Movin' Out

Began the morning by calling out of work. Beyond having to move today, I'm not crazy about being stuck working nine days in a row again. I had to call twice because the manager wants to hear that 

with breakfast and the first episode of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. It's "Daniel's Birthday," and he's excited about the cake he helped decorate with Baker Aker. His delight turns to disappointed when he brings it home, and it's smushed. His dad helps him find something good about it anyway. Dan and his friends Miss Elaina and Prince Wednesday are excited about "Daniel's Picnic." First, their ball deflates...but it helps them discover a new game. Then they're chased inside by rain, but decide you can have a picnic inside, too. 

Put music on YouTube as I bustled around, trying to get everything done. Washed the dishes, then packed them. Threw anything that was still loose into boxes and taped them. Striped the sheets and bagged them and the remaining stuffed animals. Packed up the laptop and its accessories. 

I was still working when my neighbors arrived. One came earlier and swept around the front steps, so no one would slip. We started making piles of what would go into storage and what I wanted to take. There was no way around calling a storage facility. I wouldn't need my kitchen things in two small rooms, and my Christmas things wouldn't fit. (I did point out that we're close enough to Easter to bring my spring decorations bin, and I only have one small bag for the summer and patriotic decorations anyway.) Even the children of my neighbors next-door and across the street helped.

Kevin the mover and his partner arrived around quarter of 10. For slender guys, they sure were strong. They loaded everything I wanted to take into their big square truck. The little boys were fascinated by that truck, until they ran down the street to play other games. Jodie, her son TJ, and his husband Eric would take anything that didn't fit or wasn't needed to my new storage room in Lawnside later.

Yes, I now have a storage unit. It's the smallest one they have. This wasn't super-cheap, but it was also the closest option for storage. Most storage facilities in this area are in Cherry Hill or Maple Shade. My neighbor across the street helped me get through to them and sign everything. 

Melissa, Brittany, and I left Jodie waiting for her sons and followed Kevin and his truck to Cindy's. She was more than happy to chat with the ladies while Kevin and his friend did the lifting, with occasional help from me. (I do heft 35 count containers of bottled water for a living!)

It took almost over a hour and a half to get everything in. Thankfully, the desk did fit...but the futon did not. I finally decided not to keep it. My remaining furniture consisted of shelves, a table, and the long, narrow entertainment center and fit just fine. If anything, height was more of a question than getting them through the door. More than three-fourths of the boxes and bins wound up in the closet. 

I organized the spices while they finished. I took out some bottles she didn't have or only had small amounts of, like ginger and orange peel. Gave the rest to Kevin, who said he liked to cook, to thank him for doing so well (along with his regular pay). 

We went back over to Jodie's around 12:30. TJ and Eric only just arrived and finished loading the truck. Melissa, Brittany, and I took a quick side detour to Dollar General. We couldn't find a lock there, but we did get soda. I tried the new Coca Cola Starlight. I thought it tasted metallic...until I realized I grabbed the Coke Zero version instead of the regular. Oh well. I probably don't need that much sugar.

 It took us a while to get everyone going in the right direction, but we did manage to get there. The series of low white and green buildings were near the cemetery and Dunkin' Donuts. We stopped in to ask the young lady at the desk about getting in and if we needed a lock. They provided the locks, but I did need to get my number to open the gate from the information they sent me online. 

Turns out, I should have been more discriminate about who packed what and what they packed. I retrieved several items I knew would fit at the other house, including tea and bag of important folders I kept under my desk. I didn't want records in the small space I rented, because I wasn't sure they'd fit or survive being in a small cramped room. TJ and Eric said they'd keep the remaining box of records at their house outside of Philly until I was ready for them. 

Brittany and I stopped for Chick Fil'A on the way back to Oaklyn. I ate a grilled chicken sandwich while she took us to her house next-door to Jodie's. I went in to clear out the refrigerator. Some half-empty condiments I got rid of, but I did bring others, frozen and fresh vegetables, and the two packs of chicken. 

We were eventually joined by another neighbor, who offered to pick up my bike and go out to dinner with me. Everyone else had other plans. After briefly stopping so my neighbor could visit her feisty older mother, we went out to eat. We were going to invite everyone, but the others were all busy. Truth be told, I was tired of dealing with crowds anyway. I was fine treating my neighbor to a mararita and taco at Jalepeno's Bar and Grill. I had the same iced tea and veggie quesadilla as I did when Lauren ate there in September. We enjoyed our meal and marveled at the two enormous men who had six beers between them.

She finally dropped me off around quarter of 6. Having moved my things off of it, they deemed my old mattress too far gone and got rid of it.

After we took the mattress downstairs and my neighbor left, I made the bed, unloaded the stuffed animals, and went through the closet. I couldn't find my work lunch bag, and I needed it! It was the one thing I needed that I just couldn't find. Everything else missing reappeared. My neighbor threw the electrical safety strip into one of the entertainment center cabinets. I put the remote control for the TV in my purse so it wouldn't vanish. Unloaded a few boxes with questionable items, some of which should have been discarded, donated, or put in storage. Took more boxes to the bedroom. I went over every inch of that darn closet, and I just couldn't find it. I'll try again tomorrow.

It was so late by the time I got in the shower, I only had the time for a Match Game '76 episode before the Super Password premiere on YouTube. Talk show host Mike Douglas turned up in the opening, jokingly asking if he went in the wrong studio and congratulating the panel for the show being such a hit. Brett was delighted to have someone else around to flirt with. Gene wasn't as happy, though, adding to the gag by claiming Douglas hit him on the head.