Karen's Big Move
Well, it's been a really, really long time since I LJed. But now, more than ever, I feel the need for keeping in contact with all of my scattered friends. For those of you who don't know, I just moved from North Carolina to Philadelphia PA. I accepted a teaching position at Chestnut Hill College, my undergraduate alma mater. It is very exciting, but I have to admit that I have not even thought of it so much over the last few weeks ... other than gather different lab experiments I can have my class perform. I've been so busy with the massive move, which seems like it took a chunk out of my life and sanity. The move happened in several phases:
Phase 1: Packing. I feel like I spent weeks packing ... and still it took the help of Bridgett (and an all-night packing marathon ... with a 4 AM trip to Walmart for more boxes) to get everything packed.
Phase 2: Loading the the Budget Rent a Truck. In hindsight this actually seemed like the easiest phase :) Thanks to 5 friends who helped me load! The pizza and Beer afterwards was perhaps the best part of the whole move :)
Phase 3: The cleaning. Oh man, it seems like cleaning the apartment would only take a couple of hours. Maybe that would be the case were it not for the garbage and general detritus that strewed my apartment. So, 12 hours after starting (even with Bridgett's help), I departed for Philly.
Phase 4: The drive. I had been told that I needed to stop at weigh stations. Most were closed, but the one that was open directed me away from the scale. I freaked out thinking I had made a mistake and would be hunted down by the government. I was so upset I parked in a poorly lit truck parking spot and had a conversation with a trucker ... he thought that my truck was too light to need to be weighed and suggested that if the govt came for me I should just tell them I was following signals and was a trucking novice. This was a really nice guy. I offered him my last Coke but he told me I would need it more. So kind.
Arrival in PA at ~ 3AM. And, of course, 5 minutes from home I get pulled over by a cop. Wonderful. He'd been following me for a while and I was driving super careful so I was pretty sure I hadn't committed any crimes. He had me get out and look at the liscense plate ... apparently the little light that was supposed to illuminate the plate was actually blocking the "Oklahoma" plate. Then he said that this wasn't my fault and I could continue on my way. I suspect he just wanted me to walk to the back of the truck to confirm I could walk straight. Which, at 3 AM, I was only able to do thanks to the adreneline rush associated with my fear of the law (and bald men).
Phase 5: Unloading 1/2 the truck at home in Philly. For those who don't know, I am temporarily moving back in with my parents to save up for a downpayment for a house/condo. Thanks to Mom, and friends BRIDGETT!, Johnny and Aaron for unloading help ... and no thanks to the torrential rainstorm that made us "hussle" to get everything undercover. We were rushing in and out of the house as the sky turned yellow and leaves blew around us.
Phase 6: Unloading the other 1/2 of the truck into a storage facility. A 7.5 x 10 ft space that seemed a lot smaller than its dimensions. I even lay down in the dirt to get a better estimation of 5 ft! Thanks to Bridgett's remarkable stacking ability, everything fit! Phew!
Phase 7: Returning the truck to the rental place. So many prayers that I wouldn't hit anything on this last voyage! Almost lost my phone and TomTom by leaving them in the truck.
Phase 8: Unpacking. In progress. Feeling hopeful thanks to working wireless internet (thanks to Lance, Bridgett's boyfriend, for over-the-phone assistance).
More updates to follow ... thanks for all the help and prayers!
~Karen
Phase 1: Packing. I feel like I spent weeks packing ... and still it took the help of Bridgett (and an all-night packing marathon ... with a 4 AM trip to Walmart for more boxes) to get everything packed.
Phase 2: Loading the the Budget Rent a Truck. In hindsight this actually seemed like the easiest phase :) Thanks to 5 friends who helped me load! The pizza and Beer afterwards was perhaps the best part of the whole move :)
Phase 3: The cleaning. Oh man, it seems like cleaning the apartment would only take a couple of hours. Maybe that would be the case were it not for the garbage and general detritus that strewed my apartment. So, 12 hours after starting (even with Bridgett's help), I departed for Philly.
Phase 4: The drive. I had been told that I needed to stop at weigh stations. Most were closed, but the one that was open directed me away from the scale. I freaked out thinking I had made a mistake and would be hunted down by the government. I was so upset I parked in a poorly lit truck parking spot and had a conversation with a trucker ... he thought that my truck was too light to need to be weighed and suggested that if the govt came for me I should just tell them I was following signals and was a trucking novice. This was a really nice guy. I offered him my last Coke but he told me I would need it more. So kind.
Arrival in PA at ~ 3AM. And, of course, 5 minutes from home I get pulled over by a cop. Wonderful. He'd been following me for a while and I was driving super careful so I was pretty sure I hadn't committed any crimes. He had me get out and look at the liscense plate ... apparently the little light that was supposed to illuminate the plate was actually blocking the "Oklahoma" plate. Then he said that this wasn't my fault and I could continue on my way. I suspect he just wanted me to walk to the back of the truck to confirm I could walk straight. Which, at 3 AM, I was only able to do thanks to the adreneline rush associated with my fear of the law (and bald men).
Phase 5: Unloading 1/2 the truck at home in Philly. For those who don't know, I am temporarily moving back in with my parents to save up for a downpayment for a house/condo. Thanks to Mom, and friends BRIDGETT!, Johnny and Aaron for unloading help ... and no thanks to the torrential rainstorm that made us "hussle" to get everything undercover. We were rushing in and out of the house as the sky turned yellow and leaves blew around us.
Phase 6: Unloading the other 1/2 of the truck into a storage facility. A 7.5 x 10 ft space that seemed a lot smaller than its dimensions. I even lay down in the dirt to get a better estimation of 5 ft! Thanks to Bridgett's remarkable stacking ability, everything fit! Phew!
Phase 7: Returning the truck to the rental place. So many prayers that I wouldn't hit anything on this last voyage! Almost lost my phone and TomTom by leaving them in the truck.
Phase 8: Unpacking. In progress. Feeling hopeful thanks to working wireless internet (thanks to Lance, Bridgett's boyfriend, for over-the-phone assistance).
More updates to follow ... thanks for all the help and prayers!
~Karen