Travels with The Rayman

Moving is the pits.  While downsizing is a good idea, it is hard, frustrating work.  I’m not kidding here.

 

 

 

Of course, there were crosses to bear.  Our street was to be slurry sealed on Monday.  Then that was moved to Tuesday.  Then it was moved to Thursday…that’s today, the day we had the movers helping us transport the final load of “stuff” from UR’s and the storage locker.  Fine kettle of fish, yes siree.    When the Rayman figured that out, he hunted down the people in charge of the slurry scheduling and told them that our movers were coming Thursday morning and there was no way they could slurry seal.  The lady in the truck was using her authority to bend the Rayman to her will…but that did not happen.  He explained the situation and said, “I’m not rescheduling this move.  We planned around your two other days and I’m not moving it again.”  So…today the movers helped us and as soon as they left the slurry people came and did the street.

 

I didn’t see this because I was in the dentist’s chair ending another saga.  My implant was placed with great fanfare.  The $7K tooth is now in my mouth, ready for chewing.

 

So, between the charge for the help today and the final charge for the tooth, we managed to spend $1,000 and didn’t have one bit of fun doing it.  Really, folks.  I’m ready for a drink.  Hell, I’m ready for food.  Haven’t eaten much of anything today and my tummy is whining.  The Rayman is showering and when he emerges, we’re off to a dinner party.  Hope I can keep my eyes open.

 

Anyway.  The house is a total mess.  Boxes here, a mess there.  Looks like a bomb went off.  So, here are my observations.

 

1. Downsizing?  Get rid of more than you think.  And do not discount the possibility that your possessions will multiply while in the storage.  More seems to come out than went in.

 

1. Moving?  Do it while you can still move (your body that is).  This is not an activity for the faint of heart.  It aggravates both the bursitis, the arthritis, the muscles.  And don’t pack things in big boxes.  They are too heavy as our tendency always is to cram them to the brim with stuff.

 

1. Keep track of your phone.  We’ve been here a week and we still don’t know where our phone is.  And this is really annoying because today, of all days, my iPhone took a dump.  It just stopped working.  No, I’m not kidding.  I restored it.  No help.  I talked to the SMEs at Apple.  No help.  Now, I get to take it to the genius bar tomorrow for help.  With a lost phone, I’ve been relying on my iPhone for important calls.  It’s so broken, I don’t even know if I’m missed a call or message.

 

1. Keep track of your wine and liquor.  You’ll need it.

 

1. Be thankful your friends.  I cannot tell you how fabulous our friends have been during our ordeal.  First, Larry, the hair, Viselli helped move boxes of wine and other assorted goodies.  Laurie, his fabulous wife, keep the dog for us which really helped us not break our necks tripping over him.  We were fed delicious dinners by Adrienne and Marc, Flo and Gary, Margaret and Bob, Patricia and her friends, Hal and Diane.  Then Mary Kay and Jay stuffed us with fabulous enchiladas.  And Claudia at URs.  Actually Claudia also let us keep our freezer at her beach house, she kept Wanda the fish throughout, she kept Beau on several occasions.  And as mentioned earlier feed us several times.  UR let us store stuff a his house.  And the Coxs, the Watts (Jim and Betsy, Karen and Dick) loaned us blankets for packing.  Neta loaned us boxes. It really took a village and it isn’t over yet!!

 

I did not post the above part of this blog in a timely manner.  Today is a week from the above information and I have more wisdom to depart (no, not my wisdom teeth.  They were extracted in the 70s).  About moving.

 

We just finished eating peanut butter and jam sandwiches on Richard’s fabulous raisin, walnut bread.  Famished is a word that comes to mind.  Famished because we’ve been unloading boxes.  Yep.  A week into it and still boxes sit idly by in the garage waiting for attention.  The garage is also beaming with broken down boxes and big bags of rolled up packing paper.  I had the bright idea that someone in the area would want our boxes that spent a great deal of money on at Home Depot and the U-Haul store.  Listed them in craigslist and not even a hit.  I advertised them at once used.  Over 100 of them.  $50.  No takers.  So, today in an act of either marketing genius or delusional behavior I modified the ad to $.05 a box or $35 for all.  Someone needs these boxes.  Please.  Take my boxes please.  If not sold by Friday (tomorrow), I guess I’ll try to give them away.  This will hurt my feelings and my pocketbook.

 

Given all the empty boxes, we still can’t get a car in the garage.  And spare bedding.  Do we have spare spreads?  Yes indeedy.  And we have spare coffee tables.  And spare books (read no place to put them).  OMG.

 

So, the other night we were to meet our friends in Avila for dinner.  At Ole Port Inn for dinner.  That was a blast except for the part where we were to go to Tom and Ruth’s for drinks and pupus before and somehow that fact got by us and we showed up the Inn while they were all imbibing at the Donnolly’s abode.  Gnashing of teeth ensued as we headed to their place at Avila “Arms”.  Drinks were a necessary mood enhancer when we finally arrived.  We were needed as the the group in attendance was the same group  of friends we went with on our sailing trip in the Caribbean.  And we were planning the trip to Hilton Head which we embark on next Thursday.  Do you see a Thursday theme developing here?

 

But I digress.  In attendance  was Pat “here, I’ll do that”, and Richard “where’s my vodka”…Michele “my cats are fabulous”, and Bryan “I’m the captain”…Tom “up against the wall %&*@” and Ruthie “the rules state” .   We had a great time.  Wine may be shipped.  Clubs may be shipped.  There will 4 or 5 days of golf.  Each condo will do dinner two nights.  We will all do a dance to the sun gods.  Trip insurance was procured in case of bad weather.  We’re set.

 

Except that the Rayman and I have to get this place in order before Nancy, the Beau sitter, arrives next Wednesday.

 

Better close and continue this chore before we run out of time.