Last Friday and Saturday we contributed to our friend's garage sale. Just getting rid of some less used items with the idea that we'd be staying put until August and then we'd begin our monster road-trip to BC (BC people, we can't wait).
Then Sunday night we got an email from the landlords, in the midst of a bit of a crisis,
wondering if we could consider moving out a month early. That would have been July 1st and that date wouldn't have worked due to...well a lot of reasons. One being the visit from Merilee's parents the last week of June. So why not right away? Do people do that?
Monday Merilee spent freaking out and I watched the kids...haha...she'll hate me for saying it that way but needless to say her expectations were dashed so I gave her the day and some much needed space. I know well enough by now than to try to offer some quick fixes too early in the expectation-mourning phase.
Tuesday someone mentioned we should move back to the Prairie heights–our old 'hood. After a quick call we had a place secured - Praise God. Got some 'EGG boxes' from IGA (best boxes for moving: rock solid bottom + high volume + handles = moving box stardom).
Wednesday morning at 9:30 I began casually packing the first box and at 09:35 I realized we could probably get the whole thing done if we had some help with the big stuff in the evening. Off to Subway at 12:00 to split a 12", call to the airport to solicit evening help, Facebook update, drive a letter to a church in Trochu (reaching out to churches during a mail strike* - joy!) and we were back at it by 13:30. Merilee's friend offered to take the kids for the morning until 14:00 - huge help. Merilee and I packed and loaded and unloaded all the stuff that could go in boxes – I think we did 3 van and trailer loads. Off to Brian and Katherine's for supper and back at 7:30 to meet the airport guys to move all the big stuff. 
8-ish guys, 3 vans, 1 pickup and a trailer did it all in one trip. And one more trip for the all-important swing-set...moved in one piece, precariously balanced with one poor dude hanging on for dear life. Everyone was gone by 21:30 (12 hours after the first item hit the bottom of the first box).Praise God. And don't underestimate the importance of three things: a good wife, reliable friends and not owning too much**.
* The three picketing employees outside the Three Hills post office would have been funny if they didn't look so pitiful.** During the move I still caught myself thinking we could own half what we do and we'd hardly notice. And if we did notice - we'd just borrow from the neighbor.
Thursday we crashed. Amid boxes and furniture strewn throughout the house - we mostly puttered, mowed the rest of the lawn, cleaned, etc.
Actually I had to dress up in my flight instructor uniform to give Kaitlyn's pre-school class a tour of the airport on their last day for the year. Lots of fun...memorable for the kids. Lots of people wondering if I would be back to instructing again when I showed up looking like that...in their dreams.Oh, and we found a free stove. It shouldn't have been free based on the quality and condition of it...but that's been par for the course these last few years and we recognize where these things come from - yet we're still surprised each time.
You have every right to be horrified at the photos of the house we just moved into...I realize they don't instill an instant confidence about our choice of living arrangements. I assure you that if you picture the grass (jungle) trimmed (thanks Tim–already done), ignore the pealing paint and don't judge this book by the cover you'll feel much better about it. The interior is quite a contrast to the exterior - and seeing as we don't live on the outside of the house, we're quite happy with it for the next 2.5 months.
No comments:
Post a Comment