All I can say is thank God for Maggie! If she hadn't come to help, all the stuff would not have fit in the truck. Maggie is the queen of organization and figured out how to perfectly fit all the furniture in such a way that it won't slide, won't get damaged, and--most importantly--fits in the truck. A bunch of other people were supposed to come and help with loading the truck, but they flaked--except for one, who broke her toe and fractured her metatarsal, so I think she had every reason to avoid lifting heavy boxes and furniture. To those of you who flaked out, YOU SUCK. I deem our friendship over. -_-
Otherwise, loading the truck was hard work and took AGES. Lots longer than any of us expected. Regardless, we got everything piled inside and then cleaned the apartment. According to the landlord, we get our security deposit back. :)
And! The landlord let me leave a note for the new tenants about Catinca--one of the girls moving in is a vet student, so Catinca will be in good hands. This is a big weight off my shoulders, because I was really concerned about what would happen to her.
Tomorrow, driving to Oklahoma.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
The Truck
Okay, so we arrived at UHaul a little later than our planned time of 9:00 a.m. When we pulled up, they had a row of trucks pulled up to the building for pick-up that day... and the first one there was a 14-foot truck with a giant green spider on the side. Lindsay and I (and her mom, who came up to help us move) approached the building, with a conversation that went pretty much like this:
Lindsay: Is that our truck?
Me: But.. the spider!
Lindsay: I told you we were going to get the spider!
Me: It's a happy spider, at least.
Lindsay: I refuse to get in a truck with a spider on the side.
Me: It's huge. Why would UHaul even make a truck with a giant spider on it? Didn't they see Arachnophobia?
Lindsay: What if we open the truck and there's a giant spider inside waiting for us?
Me: What, like Aragog? Maybe he'd help us move.
Lindsay: Yeah, or eat us.
After standing around inside the building for a good twenty minutes while we got the truck rented and ready to go, we were directed outside--to a different truck! No spider! No bad omens about hauling brown recluse to Texas! Instead, we got this truck:
Lindsay: Is that our truck?
Me: But.. the spider!
Lindsay: I told you we were going to get the spider!
Me: It's a happy spider, at least.
Lindsay: I refuse to get in a truck with a spider on the side.
Me: It's huge. Why would UHaul even make a truck with a giant spider on it? Didn't they see Arachnophobia?
Lindsay: What if we open the truck and there's a giant spider inside waiting for us?
Me: What, like Aragog? Maybe he'd help us move.
Lindsay: Yeah, or eat us.
After standing around inside the building for a good twenty minutes while we got the truck rented and ready to go, we were directed outside--to a different truck! No spider! No bad omens about hauling brown recluse to Texas! Instead, we got this truck:
Canada Truck to the rescue!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Thursday
Mishap number one fixed: comforter is sitting in the dining room in a nice laundry bag, all ready to be moved. Since the cleaners are next to a Starbucks... my comforter smells heavily of coffee. I was hoping for a nice fresh clean smell, but instead.. Starbucks. They give you frappuccinos and launder your bedding.
Packed most of my room today - tomorrow need to tackle the rest of the living room and kitchen, plus paint the bedrooms. Can't put that off any longer.
Yesterday, I went with Linds to Flat Branch to spend the rest of a gift card one of my students gave to me at the end of last school year. There was a ton on it, so we both got some of their house-made beer (Linds got Brown Ale, I got Scottish Ale), a BBQ Chicken pizza for Linds, a turkey and swiss sub for me with nummy mashers, and the best thing of all--the chokes and cheese appetizer.
Best. Thing. Ever. Freshly made artichoke dip with Parmesan cheese, fresh veggies, and a bread bowl.
Also, Pippin is all packed and ready to go.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Mishap No. 1
Okay. When you move, there are always last minute problems. The first of them occurred today.
I wrote the other day about dropping off my comforter at the dry-cleaners--yeah, of course it's the cleaners, when are they not jerking people around? I took my comforter, dropped it off, got my claim ticket, everything was fine. Went out today to pick it up--was told that, despite my ticket saying to pick it up before 3:00, the day's shipment of cleaned clothes etc wouldn't be dropped off until 3:00. So, I drove to the bank, did a few other errands, went back.
Still no comforter.
Frustrated, I went into the back room and flagged down the woman working. Turns out that, oh, it takes a week for household items to be cleaned. My claim ticket says two days. Good job with communication there. This made me angry. So I pitched a bit of a fit, telling this woman that I would be out of the state in a week, and I wouldn't have dropped it off with them if I had known it was going to take that long. She seemed most concerned that I'd made two trips to the cleaners in one day. I told her that I didn't really care about making two trips, my issue was that I need my $300 comforter back now.
But, of course, she can't do anything. She sends me across town to the "plant" where they do the cleaning. It's on Business Loop--I figure this out after she gives me about five minutes of strange instructions, ending with, "And it's on Business Loop, right by College [street], in a strip mall."
So I left. It took me twenty minutes to get to Business Loop because, of course, they're doing road construction on every street in the entire town. Finally get to the right intersection. I can't find this place anywhere, so I drive down a few blocks and double back. After doing this a few times, I finally find it.
The "plant," or the main headquarters, is in a tiny, run-down building with no air-conditioning and no parking lot. I wedge my car far enough off the street that I won't get hit and head inside.
Enter a wizened old woman who looks like she's had about a gajillion too many cigarettes. I explain my problem, hand her my claim ticket, and she disappears into the back for about five minutes. When she returns, no comforter.
"I dunno, it's not there," she says.
I'm about ready to start ripping people into pieces all Edward Cullen style (yes, I did just make a Twilight reference, enjoy it and laugh at the ridiculousness of that), and she decides to go look again.
Five minutes later, still no comforter.
"It's probably next door being cleaned."
She can't walk next door and find out? No, of course she can't. She looks like one more puff on a cigarette will finish her off. Seeing that I'm pissed, she promises that it'll be clean Thursday after 3:00, available at the location where I dropped it off. If it's done sooner, she'll call me.
I swear, if it's not done on Thursday after 3:00, I will go postal on these people. They owe me my comforter or $300. They can pick.
In the meantime, there are a gazillion things to do at the apartment.
I'm sure everything will get done, but I think it's about to get really crazy.
I wrote the other day about dropping off my comforter at the dry-cleaners--yeah, of course it's the cleaners, when are they not jerking people around? I took my comforter, dropped it off, got my claim ticket, everything was fine. Went out today to pick it up--was told that, despite my ticket saying to pick it up before 3:00, the day's shipment of cleaned clothes etc wouldn't be dropped off until 3:00. So, I drove to the bank, did a few other errands, went back.
Still no comforter.
Frustrated, I went into the back room and flagged down the woman working. Turns out that, oh, it takes a week for household items to be cleaned. My claim ticket says two days. Good job with communication there. This made me angry. So I pitched a bit of a fit, telling this woman that I would be out of the state in a week, and I wouldn't have dropped it off with them if I had known it was going to take that long. She seemed most concerned that I'd made two trips to the cleaners in one day. I told her that I didn't really care about making two trips, my issue was that I need my $300 comforter back now.
But, of course, she can't do anything. She sends me across town to the "plant" where they do the cleaning. It's on Business Loop--I figure this out after she gives me about five minutes of strange instructions, ending with, "And it's on Business Loop, right by College [street], in a strip mall."
So I left. It took me twenty minutes to get to Business Loop because, of course, they're doing road construction on every street in the entire town. Finally get to the right intersection. I can't find this place anywhere, so I drive down a few blocks and double back. After doing this a few times, I finally find it.
The "plant," or the main headquarters, is in a tiny, run-down building with no air-conditioning and no parking lot. I wedge my car far enough off the street that I won't get hit and head inside.
Enter a wizened old woman who looks like she's had about a gajillion too many cigarettes. I explain my problem, hand her my claim ticket, and she disappears into the back for about five minutes. When she returns, no comforter.
"I dunno, it's not there," she says.
I'm about ready to start ripping people into pieces all Edward Cullen style (yes, I did just make a Twilight reference, enjoy it and laugh at the ridiculousness of that), and she decides to go look again.
Five minutes later, still no comforter.
"It's probably next door being cleaned."
She can't walk next door and find out? No, of course she can't. She looks like one more puff on a cigarette will finish her off. Seeing that I'm pissed, she promises that it'll be clean Thursday after 3:00, available at the location where I dropped it off. If it's done sooner, she'll call me.
I swear, if it's not done on Thursday after 3:00, I will go postal on these people. They owe me my comforter or $300. They can pick.
In the meantime, there are a gazillion things to do at the apartment.
- The bedrooms need to be painted.
- Everything else needs to be packed.
- Clothes, sheets, towels, etc need to be laundered tonight and tomorrow before the washer/dryer set is picked up by its new owners on Thursday.
- My comforter needs to be freaking picked up.
- The entire novella of a checklist of cleaning needs to be completed so we get our deposit back. This includes pulling out the fridge and cleaning beneath it. Are you kidding me?
I'm sure everything will get done, but I think it's about to get really crazy.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Guns, y'all! Whoooo!
You know why it's time to leave this place? It's 12:50 in the morning, and two minutes ago someone fired a gun off in the courtyard of the apartment complex. Never fear, it sounded like a glorified cap gun or something, but still.. really? Really?
What happened to my nice peaceful, pretty apartment complex? With the glittering pool and nice neighbors who asked my roommates and me to play volleyball on the sand court right outside our back door?
By the way, guys--they dismantled the volleyball court earlier this year. No more net, and they put grass seed in the sand.
Little concerned about why someone fired a gun. Hoping it wasn't some crazy drunk person or cat-hater aiming at Catinca or one of the other cats. -_- Seven days to go.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
How to Destroy Curtains in One Easy Step
Right, so, I took the dining room curtains down today. These curtains were red and gauzy, with a heavy panel at the top of red and gold embroidered fabric. They were about three and a half feet wide and seven-ish feet long. Just in case, I checked the cleaning instructions on the tag--sure enough, it said to machine wash them.
Just keep in mind that I'm not one of those anti-dry cleaning people. I just took my comforter to the cleaners today, even though it's machine washable. As if my washing machine is that big.
Anyway, so I washed the curtains. Went and ran a few errands. Just pulled them out of the washer--I didn't even dry them--and this is what they looked like.
Magically, the curtains are now ruched. Linds, who is holding this panel, said it looked like a prom dress.
And check out that amazing hole.
Flying box cat!
Just keep in mind that I'm not one of those anti-dry cleaning people. I just took my comforter to the cleaners today, even though it's machine washable. As if my washing machine is that big.
Anyway, so I washed the curtains. Went and ran a few errands. Just pulled them out of the washer--I didn't even dry them--and this is what they looked like.
Magically, the curtains are now ruched. Linds, who is holding this panel, said it looked like a prom dress.
And check out that amazing hole.
So, of course, we both flounced around in the curtains for a while, pretending we were in Oscar or prom dresses. Maybe--just maybe--curtains should be made a bit better, eh? Yeeeeah, that's what I thought.
Oh, and here's a picture of Pippin just for fun. He was lying in his box-tower, but flipping the picture upside down makes it so much better.
Oh, and here's a picture of Pippin just for fun. He was lying in his box-tower, but flipping the picture upside down makes it so much better.
Flying box cat!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Happy Fish
Last trip to China Chef tonight... last time seeing the happy fish in the restaurant. There used to be more, which sometimes worries me. What exactly are they doing with all those dozens of fish that used to be in the tank? Best not to think about that and just enjoy my crab-not-goldfish rangoon.
Kidding, obviously. I'm sure they're totally reputable. :) Besides, greasy Chinese is the best. China Chef, how I will miss thee!
Kidding, obviously. I'm sure they're totally reputable. :) Besides, greasy Chinese is the best. China Chef, how I will miss thee!
Monday, August 17, 2009
UHaul
Who knew renting a UHaul was so expensive? Fun times.
Linds and I are taking bets on which "Yay USA!" picture we get on the side of the van. I'm hoping it'll be something encouraging, like a picture of Texas or of a cute and cuddly animal. Linds is thinking that it'll be just our luck that we get the van with the big ol' eight foot tall green spider. You know the one. They've been all over the place lately. 14-foot UHauls with huge green "happy face" spiders on the side.
Will post a pic the day we pick up the van. Truck. Thing.
Leaving CoMo two weeks from today! Better get to packing. No pics today, chickadees. More to come soon.
Linds and I are taking bets on which "Yay USA!" picture we get on the side of the van. I'm hoping it'll be something encouraging, like a picture of Texas or of a cute and cuddly animal. Linds is thinking that it'll be just our luck that we get the van with the big ol' eight foot tall green spider. You know the one. They've been all over the place lately. 14-foot UHauls with huge green "happy face" spiders on the side.
Will post a pic the day we pick up the van. Truck. Thing.
Leaving CoMo two weeks from today! Better get to packing. No pics today, chickadees. More to come soon.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Picture Post
Time for a few pictures... I've been taking photos pretty regularly over the past few weeks, so here's a selection of what I've shot, just to give you an idea of what we've been up to with packing and getting ready for the move. A lot of these are from my phone, so apologies for the not-great quality.
Linds and I have been selling a lot of furniture - one of the things that went this week was the liquor cabinet from the dining room. I think it's been sent off to live in a dorm at one of the Missouri colleges. Also gone is the beige couch, the treadmill, the two fancy dining room chairs, and.. uh.. some other stuff. Soon to go is the washer and dryer.
Then there's the painting... when we all moved in, we painted the bedrooms, and about a year later we painted the living room as well. The living room was orange and blue - now it's mostly white. Ran out of paint on this wall, so there's a nice little border of orange up by the ceiling.
Pippin does not like change. As soon as these bins were stacked up, he ran over and sat on them, then proceeded to meow for a good half an hour. So, to make himself feel better...
...he climbed into the tower of boxes in the living room. Can I hear a woot for free boxes from a UPS employee? I like the plastic bins better, but at $4.00 - $9.00 a pop, they're too expensive to use for all the packing.
Then there's Catinca. She's the stray outside that Linds and I have been feeding. I would love to take her Texas, but she won't let me get close enough to her to pick her up. Also, no help from Second Chance or the other no-kill shelter in town, so I'm going to have to just leave her and hope that she has other food sources.
Linds and I have been selling a lot of furniture - one of the things that went this week was the liquor cabinet from the dining room. I think it's been sent off to live in a dorm at one of the Missouri colleges. Also gone is the beige couch, the treadmill, the two fancy dining room chairs, and.. uh.. some other stuff. Soon to go is the washer and dryer.
Then there's the painting... when we all moved in, we painted the bedrooms, and about a year later we painted the living room as well. The living room was orange and blue - now it's mostly white. Ran out of paint on this wall, so there's a nice little border of orange up by the ceiling.
Pippin does not like change. As soon as these bins were stacked up, he ran over and sat on them, then proceeded to meow for a good half an hour. So, to make himself feel better...
...he climbed into the tower of boxes in the living room. Can I hear a woot for free boxes from a UPS employee? I like the plastic bins better, but at $4.00 - $9.00 a pop, they're too expensive to use for all the packing.
Then there's Catinca. She's the stray outside that Linds and I have been feeding. I would love to take her Texas, but she won't let me get close enough to her to pick her up. Also, no help from Second Chance or the other no-kill shelter in town, so I'm going to have to just leave her and hope that she has other food sources.
By the way, for any of you who have been in the apartment before, you probably remember the dent/hole in the hallway bathroom wall - this happened after an unfortunate incident with, of all things, the hardware for the toilet paper holder. Well, amazingly, after three years of staring at the ugliness of a damaged wall, it's fixed! After a lot of goes-on-pink-but-dries-white spackle, a metal spatula, and way more time that the estimated five hours of drying time, the hole is patched and painted and looks almost like it was never there. Good enough for me.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Texas Bound
Howdy, y'all!
No, just kidding.
This is a blog to document my move to Texas, share pictures and stories with friends, and basically keep everyone up to date on what's happening. Whenever someone moves, everyone wants pictures: the new place, the old place, paint colors, floor plans--and photos of the cat panicking about all the change going on around him. That's the kind of thing I'll be posting. Should be fun. :)
What? What's that? You want a little background on this move? Well, sure, kiddos!
I'm moving to Texas with my best friend Linds, who is originally from Texas and is heading back. This whole move idea came about fairly suddenly. Sure, we'd both been tossing around the idea of moving for a while: Let's move to New York! Let's move to Portland! Let's move to London! But the idea of moving to Texas came up suddenly in the spring, and after that everything started to fall into place.
See, Missouri--where we are right now--turned into a dead-end. Jobs didn't work out, dating was basically non-existent, and the apartment that I formerly really liked has giant scary spiders in it.
Seriously, spiders trump all. Time to go.
Moreover, Linds and I both have English degrees, which aren't exactly sought after in times of economic downturn, so we both started to toy with the idea of teaching. Unfortunately, the requirements for teaching certification in Missouri are through the roof; going back to school for another four years is not financially feasible, mmkay?
But lo and behold, Texas has alternative certification programs that take 12 months! They have a thriving job market! There was no housing bust! Cost of living is low! There are no more ice storms every three days all winter! Linds has a huge network of friends and family who are willing to help us both move!
And so we're moving to Texas. Official leaving CoMo date is August 31. The countdown is on.
No, just kidding.
This is a blog to document my move to Texas, share pictures and stories with friends, and basically keep everyone up to date on what's happening. Whenever someone moves, everyone wants pictures: the new place, the old place, paint colors, floor plans--and photos of the cat panicking about all the change going on around him. That's the kind of thing I'll be posting. Should be fun. :)
What? What's that? You want a little background on this move? Well, sure, kiddos!
I'm moving to Texas with my best friend Linds, who is originally from Texas and is heading back. This whole move idea came about fairly suddenly. Sure, we'd both been tossing around the idea of moving for a while: Let's move to New York! Let's move to Portland! Let's move to London! But the idea of moving to Texas came up suddenly in the spring, and after that everything started to fall into place.
See, Missouri--where we are right now--turned into a dead-end. Jobs didn't work out, dating was basically non-existent, and the apartment that I formerly really liked has giant scary spiders in it.
Seriously, spiders trump all. Time to go.
Moreover, Linds and I both have English degrees, which aren't exactly sought after in times of economic downturn, so we both started to toy with the idea of teaching. Unfortunately, the requirements for teaching certification in Missouri are through the roof; going back to school for another four years is not financially feasible, mmkay?
But lo and behold, Texas has alternative certification programs that take 12 months! They have a thriving job market! There was no housing bust! Cost of living is low! There are no more ice storms every three days all winter! Linds has a huge network of friends and family who are willing to help us both move!
And so we're moving to Texas. Official leaving CoMo date is August 31. The countdown is on.
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