Saturday, March 4, 2017

The Story



For the record, we both acknowledge that mistakes were made. Opportunities lost. Incorrect paths taken. But, given all of the things that could have & should have, this is what actually happened.

On Saturday we got the truck in the evening. On Sunday we said goodbye to the refrigerator (donated to my church), and our bed (donated to a lady in town). On Monday we started putting things on the truck. That night I volunteered to sleep in the recliner, but it was too awkward for me and I got about 4 hours of sleep.

On Tuesday, we worked HARD. Especially Dr. M. Up and down the ramp, lugging and pulling and toting, rearranging, offloading & reloading. It rained, hard at times. There was a thunderstorm. I worked in the house stuffing our belongings into whatever container I could find. We had planned to stay in a hotel about an hour away, and needed to get there by 2 a.m. on Wednesday (we laughed when we saw that – not a problem, we thought!).

At 1 a.m. Dr. M finished loading the truck and my car & took a quick shower. I was staying behind to finish cleaning. As he got ready to leave we realized that my car battery was dead. We opened the trunk to pull out the jumper cables & just stared at all the things. We were not going to unpack the car to get to those cables. Not at 1 in the morning. I told him to just go – I would call AAA. He headed off into the wind and rain. I headed back into the house to call AAA and the hotel (to let them know he would be late). While I waited for AAA, I cleaned. Please keep in the forefront of your mind that I am not a good house cleaner. And that it was after one in the morning. At one point the vacuum cleaner stopped working, and I spent about half an hour digging into the hose with a clothes hanger, pulling out wads of carpet fluff.

AAA came & started the car. I left it running for a little while, but needed to get back to cleaning. Does one wonder why I didn’t just leave it running while I cleaned? In retrospect, one DOES wonder.

I finally finished – or I was finished. At that point, nearly 5 a.m., I was drifting into a fugue state. I put (shoved, crammed) all of the remaining items into the car, and walked back into the house to say a final goodbye and lock up. And saw a painting on the wall. It was one that I had brought back from Zambia. Quite large. I might have said some words that I don’t usually say. I took it down, found a place in the car, and then locked up the house.

My car wouldn’t start. I called AAA. I waited in the empty house, sitting on the carpet I had just vacuumed, noticing all the things that hadn’t gotten cleaned. I listened to my audio book (Hamilton: the Revolution, by Lin-Manuel Miranda). I considered just sleeping in the house. But at this point, the house was my enemy.

AAA came, I drove down our street for the final time, and headed to the leasing agent to drop the keys, and then drove to Chillicothe. Through a monsoon, apparently. Wind, pouring rain, an urgent need to pee. I had been awake for over 24 hours and drove 80 miles per hour. I was reminded of the time I drove Mom & Mamaw to Victoria Falls and was trying to outrun my fatigue. I reached the hotel shortly after 8:00 a.m., had some breakfast and then slept for 2 ½ hours.

At noon, Dr. M & I headed out to drive through more torrential rain to our new home. I felt a little tested, you know? God, Satan, Ohio, North Carolina… For or against? Expelling us? Repelling us? Drawing us home? I do not know. We arrived at just after 7:00 p.m., slept for 10 hours, and awoke to a beautiful new beginning.


Note: Dr. M is a BEAST. So strong & strong-willed – powered through pain and rain and mental calculations. By the end he had bruises on his bruises, and could barely use his hands. I worked harder than I ever have (being a sloth by nature), but he KILLED IT. Have mercy. 

16 comments:

  1. There are not many people in this world who do their own moving and everything goes perfectly. I would have given up at some point and tacked on an extra day. I could NOT stay awake for 24 hours and I have no memory of ever doing it. The fact that you can do that and drive is mind blowing to me. God was with you and with Dr. M. also. You were in my and many people's prayers through this move. It sounds like you are happy in your new home. It will be less stressful for you once you have your routine in place and have reacquainted yourself with the people you have known and those you have yet to meet. There are lots of blessings to anticipate.

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  2. Oh, man! That sounds like an ordeal! Moving is never easy but you both definitely get credit for forbearance. Glad you remembered your painting -- you would have been upset to have left it behind!

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  3. Like Erma Bombeck said; War is hell, but moving is worse! Glad that ordeal is over for you.

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  4. But today you're well over the hump, with the finale getting nearer by the day. Hang on! :)

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  5. You deserve to sleep 10 hours each night for the next six weeks.

    As someone who has moved several dozen times, sometimes in blizzards and sometimes in 95ยบ heat without AC, I can relate to your story. I'm so glad you arrived safely in your new home. There were times when the only thing that got me through a stressful move was the thought of the Pilgrims arriving in the New World. They had a stressful move, too, but did not have a house waiting for them, a restaurant where they could get a quick meal, and loving family members or friends who expected them and welcomed them with open arms.

    Good luck to you and Mike settling in the new house!

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  6. Oh, Lordie. My moves have been fairly placid and well organized, but the moves involving my mother were not. Not ever. And your story recalled them for me. I'm so glad you made it safely, and got some sleep, and didn't have any problems on the road. Now you're there -- let the good times begin!

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  7. Moving is brutal. It is!!!! I hope I never have to do it again as long as I live. You guys are awesome. I could never push myself like that again. Those days are over. Thank God!! So glad you guys are safe and sound in your new home. Wishing you all the best ya little Tar Heels!

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    1. Thank you! We made it, but yeah, I'm getting too old for this shit, lol!

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  8. I'm wrecked after reading that, going back to bed now for the rest of Sunday.

    Glad you made it safe.

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  9. Holy crap. I guess it was the Universe's way of making you Glad To Go.

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  10. hard enough to move across town or to a new town just an hour away. moving to an entirely new state, not my idea of a good time.

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  11. Too, too familiar. I especially admire your race to the motel. You do have stamina, my friend. And, obviously, faith by the bucketsful!
    Prayers and blessings - you have landed, and now good things will unfold for you every single day.
    Peace! Lynn

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