Whine

Have you ever had a day that went on its way in a handbasket? Today was one of those.

We picked up the rental truck. I somehow misread the size of the truck. I thought we were getting one for a 2-3 BEDROOM house, and had requested a 2-3 ROOM house. Do you see the problem here? We could either have packed most of the furniture or the boxes. Not both.

I just about had a meltdown. I knew it was my fault and it was up to me to decide what to do. Howard was busy with the wonderful friends who were attempting to fill the truck as thoroughly as possible. I called around, there wasn't a truck to be had until Monday.

So, Monday morning we will pick up a second truck in Des Moines, drive it up here and load it with the rest of our belongings. We will each drive a truck out. I just don't see any other way around it. This is not a popular decision with either of us, but...

Lots of soda, water and nutritious snacks. Which will also mean rest stops. grin We will definitely be making a 2 day drive of it (found that out when we realized the tow trailer for the car has a 55 mph limit. ) So, we'll start off first thing Tuesday morning and drive about half way. Then we'll drive on in Wednesday.

Some of Serena's co-workers have volunteered to unload the truck Thursday after work. They are just as grateful as we are that there is an elevator -- we will be on the 4th floor! Others have volunteered to come by on Friday -- a holiday! they are giving up a free day to help us! We are grateful for such generous friends!

Just as I had the truck situation under control, I received another phone call. Howard's hard drive on his laptop has melted down.

Are we having fun yet?

Updates

Before we left for Duluth we drove by some of the flooding in town. We are high enough that we were not affected in the least. People in town had sandbagged for several days, successful in some areas not so much in others.

Justin was teething while we were in Duluth. That means that as we held him we were dribbled upon. Isn't it wonderful that babies are so cuddly that one doesn't care? LOL
This is a WINDY picture of the family in Duluth. A lovely lady offered to take a picture of all of us, so we have this windblown shot. Don't you love all of the sunglasses! This is our immediate family, taken by Stacey. Kim, Nathan, Justin, Serena, me and Howard.

This is the Hunt clan that got together that day, me, Stacey, Kim, Nathan, Justin, Serena and Howard.

See how Justin is willing to play?

I feel as if I'm being nibbled to death by ducks. (Thanks to my friend Dianne for the expression.)

We are almost packed. We are waiting for final confirmation on apartment. Friends are coming in Saturday to load the truck. At this point it looks as if we will leave Tuesday morning. Life is an adventure! I am trying to remind myself of this.

Asthma has kicked in again (surprise surprise) and I'm on a high dose of prednisone. That makes all of what is happening even more emotionally wearing.

For good news, Justin now has two teeth. The first was expected, the second surprised his parents three days after. The first e-mail said, WE HAVE TOOTH!!!! The second message was a text message saying, "There are now 2 teeth! Didn't know that the second one was coming in!

Ack

Today I fell apart. Cried when talking with someone. I think it is the first time I've cried since all this started. It was hard to stop.

I'm so glad that I'm knitting for someone else during this time. It would be so hard if I saw the sweater constantly. Too much of a reminder of difficult times. This sweater has such strong emotions knit into it, I'm amazed the yarn can handle it! The intended victim's dog died, then her house was hit by a tornado, I had to frog the sweater twice -- THAT elicted strong emotions! and then Howard losing his job. I think it will be finished before we move -- the new project will have different emotions.

We are packed. All but the last things around the house which will be done at the end. Over 2 weeks early, but I feel good about it. Boxes abound.

Oh Fudge

I was quite proud of my progress on Margaret's Mermaid, but still had a niggling concern at the back of my mind. I measured today, with 1/4 of the body knit. Even though I had managed gauge on the sleeves with the same needle, the stress of the last weeks shows on my knitting. I frogged again, and am going up a needle size to be able to knit this correctly. So far I've knit the body 1 1/4 times. I look forward to knitting it completely, correctly and happily!

It is a good thing that I like the way this sweater looks as I knit it, or I think I'd throw it in a corner, stamp my feet and scream! snivel

On the packing front, the house is becoming occupied by boxes. I started a stack in the fiber room while I was working in there, and it kind of grew on me. :) So the two back rooms are stacked with boxes.

I have been nagged by the feeling that we need to be packed long before we need to be gone. In exploring that, I've come to realize that comes from our past

• About a week before we moved from Portland Nathan was hospitalized with croup and asthma for 5 days. The Tooles and Petersons came in the last day and stuffed things in boxes and loaded them on the truck. (That was an...interesting move. We couldn't get the tow trailer lights to work on the car -- the first night we stayed at a motel and the crew from "The Incredible Hulk" got them to work for us! We didn't mess with that connection until we got to Oklahoma.)
• When we moved from Colorado, I went to the doctor for a lump in my throat 3 weeks before we moved. A week later I went back to the doc, and was hospitalized until AFTER the truck had come to get our stuff. Wonderful friends who, in Howard's words, -- I was in the hospital 3 hours away -- "descended on the house like locusts, packed things in boxes until there were no more boxes then stuffed things in trash bags and loaded them on the truck." After they were finished he had to buy clothes and medicines for the journey as everything had been packed. That's all right, we would not have gotten everything to our new house without them.

So, I have precedent worrying me. If we are finished packing early, so be it. I'd rather whine about not having enough to read than not be ready when it is time.

Blech

Sorry, whine ahead. Ignore if you like.



We have had problems with centipedes in this house since we moved in. I've not been able to get on top of the problem. I am sure a lot of the problem comes from the leaks in the bathroom and laundry room when we first moved in -- the crawl space is damp -- a breeding ground for the dratted things.


I don't do well with centipedes. They repel me.


This morning I was packing the kitchen. I opened a cupboard that has the best china. What do I see but a centipede wriggling away. Ick, ick, ick! I did pack that cupboard. I felt that I'd probably not be able to tackle that cupboard later if I didn't do it right then.


Now I'm taking time away from the kitchen, to slow my soul. I really don't like them!


That begs the question, of course...what else will I find? And WHERE?


I will be glad to get out of this house!