Coming Together

We are unpacking and arranging and putting away and disposing. The house is coming together. We were spoiled with storage on Montclair and didn't know it. Figuring out where things go here is a challenge. We have already taken six boxes to Goodwill and another is ready to go. Plus, we have a box for a local consignment shop. But, the house is coming together.

I've got many projects lined up - the first of which is cabinet pull outs and a pantry pull out in the kitchen. Then, pull outs in the bath. The big project is wall to wall cabinets and shelves in the office for cookbooks and some kitchen overflow. We already purchased and installed two cabinets in the garage for cleaning supplies and tools.

Unstressed

I am amazed at how easily our cats adapted to new surroundings. We pulled them from their home and drove them from Glen Ellyn to Davenport, to Longmont and put them in a completely new environment and they simply took it on. 1527 Otis Dr is now their domain.

 

Unpacking

Busy week! On Tuesday the movers arrived, well, the driver Eddie arrived but no one to unload the truck. Shades of loading in Glen Ellyn. Eddie got on the phone and got one guy here by about 9:00 and another showed uo just before 11. The three of them did hustle though and the truck was unloaded in far less time than it took to load it.

The house is now full of furniture and boxes and we are sorting it out and arranging. Sharon has u packed all seven wardrobe boxes and the bedrom is liveable. She is also catching up on laundry and unpacking and arranging the kitchen all while spending time on the telephone working with clients. Wonder Woman.

I feel I have mostly been carrying boxes from the basement up to the first or second floor or moving boxes from the second floor to the first floor or the basement. I discovered that it matters not how you lable a box or where you tell a mover to put it, they will put it where they want. Also, why did I bother writing "Fragile" on some boxes? It makes no difference to a mover, though I have not foiund anything broken yet (though I think a box with framed photos has a bit of glass rattling around.

The garage is full of empty b oxes to be broken down and the back of the Volvo is full of sheets of packing paper. It takes up a lot more room when it is used than when it was new. I guess that's why it works so well for packing. I hope to make a run to the Longmont Recycling Center today to get rid of some of it.

I am enjoying the light in this house. This morning when I got up and looked out the bedroom window at the blue sky, the mountains, the green, I couldn't help but smile. Every room has big windows and the house is much lighter and brighter than our Glen Ellyn house.

Back to unpacking!

Sunrise

This morning I got up and looked out our bedroom window and saw a pink glow on the mountains in the west. Awesome!

Our first few nights here were rough. I had not put enough air in the mattresses. When Sharon figured that out and added air, sleeping was a much better experience!

Yesterday was mostly a down day. We did some basic shopping at Lowes etc. for odds and ends. then cooked on our new Weber classic - we have used it Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, Certainly getting our use out of it. Sharon worked most of the day, on the phone with customers. I did what I could to prepare for the movers on Tuesday and knocked phone call related items off of my to do list.

Good news - the house in Glen Ellyn closed today. We now are the proud owners of one house in Longmont.

Adventures In Moving

This week was moving week. After a weekend of hectic last minute packing and purging and a couple of last get together with friends, the movers arrived on May 31 to load us out. We were supposed to see a driver, Eddie, and two helpers. One help was a no show which meant that for the first three hour, two guys were doing it all. That and heavy rain at around 2:00 meant that our load out lasted from 8:00 to 6:45. Sharon and Katie loaded up the cats and headed out early on their way to Davenport. I hung at the house, adding lat minute things to the Miata, taking apart the hutch, and an entertainment center and watching the loading. I was a long day.

 

I met Sharon and Katie in Davenport and we spent the evening and the next morning with Kathy and Kevin and Brady before starting our drive. Destination: Kearney Nebraska. For us is was an uneventful straight shot across Iowa and Nebraska. By the way, you can have Omaha! Yikes, the traffic there is terrible. The cats did fine and handled their stay in the hotel in Kearney without too much fussing.

 

June 2 and off to Davenport! Our last leg was only about five hours of driving. The weather was beautiful traffic was light and except for an erratic woman in an SUV who tried to run me off the road, uneventful. As we crossed the Colorado state line I said to myself, "We're home!" We had a nice brunch in Sterling Nebraska around 10:30 and made it to Longmont at about 12:45. IT was quite a sight when we crossed the ridge and could suddenly see the mountains. Stan met us at 1527 Otis and let us in, gave us keys, and took off the lock box. Scott Von met us with garage door openers and we were in our new home. We unpacked the cars, blew up air mattresses, and Sharon and Katie did some basic shopping while I waited on our refrigerator delivery and set up our internet connection.

 

 

 

Last stop of the day was in Niwot where we met Chuck and Joan for dinner at Ajuaa. A good time was had by all and we went home to crash. Sleeping on the air mattresses is another story.

 

 

Closer And Closer

Tuesday is moving day and I still am feeling I am not ready because there are so many little things to deal with, to pack, to toss, to donate. I seem to constantly find something more. I consider the attic done, the back bedroom done, the front room done, the living room done, but I still have things in the basement, the front and middle bedroom, a TV in the back room, and four fish in the pond!

 

The move estimator said we would need four wardrobe boxes. I am up to six. We have far more small boxes than anyone could have imagined. For example I packed all of the books from the back room, expecting perhaps to get them all in 8 to 10 boxes. Double that.

 

We have gotten rid of all but four goldfish - these four are fast. The loveseat is gone, Kath's bed is gone, the recliner is gone. The gas grill is gone and the charcoal and Weber smoker are spoken for. On Saturday 1-800 Junk comes for a lot of stuff collected in the garage - and I am adding to it.

 

On Monday the movers come to pack the kitchen and dining room. I am so glad we are paying them to do this part. I am tired of packing!

 

Yesterday Kristie, acting as our "Attorney in Fact" signed all of the papers for the closing on our house in Redmond. We are no longer slum lords and a check should show up today. Looks like we doubled our money on that house - but now we will pay Oregon abd Federal taxes on the gain.

So Much Going On!

I still feel I have things in hand but there is much going on - on three fronts; Glen Ellyn, Redmond, and Longmont. In Glen Ellyn the buyers is asking for things not in the contract, probably not a biggie but something to deal with. Paperwork for Redmond - Oregon Income Tax Withholding on the sale and some VA stuff. The appraisal is done on the Redmond house and is good. Going to the underwriter next. In Longmont the builder is refinishing the wood floors.

In Glen Ellyn packing continues and I am feeling good. Today I packed a wardrobe box with my keyboard, a quilt and our winter coats. I filled and sealed one large box and two mediums and one small with wall art and photos, books, knick knacks, and assorted other items. I filled a large flat art box with two large format pieces from the living room. Three large pieces to go. I am out of large packing boxes and feel I might need a few more. Today I took two goldfish to Melody for her pond. I wanted to take her three of four but the fish did not cooperate with me. They all went deep as soon as I started dipping. I might need a bigger, longer net.

I'm tired.

22 Days!