The night of December 20th we stopped for the night in Cedar City, Utah. Just a few miles from the Arizona border. There I was dismayed to see snow on the ground. For months I'd been worrying about running into bad weather on this trip and still in extreme southern Utah there was snow. I didn't remember it being that way on other trips but chalked it up to the fact that we were at elevation. All the stress was for nothing as there was no snow on the road.
Glorious December 21st, after another long day driving just 55mph, we arrived in Fresno. After everything that had happened over the past few days I was still reeling. I couldn't believe that we had done it. Driven 1200 miles with all of our stuff and our car...all without incident! It was a 'hooray' moment for sure. I had fantasized about it for quite awhile. Pulling up in front of Tim's sister, Sarah, and her husband, Brad's house. A-mazing! Only then did I let out a big sigh of relief. :)
The following day we set about the task of unloading the car from the car carrier, unloading the stuff packed in the car and of course unpacking the Budget truck. By this time we were total pros at unloading the truck. Remember that we had loaded and unloaded our stuff no fewer than eight times. :) The work went quickly and like I've been doing so much these days I marveled at the incredibly warm weather. Sixties at least! With the garage full to the brim we reattached the car carrier and then delivered a few things to Tim's mom, Barb, and his other sister, Vicki.
For the last time we searched out a gas station that would accomodate our rig as we had to return the beast full of fuel. I followed Tim as we drove to the Budget place to drop off the truck and trailer. Upon arrival we realized that they had no parking lot. Um...what? A place that rents trucks and trailers and has no parking lot. Tim parked it half of the street, half of the sidewalk. :) After completing the paperwork we climbed into our little Honda and sped away. It was then that Tim told me he was breathing a sigh of relief at having turned in the truck and trailer safely.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Trucker Momma...
Waking up December 20th I looked out the hotel room window at our Budget truck and car carrier. Were we really driving that thing 1200 miles? Sigh. Ever since we'd decided to rethink our plans, rent a Budget truck and tow the Honda on a car carrier I had dreaded this moment. Tim had reassured me that I would be fine...it's not tough driving a truck that's towing a car carrier. I wasn't so sure because I've never driven somthing like that. I'm used to zipping around in my little Honda Civic coupe. She's such a cutie and quite tiny. Yeah. We got back on the road for a bit and then it was my turn to drive. I climbed up behind the wheel, moved the seat way forward and pulled out of the gas station. I was terrified. I was strangling the steering wheel. I was checking my mirrors compulsively because you can't look behind you in a truck like that. After awhile I started to relax. Just kidding. That never happened but I did take a smidgen of solace in the fact that I could only go 55mph with the car carrier. The other cars and trucks could whip by us as we chugged along. Tim looked over, surveyed my white knuckle driving and then dubbed me Trucker Momma. :)
Where to begin?
Since my last post a few things have happened. I'm not exactly sure where to start. Sigh. Here goes...December 18...the day before we left Bozeman. Looking back on this day, like to so many in the last few weeks, I see a blur of activity. We were running errands, tying up all the loose ends, packing the Budget truck and cleaning. Cleaning. Cleaning. Cleaning. Still cleaning at 1am. By that time we were close to being finished, cleaning the kitchen, punchy and silly as we scrubbed every surface. I have to say that the place sparkled and it should have...we spent hours and hours to be sure that the place would be spotless and that would net us our whole security deposit in return.
The next morning was the big day. We were cutting ties and leaving Bozeman for the last time (even now...several weeks later that doesn't seem real). We woke up at 6am to rearrange the items in the Budget truck, connect with the carpet cleaning guys and do the walk through with our property management company. Bleary eyed we woke to two inches of snow on the ground. Not enough to derail our plans to leave that day but enough to make the last few hours in Bozeman just a little more annoying. I ran a carload of stuff to the thrift store while Tim started to rearrange the stuff in the truck...we still had quite a few bankers boxes to fit in there. After I returned home we finished loading the truck and loaded up the Honda. That is, loaded it with additional stuff then we drove it onto the car carrier that we towed behind the Budget truck.
We didn't quite have everything out of the house when our property management company arrived to look at the place. She was all smiles as she walked through to inspect each room. I'd say inspect is too strong a word - she barely looked around but was happy enough at what she saw. We did get our security deposit back so we were happy too. :)
Next we ran around to finish errands and it was then that I took stock of my shoes. Yes, you read that right: shoes. With the few inches of snow on the ground and all the running around my shoes were COMPLETELY soaked. I remember walking out of Northwestern Energy (we were closing our account) and fearing that if I looked down I would see puddles oozing out from my shoes with each step.
Finally the moment had arrived. After all the packing, running around through the snow, loading and reorganzing the truck....we climbed into the Budget truck and drove out of Bozeman. For. The. Last. Time. A strange feeling all around. I didn't start to feel relieved right then and there because I was still worried about potentially icy roads along the way. But to my great delight we drove to Idaho Falls without incident...not a flake of snow to be seen. A couple hundred miles down and we were totally exhausted. We checked into a Holiday Inn Express and collapsed, happy but spent.
The next morning was the big day. We were cutting ties and leaving Bozeman for the last time (even now...several weeks later that doesn't seem real). We woke up at 6am to rearrange the items in the Budget truck, connect with the carpet cleaning guys and do the walk through with our property management company. Bleary eyed we woke to two inches of snow on the ground. Not enough to derail our plans to leave that day but enough to make the last few hours in Bozeman just a little more annoying. I ran a carload of stuff to the thrift store while Tim started to rearrange the stuff in the truck...we still had quite a few bankers boxes to fit in there. After I returned home we finished loading the truck and loaded up the Honda. That is, loaded it with additional stuff then we drove it onto the car carrier that we towed behind the Budget truck.
We didn't quite have everything out of the house when our property management company arrived to look at the place. She was all smiles as she walked through to inspect each room. I'd say inspect is too strong a word - she barely looked around but was happy enough at what she saw. We did get our security deposit back so we were happy too. :)
Next we ran around to finish errands and it was then that I took stock of my shoes. Yes, you read that right: shoes. With the few inches of snow on the ground and all the running around my shoes were COMPLETELY soaked. I remember walking out of Northwestern Energy (we were closing our account) and fearing that if I looked down I would see puddles oozing out from my shoes with each step.
Finally the moment had arrived. After all the packing, running around through the snow, loading and reorganzing the truck....we climbed into the Budget truck and drove out of Bozeman. For. The. Last. Time. A strange feeling all around. I didn't start to feel relieved right then and there because I was still worried about potentially icy roads along the way. But to my great delight we drove to Idaho Falls without incident...not a flake of snow to be seen. A couple hundred miles down and we were totally exhausted. We checked into a Holiday Inn Express and collapsed, happy but spent.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Excitement All Around
The last few nights we've spent time with many of our friends in Bozeman. Sharing meals and stories, saying goodbyes. It really doesn't seem like this is the last time we will see these people but for some it is for others it will be months or years. I'm not feeling sad yet but I know that's coming. We've made some amazing connections here in Bozeman.
Now that we're staring our roadtrip to California square in the face (we're leaving tomorrow) I'm starting to feel excited about so many things. The trip in and of itself is going to be fun. Very long, with a box truck pulling our little Honda we'll cruise at 55mph for 1200 miles. Oh yeah! That will take a few days but we're seasoned roadtrippers and know how to get through. Along the way we're looking forward to things like In N Out Burger and Chipotle (we don't have these things in Bozeman) for good eats. Also within the first couple days of the trip we'll be enjoing substantially warmer weather (although Bozeman has been beautiful for the last week or so). :) All in all it should be a good trip. We'll keep you posted. :)
Now that we're staring our roadtrip to California square in the face (we're leaving tomorrow) I'm starting to feel excited about so many things. The trip in and of itself is going to be fun. Very long, with a box truck pulling our little Honda we'll cruise at 55mph for 1200 miles. Oh yeah! That will take a few days but we're seasoned roadtrippers and know how to get through. Along the way we're looking forward to things like In N Out Burger and Chipotle (we don't have these things in Bozeman) for good eats. Also within the first couple days of the trip we'll be enjoing substantially warmer weather (although Bozeman has been beautiful for the last week or so). :) All in all it should be a good trip. We'll keep you posted. :)
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Dazed and Crazed.....
This morning I went into campus where I entered grades for Intro and passed my records off to our administrative assistant. I walked out of Traphagen Hall for the last time. I turned in my keys that I've carried around for the past 3.5 years. It all felt strange.
Then I proceeded to run 800 errands, most of them to change our address so the important stuff will follow us. All the while, for reasons I'm not quite sure of, I felt panic creeping up on me. I know that we are almost ready to leave Bozeman and have enough time to tie up loose ends. And still I felt uneasy. I love it when I know something but knowing it doesn't change my emotional response to what is happening. (chuckle)
Just ten minutes ago our beloved couch was swept away by my former officemate, Katya. I'm glad to know that it will have a good home but now I'm sitting on the floor in the middle of the living room, typing this post, feeling stranger than ever.
Then I proceeded to run 800 errands, most of them to change our address so the important stuff will follow us. All the while, for reasons I'm not quite sure of, I felt panic creeping up on me. I know that we are almost ready to leave Bozeman and have enough time to tie up loose ends. And still I felt uneasy. I love it when I know something but knowing it doesn't change my emotional response to what is happening. (chuckle)
Just ten minutes ago our beloved couch was swept away by my former officemate, Katya. I'm glad to know that it will have a good home but now I'm sitting on the floor in the middle of the living room, typing this post, feeling stranger than ever.
Monday, December 12, 2011
"Would you like to put that on your Macy's card?"
I uttered those words for what I hope to be the last time yesterday. That's exactly what I thought when I left my employ at Macy's two years ago. Never say never. I spent my last shift in Linens, my favorite department, and felt strange when the time rolled around to clock out. It was like any other shift, no fanfare, no drama (despite what is always provided by the customers...). But it wasn't like every other shift. It was my last. It felt strange and abrupt. Ok, done! Now what? I can't wait for it to suddenly sink in..."oh, yeah! I don't have to don an all black uniform and calculate which coupon would be best". :)
This week has been a strange mishmash of 'lasts'. I gave my last lecture to my big intro class on Monday. I met with my seminar class for the last time on Wednesday. I worked my last shift at Macy's. So far none of this seems real to me. I know that we are leaving Bozeman in, count them, eight days, but it's not resonating with me yet.
I spent hours this week in my office going through papers, cleaning out files and trying to find homes for my collection of text books. The light green walls - illegally painted - are bare and sad. Black and white photos that decorated the place are now at home pilled against a wall. I moved out a pile of paper to be recycled that I'm pretty sure measured 24" tall. I moved out another pile of paper to be shredded and was thankful that the department has undergraduates employed in our main office to help me recycle and shred all these papers. Otherwise, I can't imagine how long it would take!
With that said I've spent the last week writing exams and the makeups to go along with them. Don't misunderstand me here. I. Love. Teaching. I'm also ready to not write another exam for a very long time. After being incredibly diligent to not repeat questions from previous exams on the exams and makeups, I'm done. Done.
This week has been a strange mishmash of 'lasts'. I gave my last lecture to my big intro class on Monday. I met with my seminar class for the last time on Wednesday. I worked my last shift at Macy's. So far none of this seems real to me. I know that we are leaving Bozeman in, count them, eight days, but it's not resonating with me yet.
I spent hours this week in my office going through papers, cleaning out files and trying to find homes for my collection of text books. The light green walls - illegally painted - are bare and sad. Black and white photos that decorated the place are now at home pilled against a wall. I moved out a pile of paper to be recycled that I'm pretty sure measured 24" tall. I moved out another pile of paper to be shredded and was thankful that the department has undergraduates employed in our main office to help me recycle and shred all these papers. Otherwise, I can't imagine how long it would take!
With that said I've spent the last week writing exams and the makeups to go along with them. Don't misunderstand me here. I. Love. Teaching. I'm also ready to not write another exam for a very long time. After being incredibly diligent to not repeat questions from previous exams on the exams and makeups, I'm done. Done.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Turkey Day with Chef Tim...
Outfitted in his "Butter Me Up" lobster apron Tim set to work on Thanksgiving dinner. All of this started the night before. We had just come home after watching the Wild win against the Predators and Tim started whipping up what would be our pumpkin cheesecake dessert. It came out of the oven sometime in the very early morning. I don't know why but Tim likes to bake at night. :)
By the following afternoon we had continued to cook, bake, clean and watch some of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. While watching I couldn't help but think about the ten hour shift I had at Macy's on Black Friday. I. Was. Not. Excited.
My mom, Linda, and her husband, Paul, arrived in the afternoon and we sat down to an amazing meal from Chef Tim. He spent the better part of the day scurrying around the kitchen and all the work paid off. We enjoyed a scrumptuous meal of turkey, stuffing, gravy, homemade mashed potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce, acini de pepe salad, along with sour cream biscuits, and brocolli casserole. Many compliments to the chef. :)
That night I went to bed early in an attempt to offset the shift I would be working the following day from 5am to 3pm. I figured, "ok, no problem, I'll probably be a little tired but I'll just get through it". A little tired. That's funny. For no reason whatsoever I could not sleep. I tossed and turned for what seemed like an eternity before finally falling asleep for less than two hours. I woke to the alarm and before I got out of bed knew that I was totally delirious. Oh. Joy.
Tim was nice enough to drop me off at work and I proceeded to stock shelves in Homeworld as was specified by the shift I had picked up the week before. Much to my chagrin I was told that, "by the way, the schedule has been changed, we need you over in shoes". Right. Because that would be the best use of my time (I've worked mostly in Homeworld for the last few years and therefore have the most product knowledge for Linens, Housewares and Lugguage). To be honest I pouted a little on the way over to Shoes and then proceeded to ring for the remaining 9 hours of my shift. All I can say is that I'm glad it went fast. On two hours of sleep I felt as though I could barely keep my eyes open and didn't trust myself to do simple math without a calculator. Customer after customer asked the same question, "which coupon is better, $10 off or 20% off?". Simple math for no fewer than 800 customers on less than two hours of sleep = homicidal thoughts. I would say that my patience started to wear thin almost immediately but I don't think I started with any that day.
Somehow 3pm rolled around and I clocked out on the dot. Tim, mom and Paul picked me up and upon getting home I crashed for an hour. It felt like two minutes. Not really refreshed but more functional I spent the rest of the evening hanging out and relaxing.
Despite working shifts on Black Friday and on Saturday the long weekend was good. Mom and Paul pulled our trailer back to their place with some things they're going to store for us. Although we've had the house torn apart for what seems like months now the strangest change the removal of the TV. The house seemed to look and feel different without it. If that makes any sense. I guess we got used to turning it on for some background noise. I do miss What Not To Wear but other than that I've been content to, finally, get to a pile of books that have been waiting on me for months. Happy girl.
By the following afternoon we had continued to cook, bake, clean and watch some of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. While watching I couldn't help but think about the ten hour shift I had at Macy's on Black Friday. I. Was. Not. Excited.
My mom, Linda, and her husband, Paul, arrived in the afternoon and we sat down to an amazing meal from Chef Tim. He spent the better part of the day scurrying around the kitchen and all the work paid off. We enjoyed a scrumptuous meal of turkey, stuffing, gravy, homemade mashed potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce, acini de pepe salad, along with sour cream biscuits, and brocolli casserole. Many compliments to the chef. :)
That night I went to bed early in an attempt to offset the shift I would be working the following day from 5am to 3pm. I figured, "ok, no problem, I'll probably be a little tired but I'll just get through it". A little tired. That's funny. For no reason whatsoever I could not sleep. I tossed and turned for what seemed like an eternity before finally falling asleep for less than two hours. I woke to the alarm and before I got out of bed knew that I was totally delirious. Oh. Joy.
Tim was nice enough to drop me off at work and I proceeded to stock shelves in Homeworld as was specified by the shift I had picked up the week before. Much to my chagrin I was told that, "by the way, the schedule has been changed, we need you over in shoes". Right. Because that would be the best use of my time (I've worked mostly in Homeworld for the last few years and therefore have the most product knowledge for Linens, Housewares and Lugguage). To be honest I pouted a little on the way over to Shoes and then proceeded to ring for the remaining 9 hours of my shift. All I can say is that I'm glad it went fast. On two hours of sleep I felt as though I could barely keep my eyes open and didn't trust myself to do simple math without a calculator. Customer after customer asked the same question, "which coupon is better, $10 off or 20% off?". Simple math for no fewer than 800 customers on less than two hours of sleep = homicidal thoughts. I would say that my patience started to wear thin almost immediately but I don't think I started with any that day.
Somehow 3pm rolled around and I clocked out on the dot. Tim, mom and Paul picked me up and upon getting home I crashed for an hour. It felt like two minutes. Not really refreshed but more functional I spent the rest of the evening hanging out and relaxing.
Despite working shifts on Black Friday and on Saturday the long weekend was good. Mom and Paul pulled our trailer back to their place with some things they're going to store for us. Although we've had the house torn apart for what seems like months now the strangest change the removal of the TV. The house seemed to look and feel different without it. If that makes any sense. I guess we got used to turning it on for some background noise. I do miss What Not To Wear but other than that I've been content to, finally, get to a pile of books that have been waiting on me for months. Happy girl.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)