Finally on our way
Well, after almost a weeks delay, Karri and I finally got on the road yesterday. There seemed to be no end to things keeping us home. First my alternator went stopping us from towing the trailer down to Salisbury. Got that fixed and tried to take the pool table apart only to find that the screws were stripped. Had to wait for a professional to come out and take the damn thing apart. Finally got it loaded into the trailer and drove it down to Salisbury ... then back home to pack Glencove. That took several days longer than planned. I thought we would use about 15 feet in the truck. At 21 feet I stuffed the last piece of foam that I just couldnt leave behind into the big trailer and called it quits. A huge thanks to Mark and Becky and Michelle for spending all day with us packing and cleaning the house.
Then it was off to Herndon to finish cleaning up the shop. You cannot believe how much shit was in that house. I put an ad on Craigslist offering up free wood and leather. My phone didnt stop ringing for 3 days and over 25 people must have come to the house and taken arm loads and car loads and even truck loads of stuff out there. I should have charged admission. I started accepting donations to the college fund. It was funny to watch how the people who only took a few things would offer up like $20 and the guys that would fill their cars and tie more to the roof would skip out and not say goodbye rather than pony up a fiver.
Karri and I spent another 2 full days cleaning out shop, dungeon and garage after the scavengers were done. After it was all bagged up we called in Miller and Son Trash Removal. Well ... it was Miller and Son and Niece (who drove the truck) and Nieces boyfriend and his 12 year old brother who did all the hauling. Miller arrived after the kids and left before they were done. I felt like I was on the set of Oliver. The poor kids were just covered in cocobola dust. It took two trips to the dump in a very large dump truck to load out all the shit. When they were done I spent another 1/2 a day in the basement blowing the dust off the walls and ceiling and sweeping and vacuuming. Lastly, Alan came up for his umpteenth trip and helped cart the last of the wood, dust collector and compressor ... oh and the old cross which I hope will reappear at camp someday. Alan ... has been an amazing friend through this whole move. He has helped me out again and again. I cant thank him enough.
Tom hooked Karri and I up with some new equipment (new to us) and now we can both wirelessly surf the internet simultaneously from bed in our hotel room. It's been really nice getting calls and emails on the road from Tom and Kayla and others. My dad has been calling like every day to check in on us. Its been really sweet.
I can usually guage my stress level by how bad my back is. This has been a flexeril event. The Chirocracker wasnt cutting it ... and while Mark did shake my spine lose one day, sadly i couldnt take him on the trip so I begged the Dr for some pills. For those who know me ... I have to be on my death bed before I take aspirin, but I've been popping pills like Elvis all week. Flexeril and a Sam Adams ... the elixer of life ... Give me the wheel baby, I'll get us to Cleveland in time for Happy Hour!
So, last Friday my pathfinder's clutch died. I took it to the dealer on Saturday AM and begged them to look at it that day. They called me back and said I needed a new clutch, some new sensor and front brakes ... $2500 ... fuck that. I limped the car out of there to my old mechanic. On Tuesday he calls me to say he drained the clutch fluid and refilled it and its working fine ... no charge as a going away present. So ... we got in the car and drove directly to Carmax and sold the pig. Then after 6 hours of shopping and haggling Karri and I drove away in my 4th brand new Pathfinder. Yep ... 4th! This one is a huge 7 seater, all black, gas guzzling monster that we are so in love with. I was having these terrible nightmares that we were going to break down in middle of Nebraska with the Karri and the rabbit giving me dagger eyes for 14 hours while we wait for Gomer Pile to fix the car.
Well ... I need to get dressed and back on the road. I'll finish up the catch up story at the next Starbucks.
Then it was off to Herndon to finish cleaning up the shop. You cannot believe how much shit was in that house. I put an ad on Craigslist offering up free wood and leather. My phone didnt stop ringing for 3 days and over 25 people must have come to the house and taken arm loads and car loads and even truck loads of stuff out there. I should have charged admission. I started accepting donations to the college fund. It was funny to watch how the people who only took a few things would offer up like $20 and the guys that would fill their cars and tie more to the roof would skip out and not say goodbye rather than pony up a fiver.
Karri and I spent another 2 full days cleaning out shop, dungeon and garage after the scavengers were done. After it was all bagged up we called in Miller and Son Trash Removal. Well ... it was Miller and Son and Niece (who drove the truck) and Nieces boyfriend and his 12 year old brother who did all the hauling. Miller arrived after the kids and left before they were done. I felt like I was on the set of Oliver. The poor kids were just covered in cocobola dust. It took two trips to the dump in a very large dump truck to load out all the shit. When they were done I spent another 1/2 a day in the basement blowing the dust off the walls and ceiling and sweeping and vacuuming. Lastly, Alan came up for his umpteenth trip and helped cart the last of the wood, dust collector and compressor ... oh and the old cross which I hope will reappear at camp someday. Alan ... has been an amazing friend through this whole move. He has helped me out again and again. I cant thank him enough.
Tom hooked Karri and I up with some new equipment (new to us) and now we can both wirelessly surf the internet simultaneously from bed in our hotel room. It's been really nice getting calls and emails on the road from Tom and Kayla and others. My dad has been calling like every day to check in on us. Its been really sweet.
I can usually guage my stress level by how bad my back is. This has been a flexeril event. The Chirocracker wasnt cutting it ... and while Mark did shake my spine lose one day, sadly i couldnt take him on the trip so I begged the Dr for some pills. For those who know me ... I have to be on my death bed before I take aspirin, but I've been popping pills like Elvis all week. Flexeril and a Sam Adams ... the elixer of life ... Give me the wheel baby, I'll get us to Cleveland in time for Happy Hour!
So, last Friday my pathfinder's clutch died. I took it to the dealer on Saturday AM and begged them to look at it that day. They called me back and said I needed a new clutch, some new sensor and front brakes ... $2500 ... fuck that. I limped the car out of there to my old mechanic. On Tuesday he calls me to say he drained the clutch fluid and refilled it and its working fine ... no charge as a going away present. So ... we got in the car and drove directly to Carmax and sold the pig. Then after 6 hours of shopping and haggling Karri and I drove away in my 4th brand new Pathfinder. Yep ... 4th! This one is a huge 7 seater, all black, gas guzzling monster that we are so in love with. I was having these terrible nightmares that we were going to break down in middle of Nebraska with the Karri and the rabbit giving me dagger eyes for 14 hours while we wait for Gomer Pile to fix the car.
Well ... I need to get dressed and back on the road. I'll finish up the catch up story at the next Starbucks.