5 Minutes from Lowe's

Yes, the move has begun and continues daily.

 This is the gift basket that the builder presented to us at closing. We were astonished at the thoughtfulness they showed. Included was this binder of all the necessary owner's manuals for the appliances and utilities in the new house and an offer to give us a housewarming party for 30 of our nearest and dearest friends. We have a choice of three different themes/menus. What a great marketing idea.

We had the worst day to move imaginable. It began snowing on our way to closing and was blizzarding all day. Traffic was horrendous, and we all know Dave hates traffic, so this was not an auspicious beginning. I am going to avoid reporting all the hang ups, delays, frustrations, and exchanges of angry words, as I am hoping they will fade in memory, but we did make it to closing, only half  an hour late, and it was the fastest event ever for all concerned. We signed documents, handed over the check, grabbed the nice basket and scrambled back to the car. The van and trailer had already been dropped off at the new house and collected about an inch of snow. It took forever to get out of the city center, as all the schools were closing and every single parent available was lined up to pick up their kids. 

Now we Northerners are experienced in snow driving and think nothing of a storm like this. But in the South, this kind of weather is...horrendous. Mostly because so many roads are hilly and of course there are no armies of plows and salt trucks at the ready. So we nutsos are trying to get home with a trailer full of stuff and can't get going anywhere because of all the other nutsos on the road. Grrr. 

Of course we eventually arrived and managed to unload, and just when it came time to get the washer and dryer off the trailer, a nice young man drove by our new house and offered assistance. Just like an act of God.

We turned on the fireplace and arranged the old fart chairs and relaxed.
Then Dave hooked up the washer and dryer (why?) and then took off back to our other house. On the way home, he stopped at Walmart and bought a vacuum cleaner.
I was to stay overnight because I was expecting the mattresses to be delivered that afternoon, and the refrigerator was to come first thing the next morning. But because of the storm, nothing like that happened. I slept on the floor and the refrigerator came two days later. The mattresses never showed up and I eventually got tired of waiting and took the trailer and picked them up from the warehouse on Thursday.

It stayed really cold and the old house had frozen pipes in the new bathroom, so Dave was busy working on fixing that problem, in between loading more furniture and getting it moved out here. Luckily his friend Paul helped him, day and night (with his meds).
I waited for deliveries that never came, and was so happy when the cable and internet guy showed up on time. All was installed but I had no TV or computer to try out the new system, which meant more waiting. I had the dogs with me by then, and we slept on the couch, together.
Thursday my sister and her husband Terry came over to see the house and by then I had my laptop, and together we found that there still was no internet connection. Friday I called and a repairman came out and found the issue and now we have TV and internet and all is well. BIG SIGH OF RELIEF.

Now that I am living in the Eastern time zone, I wake up way too early. So I take pictures. One morning I saw a man walking his dogs in the vacant lot across the street. They were PUGS! As cold as it was, I stepped out onto my front porch in my robe to say hello, and tell him that we are pug people too. His two are girls, and I just know our boys will be thrilled to have pug friends.

 The cold days were easing up by Friday, melting the snow in most of the yards. Our driveway still has it's packed snow cover, as it faces north.
But Friday was the big day, the one I was really eager to see. First thing I did was go to Lowe's to pick up my special order whitewashed beech Pergo for the new studio floor. I love the fact that it is a mere five minute drive to my favorite big box store. Yay! The guys were coming to install it by ten, and Dave was bringing over another trailer and van load, so all my waiting was coming to a  happy ending. The new beds were fitted out with bed clothes, the dogs were happily running in the fenced yard and barking at every new sound, I had my tv and internet going, and was working on getting fingerprints off my new stainless refrigerator. My fave floor guys arrived and went right to work on the studio.

 But there's always something. I underestimated the amount of Pergo and was at least a box short. So close, yet so far from over. I ordered more and hope to see the shipment by next Friday.

I have no more deliveries to wait on, thank heavens, so today I will return to the old place and gather up all the kitchen stuff, a mountain of dirty laundry, and see what needs to be collected that will fit in my car. I am begging Dave to take a day off and stay at the new house, and I think I will get my way, since Sunday is the Superbowl and all the TVs are here.

Next week we'll finalize all the moving and begin the BIG CLEANUP. Got my rubber gloves, Mr. Clean sponges and Swiffer at the ready!