelor years. And trust me, it ALL has sentimental value. This includes the military helmets, toy tanks, and one very odd cookie jar in the shape of a walrus.
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