I've Been Meaning to Write. . .

. . . but I had no internet service. From Black Mountain, NC, we headed east on I-40, where we stopped for a couple of hours to have dinner with my nephew, Ed. After that we drove until dark and rested for the night somewhere near the Virginia border off of I-85.

Friday morning we headed out for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Driving to the beaches in Delaware out of D.C. on a Friday night can be hectic, so we chose to come up and attack from the south. We arrived at the house in late afternoon, in the pouring rain. We had decided not to do any unloading, as the weather was prohibitive; so we hired two local men to help unload on Saturday morning.

I have had better sleeping nights, but I knew that on Saturday I would be sleeping in my bed again. We had enough food for breakfast, so we ate and started the process of bossing the moving men. It was fun. Soon the house was full to the brim with furniture and boxes. The movers finished up, with the help of "The Mover", by 11 AM, just as the builder and Fin arrived. We spent time talking about Fin's proposed new digs and she toured the house, picking out things she liked and wanted in her house too. By 2PM, cousins Cathy and Eleanor came by with food and drink (hoagies and PA Dutch birch beer - yum) Cathy brought a welcoming gift of cloth napkins, which I vow to use instead of paper products. Eleanor had already stopped over while we were on the road and placed other need-right-away kitchen items. Thanks cousins.

The photos that follow are ones of the move and move in, with a photo of a happy builder (Jimmy L from Dreambuilders)and prospective new home owner, Fin.  

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. 

A Very Pleasant Surprise Indeed

Yesterday afternoon I received a call from Juanita. She had been in North Carolina and, on the spur of the moment, decided to drive on up to Fin's in N.J. She decided that she had to stop to see my new house in person. So I told her to come on up and stay over at my place. She rolled into town at 8:30pm. Eleanor, my cousin, welcomed her in and we had a nice catch up on the news and made plans to see the house this morning.

This morning we had breakfast at the Milford Diner and proceeded to the house. We got there as the contractors were beginning to clean up the site and the interior of the house. The carpet contractor arrived and installed the carpeting in the three bedrooms.(photo tomorrow)

Now, I'm not supposed to say this, but, although Juanita might not have been the first friend or family member to visit my house, she WAS the first to try out the new toilet.