The Best Moving Crew

I left Delaware on Friday the 29th on an Amtrak train that took me through Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and Indiana to Indianapolis. On Tuesday, I rented a truck. My brother, Ed and my sister-in-law, Sandy, helped me load the truck with items they had stored for me since last July. At 2PM on Tuesday, we headed off to Memphis, 3 abreast in the cab of the 26 ft Penske diesel truck. We brought along a cooler with ice, cool drinks, and some snacks for eating when we felt the need.

We stopped overnight in Millington, TN, about 20 miles north of the storage unit in Memphis. This morning we were up at 6AM, had breakfast, and headed down to Memphis where we loaded the goods. Now I must tell you that I'm using the word, "we" ever so loosely. After about 45 minutes of loading, they both decided that if my face turned any redder, I would surely have a heat stroke. So I mainly did inconsequential things while my family, who are at least twice as strong and energetic as I, did my work. It was embarassing and I secretly told myself that once I get moved in, I'm going to get strong like they are.

Both Sandy and Ed (aka the Contractor and Landscaper) are work horses. They never quit. So they kept loading the truck. Now, Ed is amazing at packing cars and trucks and storage units. He had helped me load this unit last July in the midst of a week of 100+ degrees. When we had finished, we literally had to hold the mattresses back whle we pulled the overhead door of the unit closed. When we got there this morning to open the unit, the same applied. We opened the door and immediately had to hold back the "stuff" that was waiting for someone to let it out.

I still cannot believe that we got all of my household goods in, with room to accomodate the furniture I'll be picking up tomorrow in North Carolina. I strongly urge you to try to hire Ed to pack any belongings that you know you don't have enough room in which to put them. He will astound you.

Okay, so we are now here in Cookeville, TN where we are taking a break and taking lots of showers to get off the dirt and accumulated perspiration. It was only 86 degrees today. We have managed, so far, to pack everything before forecasted rainstorms.

Tomorrow we head out for Black Mountain, North Carolina, where we'll pick up a few pieces of furniture. Then it's off to our final destination with one more overnight stop before arriving in Milford sometime on Friday. Unload will start in earnest on Saturday morning. Below are some photos of todays truck loading.