We are here. We are still working, but now it’s UNpacking. The girls were little troopers in the car. The neighbors we’ve met so far have been great. I am definitely going to have to learn some Spanish. More as my energy is less focused on unpacking!
Watching CNN in a hotel in Framingham. So very tired. Drove from 10am to 9pm. Flat tire on the trailer. Lots and lots of traffic slowings. We meet the professional movers at the apartment at 9am. Sleep is good.
We left Nashville at 8am yesterday. Got to Laurel, Maryland (north of DC, south of Baltimore) at 11:15pm. Saw the news. Lots more bad weather. We’re leaving here in a few minutes (at about 8:45am) so we can hopefully outrun all this crap. Just wanted you to know we are safe.
Please be safe Memphis friends!!! And all the rest of you in the path of this beast.
I can’t believe we’re still at this. I give up! Aaron is out there with two teenagers trying to S-Q-E-E-Z-E the rest of his stuff in the truck. It’s filled all the way to the ceiling. I suggested about an hour ago that he had better get used to the idea of saying goodbye to his desk. It’s an Office Dept/Staples kind of deal, but it’s perfect for its purposes. Another $100, and he can have another just like it in Boston.
I think I woke up at about 6:45am this morning. I did some more random packing then went and got food for the troops, picked up E.J., then he and I went and got coffee at Otherlands. When we got back to the apartment, Aaron was there with Len, Simon, and the moving guy we hired. I think his name was Freddy. He was very good at lifting things, although he wore headphones the entire time, so he didn’t hear much. Apparently, today was Freddy’s first time having bagels. He didn’t like them plain, but with the cheese, they were all right. He told me I had pretty eyes. "Uh, thanks?!" An actual sincere thank you to all the Memphis bloggers who helped: E.J., Len, and Simon. Seriously. We couldn’t have done it without you. Much respect and appreciation. Fer reals.
Anyway, lots of lifting and scrambling later, we departed Memphis, cats both fighting for my lap with Jeep wailing, as a thunderstorm began. Luckily, it didn’t last the entire way. Maggie was adorable and sweep and mostly slept happily in the cage. Jeep went from sleeping in my lap, walking across the back of the seat and wailing behind Aaron’s head. Still, I was mightily impressed with her bravery. If you aren’t scared, then it isn’t brave!
Now, Jeep and Maggie are in the little cubbies of the kitty tower in the closet, staring at me. They are not impressed with all the noise outside the room. I’m covered in mud and just DONE! We had to lower the sofa over the third floor roof again. I’d show you the link to when we got it up that way last year, but I’m tired and lazy. Anyway, I was supposed to stand on the bottom rung to keep the ladder in place, but I kept freaking out and running away. The only thing between me and the sofa aimed at my head was a very thin 16 year-old and a rickety ladder. I was askeered! Anyway, when the sofa started to tip over the edge of the roof, I jumped away, and the kid yelled, "Get back on the ladder!!! Hang from underneath if you have to." And so I did. Something about getting a sofa off a roof three flights up at twilight when it’s been raining doesn’t seem smart.
I need to shower. I need to kick back. I don’t know HOW I could have imagined that tomorrow would be the hardest day. Load the entire truck in Memphis, drive here, unload half the truck, reload with all of Aaron’s stuff. And hell, I’ve been fairly useless here. I even have a real-life headache, probably from dehydration. At least the pizza was good. We promised these kids $20 an hour to help. We were desperate. We’re hemorrhaging money today. Just HEMORRHAGING!!
Aaron is actually going to try and sell his Mini Cooper to the BMW dealership in the morning. You know what’s so lame? Because Aaron’s mail was forwarded early, he didn’t get the check he needs to cover the cost of selling the Mini. Yes, he needs money to sell because his lease is upside-down. In other words, he owes more than the car is worth. I wonder if BMW will give him a line of credit for the difference. Hmm. Lawdy, grown-up life is hard. And so we sleep, and then we drive to Maryland. Good times. Boston better be great after all of this!
I’d like to give a shout out to the weak unprotected nearby network that is hosting this post!
There is a picture showing the route of our next 4 days! It’s too fancy for the connetion I’m stealing. Just image a route that is VERY FAR!!! OK, better stop hitching! Time to pick up the truck.
