I have been feeling like shit all night. Massive indigestion that just won't go away. I felt like I was going to throw up all night and woke up at 2 with massive bile in my mouth. I still can't shake it. Been up since 3:40 because I just couldn't sleep any more. The culprit? Some of the best southern food I have ever had outside the deep south. The killer was dessert. Had I avoided the blackberry pie with brown butter ice cream I would probably be doing a whole lot better right now. The shrimp and grits and hushpuppies were okay, but the minute I started eating dessert I knew I was in trouble. I am paying for it. Today is going to be a no food day. Plain bread if anything.
One more day until we get our stuff. Tomorrow is going to be crazy but at least we will be able to sleep in our own bed which will help.
I taught all day during the day. Went until about 2:45 then took a brief nap until 4. We had to leave at 4:30 so B could go back to the doctor for a follow up visit. The place where she went on Sunday offers a free clinic the first Wednesday of everything month near downtown and since she needed a follow up it was worth the drive in traffic to save $145 for an office visit and the 3 three bottles of antibiotics they gave her. We got to the clinic right at 5:30 (it starts at 6 but they start taking names at 5:30) and we were first in line. Finished at 6:15 and walked around to find dinner. The area we were in was really nice and we both commented on how we could see the Kid living in an area like that. Very artsy, pubs, clothing shop kind of neighborhood. The people we encountered would have been right up her alley.
Again, dinner was fantastic despite the blowback of the stomach problems. We finished up around 7:30 and headed back. Got home around 8. When we got home there was magically the missing package from Forever 21 at our door. Here's the story:
Before we moved I ordered B a dress to replace one she had that ripped. I knew it would arrive after we moved so I had it sent here. It arrived the Thursday before we got here and was marked as 'left at door'. Of course when we arrived on Saturday it was nowhere to be found. The office hadn't seen it nor was it in the mailbox. Suspicious. I opened a claim on UPS and contacted Forever 21. Both claimed it was shipped and left here. Last night before we went out, the neighbor across from us was going into her place. She seemed surprised that someone was now living across from her. She also had this look of 'oh shit' on her face when she saw there were people here now. Funny how when we got back from our stuff the package magically was on the doorstep. Long after UPS would have been here and definitely after USPS would have arrived. Negative points to you neighbor. Let's see if she admits anything. I do plan on telling the office what happened today. I don't expect them to do anything, but I want them to know I am not happy.
It was hot and stuffy in here when we got back and opened every window and turned on the fans. Such a concept. No more fucking AC. Thank god. Warm? Open a damn window. I can't wait until it gets even colder around here. I say that now. You may all mock me in a few months. Permission granted.
Another day of teaching followed by getting ready for the movers. We need to make sure they have plenty of room to work tomorrow morning when they arrive. And then a weekend of boxes. Joy.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Y7 D106
Back to the grind. Up at my normal time to get ready for a class. I have two days of training then the best news ever came yesterday - we get our stuff on Friday! It's perfect as I don't have to teach on Friday and then we have all weekend to stay inside and unpack. I need to enjoy the emptiness we have right now because in 48 hours I will be surrounded by boxes. Oh joy. Luckily we have so much more storage space that things won't be all over like they were at the last place. It's going to be a mess Friday and Saturday but I am hoping that by Sunday some semblance of order will be achieved.
Speaking of order, we made a trip to IKEA yesterday. We went with the intention of picking up a light fixture. Just that. $360 later we walked out with two bar stools, a dining room table/desk for B with two chairs, odds and ends for the bathroom and kitchen, and a light fixture. The light was for the bar/kitchen area. The place is pre-wired for a fixture right above the bar which is nice and we found one that not only meets our aesthetic needs, but also managed to match the fixtures already here. Plus it was reasonably priced. The IKEA is near the airport which also gave us a test run to the airport to see how long it is going to take to get there in the future. Answer about 40 minutes at 11am. Which means 25-30 at the times I would be going. This is important because not only do I have the trip coming up in a couple of weeks, I learned last night I will be going to Canada in October. Four days in Regina. Such fun.
Prior to the IKEA trip I took a drive out to what is supposed to be the 'nearest' WalMart. It's a different one than I found the other day and while on paper it is closer, there's a one way one lane road you have to take and it took longer than going to the other. Good to know. I picked up a couple of little things on our list like bathroom aerators. They have those dumb low flow ones on the sink and they drive me nuts. I also needed a wall plate as I replaced one of the wall plugs with one that has two USB ports in it.
When we got back from IKEA we spent the next few hours assembling everything. Nothing was hard as is the IKEA way and within an hour or two we had everything setup. We then both relaxed for a while. We sat at our new table and looked up the different gyms near us and price compared. We will probably go this weekend and check all three out. Let's get our stuff in first, then worry about those things. It is definitely one of our goals, but we need stuff first. After all that we made our first dinner here. Granted it was a microwave dinner with a salad but it was food and we made it here. That's what counts. After dinner we were sitting around and realized it was pretty hot. We had all the windows open but it was still a bit stuff. Ride to target at 9:54pm. Luckily they are open until 11. We picked up a couple of fans and it made a huge difference. Assembled said fans and went to bed around 11pm.
Today after class we have to take B back to the doctor for a follow up. On Wednesdays (we wear pink, no different thing...) they offer a free clinic at one of their locations and since we don't want to spend another $145 just for her to be seen, we are going to make the drive and head out. It's going to be right at rush hour and there's going to be a wait, but she needs to see the doctor. Hopefully they will continue the antibiotics and that will be that. She seems to be getting better but we want to be sure.
Friday can't come soon enough.
Speaking of order, we made a trip to IKEA yesterday. We went with the intention of picking up a light fixture. Just that. $360 later we walked out with two bar stools, a dining room table/desk for B with two chairs, odds and ends for the bathroom and kitchen, and a light fixture. The light was for the bar/kitchen area. The place is pre-wired for a fixture right above the bar which is nice and we found one that not only meets our aesthetic needs, but also managed to match the fixtures already here. Plus it was reasonably priced. The IKEA is near the airport which also gave us a test run to the airport to see how long it is going to take to get there in the future. Answer about 40 minutes at 11am. Which means 25-30 at the times I would be going. This is important because not only do I have the trip coming up in a couple of weeks, I learned last night I will be going to Canada in October. Four days in Regina. Such fun.
Prior to the IKEA trip I took a drive out to what is supposed to be the 'nearest' WalMart. It's a different one than I found the other day and while on paper it is closer, there's a one way one lane road you have to take and it took longer than going to the other. Good to know. I picked up a couple of little things on our list like bathroom aerators. They have those dumb low flow ones on the sink and they drive me nuts. I also needed a wall plate as I replaced one of the wall plugs with one that has two USB ports in it.
When we got back from IKEA we spent the next few hours assembling everything. Nothing was hard as is the IKEA way and within an hour or two we had everything setup. We then both relaxed for a while. We sat at our new table and looked up the different gyms near us and price compared. We will probably go this weekend and check all three out. Let's get our stuff in first, then worry about those things. It is definitely one of our goals, but we need stuff first. After all that we made our first dinner here. Granted it was a microwave dinner with a salad but it was food and we made it here. That's what counts. After dinner we were sitting around and realized it was pretty hot. We had all the windows open but it was still a bit stuff. Ride to target at 9:54pm. Luckily they are open until 11. We picked up a couple of fans and it made a huge difference. Assembled said fans and went to bed around 11pm.
Today after class we have to take B back to the doctor for a follow up. On Wednesdays (we wear pink, no different thing...) they offer a free clinic at one of their locations and since we don't want to spend another $145 just for her to be seen, we are going to make the drive and head out. It's going to be right at rush hour and there's going to be a wait, but she needs to see the doctor. Hopefully they will continue the antibiotics and that will be that. She seems to be getting better but we want to be sure.
Friday can't come soon enough.
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Y7 D105
Day three. Rations depleting rapidly. The sun is unbearable. Wait... Nope, we're great! We went for a ride in the morning to explore as there is a mini -Powell's book store near us. Powell's is the biggest bookstore ever downtown in Portland and there is a smaller one very close to where we are. We found that the shopping center it is in has a lot of practical stores we might need from time to time including a Craft House, Ross, Storables, and Best Buy. Just a little further down is the Mazda dealer which I need to go to possibly today. But we walked around for a while, then around 11 had lunch at a seafood place. I am so excited to be back in a land of seafood. Everywhere. I had a nice crab newport for lunch and it was really tasty. After lunch, B wanted to hit a Goodwill store as neither of us have any 'warm' clothes. She found a couple of flannels for less then $15. I saw a jacket I liked but didn't end up getting it.
Got back around 2 and B slept. Her pain meds were starting to wear off and she needed rest. She slept until about 4:30. While she was asleep I went for a walk to the little strip mall next to us to pick something up for dessert as we were going to dinner at friend's. I grabbed some honey balls from the Greek place which ended up being a huge hit.
We headed over to their place around 5:15 and arrived at 5:30 on the dot. They have a brand new house in a development about 4 miles from us. Normally I would be envious but since I knew the whole story, I am not envious for them at all. They have a very lovely 4 bedroom home. It's a little big for B and my taste, but it was wonderfully decorated and has an incredible view. They have a lot in common with us - recent marriage, recent move, his wife doesn't have to work, etc.
So he had a tiny condo near where I used to live (pre-B). For whatever reason he found a buyer and got SUPER blessed with finding someone who not only paid cash, but paid well over asking. Thanks to that, he was able to fully cover his outstanding loan and pay for the new in full. I respect that they got a 'normal' house and not some crazy thing. They are in a house very like what we were looking at. We would probably go down one size if it were us, but otherwise, I could see us choosing the same kind of thing.
We ended up having Mexican, and then talking until almost 10. That's two nights in a row where we were out and really enjoyed the company of our hosts. Such a refreshing change.
Last day off as I teach tomorrow. I am thinking IKEA today. I also hope to hear from the movers as to when our stuff will be arriving. It would be nice to have, oh I don't know, all our clothes? We're funny that way.
Got back around 2 and B slept. Her pain meds were starting to wear off and she needed rest. She slept until about 4:30. While she was asleep I went for a walk to the little strip mall next to us to pick something up for dessert as we were going to dinner at friend's. I grabbed some honey balls from the Greek place which ended up being a huge hit.
We headed over to their place around 5:15 and arrived at 5:30 on the dot. They have a brand new house in a development about 4 miles from us. Normally I would be envious but since I knew the whole story, I am not envious for them at all. They have a very lovely 4 bedroom home. It's a little big for B and my taste, but it was wonderfully decorated and has an incredible view. They have a lot in common with us - recent marriage, recent move, his wife doesn't have to work, etc.
So he had a tiny condo near where I used to live (pre-B). For whatever reason he found a buyer and got SUPER blessed with finding someone who not only paid cash, but paid well over asking. Thanks to that, he was able to fully cover his outstanding loan and pay for the new in full. I respect that they got a 'normal' house and not some crazy thing. They are in a house very like what we were looking at. We would probably go down one size if it were us, but otherwise, I could see us choosing the same kind of thing.
We ended up having Mexican, and then talking until almost 10. That's two nights in a row where we were out and really enjoyed the company of our hosts. Such a refreshing change.
Last day off as I teach tomorrow. I am thinking IKEA today. I also hope to hear from the movers as to when our stuff will be arriving. It would be nice to have, oh I don't know, all our clothes? We're funny that way.
Monday, September 7, 2015
Y7 D104
And here I thought we had an adventure on Saturday. Let me tell you all about our Sunday. B has an issue with something called hidradenitis. It creates cysts in places where skin has rubbed together like armpits, backs of knees, thigh area, etc. The cysts are under the skin and don't always have a head to be drained. Instead they are just painful inflammations of the skin that make life a living hell. Usually when she gets a flare up, warm compresses and ibuprofen help reduce the swelling and the pain. Not this time. The cysts will form tunnels under the skin to connect each other and she has had a pocket of four under her arm. The pain was so bad Saturday night she couldn't move her arm or sleep. Therefore we spent the first part of our Sunday at Urgent Care. Yay. We had a list of about 15 things we needed and my plan was to take a drive to Fry's near here and pick everything up. A quiet day. Nope. Nice try.
We first went to Target next to the Urgent Care as they weren't open yet, but Target was. Unfortunately I was only able to find 2 things on the entire list there. Urgent Care opens, we meet with the LNP who gives B three prescriptions. We then go back to Target, fill the scrips. I take B home and tell her to sleep. I then head out to Fry's. It's about 20 minutes away which is no big deal. On the way there I find a Bed Bath Beyond, WinCo, Zoup, and some other stuff we have been looking for around here. Some of the stuff we are needing off the list can be found at BBB so I decide to go in there first. I successfully find towel holders for the bathrooms. Feeling good, I continue on to Fry's. I should have known something was up when I walked in as the lights seemed dim. Coming from where I did though, I didn't think about it because many places dim the lights to save energy. I thought that's what was happening. Turns out, they were running off generator power because a transformer blew. I find this out as I get in the checkout line and am told cash only. A couple of the things I am buying are only there (that I know of) so I run to the BoA next door to grab cash and run back. I am then in line for over an hour in the dark. I am watching the cashiers and what they are doing is one person is looking items up on their phone while the other writes a manual receipt. Seeing this, I try to expedite my time at the register by finding the items I am buying myself. In the end I found 4 of the 7. The cashiers loved me for doing that. After almost two hours, I finally escape Fry's but my list is less than halfway complete. On the way back I see a Lowes where I can get some more stuff on my list. I take the next exit and try to find it. Instead I find a WalMart. Sigh, fine. Best decision I made all day I hate to admit. I knocked EVERYTHING off my list. Fine. I deal.
I finally get back home and B is doing much better thanks to the meds. We have plans to go over to our friend's house for dinner at 7 and since she is doing better we decide to check out the mall nearby to kill time before hand. Fantastic idea. We both end up LOVING the mall here compared to what we had before. Every store we could want, friendly people, etc. We get some stuff from Lush and enjoy walking around. While there we come across an animal place known as Hannah. They are insurance for pets and B starts talking with the woman who gives her some info on different shelters and the like in the area if she is interested in volunteering.
We get to our friend's place right on the money of 7pm. We have a wonderful home cooked dinner. We needed that. It was so nice of them to have us over. We had chicken and potatoes and bread and wonderful little desserts. It was just a pleasant relaxing evening. I can't describe it in words enough how comforting it all was. We headed home around 10 and I fell right asleep at 11 after another full day.
It's this kind of day, even with the frustrations, that so far has made this move exceed all of our expectations. The quality of life is 1000% better than we had for the last 13 months. I think we're going to do okay here.
We first went to Target next to the Urgent Care as they weren't open yet, but Target was. Unfortunately I was only able to find 2 things on the entire list there. Urgent Care opens, we meet with the LNP who gives B three prescriptions. We then go back to Target, fill the scrips. I take B home and tell her to sleep. I then head out to Fry's. It's about 20 minutes away which is no big deal. On the way there I find a Bed Bath Beyond, WinCo, Zoup, and some other stuff we have been looking for around here. Some of the stuff we are needing off the list can be found at BBB so I decide to go in there first. I successfully find towel holders for the bathrooms. Feeling good, I continue on to Fry's. I should have known something was up when I walked in as the lights seemed dim. Coming from where I did though, I didn't think about it because many places dim the lights to save energy. I thought that's what was happening. Turns out, they were running off generator power because a transformer blew. I find this out as I get in the checkout line and am told cash only. A couple of the things I am buying are only there (that I know of) so I run to the BoA next door to grab cash and run back. I am then in line for over an hour in the dark. I am watching the cashiers and what they are doing is one person is looking items up on their phone while the other writes a manual receipt. Seeing this, I try to expedite my time at the register by finding the items I am buying myself. In the end I found 4 of the 7. The cashiers loved me for doing that. After almost two hours, I finally escape Fry's but my list is less than halfway complete. On the way back I see a Lowes where I can get some more stuff on my list. I take the next exit and try to find it. Instead I find a WalMart. Sigh, fine. Best decision I made all day I hate to admit. I knocked EVERYTHING off my list. Fine. I deal.
I finally get back home and B is doing much better thanks to the meds. We have plans to go over to our friend's house for dinner at 7 and since she is doing better we decide to check out the mall nearby to kill time before hand. Fantastic idea. We both end up LOVING the mall here compared to what we had before. Every store we could want, friendly people, etc. We get some stuff from Lush and enjoy walking around. While there we come across an animal place known as Hannah. They are insurance for pets and B starts talking with the woman who gives her some info on different shelters and the like in the area if she is interested in volunteering.
We get to our friend's place right on the money of 7pm. We have a wonderful home cooked dinner. We needed that. It was so nice of them to have us over. We had chicken and potatoes and bread and wonderful little desserts. It was just a pleasant relaxing evening. I can't describe it in words enough how comforting it all was. We headed home around 10 and I fell right asleep at 11 after another full day.
It's this kind of day, even with the frustrations, that so far has made this move exceed all of our expectations. The quality of life is 1000% better than we had for the last 13 months. I think we're going to do okay here.
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Y7 D103
We left our intrepid adventurers on the road at 3am yesterday. Let's pick the tale back up there!
We switched at Weed. What a town. Talk about milking a town name. The people who live there take it for all it's worth, that's for sure. The rest of the drive was pretty uneventful. B slept for a couple hours, I listened to the radio. The best part is that the cats did an incredible job on this journey. A couple of times they made noise, mostly to reassure themselves we were still there but otherwise not a peep, no accidents, and no issues. I am very proud of them. The rest of the drive took us about 6.5 hours. We rolled into town at 9:25. The office didn't open until 10 and I decided after looking up their hours, we should go pick up the modem from the Comcast store to kill time. B also needed a couple of things and luckily there was a Rite Aid next door. Perfect. All said and done we returned to the complex at 9:59 as they were unlocking the doors. Timing was wonderful.
We got the keys in a few minutes. The only negative experience is there was supposed to be a package waiting for us and UPS says 'left at door' but there was nothing at the door, nothing in the office, and the mailbox had been flagged as 'Vacant Unit' so nothing in there either. That part sucked a little. Parked the car in the garage, yes garage with storage, and headed up. We got inside, let the wild ones free to explore, and we started bringing stuff up. I forgot how much stairs suck. But we managed to get everything inside and done. My buddy had offered to let us borrow his air mattress with pump until our furniture arrives and I coordinated with him a meetup at 2. That gave us about 3 hours to try and get some stuff situated. No problem. My main focus was the computers and internet. Of course Comcast fucked up and I had to call them. In the end though, as you can see, everything is good. One problem is that there's only one cable jack in the whole apartment actually wired. I need to get some F-connectors to wire the one up in the office. Right now I have a 50' cable (which I am glad I brought) running out to the living room. Not going to fly when stuff arrives. While I did that, B did the move-in inspection for us. A few little things like light bulbs out and a scratch on the washer (WHICH WORKS AWESOME! FULL SIZE COMMERCIAL WASHERS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD!), and little things like that. Nothing major. We did have a good moment though - they gave us a remote for the garage and without thinking, we locked the car in the garage figuring there was an external control. Nope. I had to walk back to the office and get a second remote. We have to figure out how to deal with that.
For B, the best part of the day came while I was setting things up in the office. I hear her gasp and open the patio door. I go out to figure out what is wrong and she is crying - tears of happiness. It's raining. Not crazy rain, but rain we have missed so much. The weather yesterday was perfect overall. Not too hot, a little rain here and there. We both were so happy. At 2 we met up with my friend and had a mediocre experience at Shari's for lunch. After lunch, the goal was some mandatory shopping. We needed a chair for me (office depot, $150 high back brown leather, so comfy), a shower curtain for B, and some little odds and ends like that. We saved about $30 without even trying. Why? No sales tax!! The price of something is the price of something! We got back around 4 and B laid down for a while. When we got back I had a message from another friend who lives up here. He and his wife have invited us over for dinner on Monday. The other buddy wants us to come over today. Not even here a full day and we have two social invitations. Not too shabby. She ended up sleeping until 7 while I worked on the chair, put up the shower curtain, general sorting, etc. For dinner we went for a walk! Right around the corner from us is Thai, Greek, Vietnamese, and a local bar. There's also a coffee and nail place, but lower on the priority list. Dinner was outstanding. Plus the walk was great. Both of us have a slight problem though. We packed for warmer weather without thinking about how cold it would be or the rain issue. Today we are going to slum it and hit the Goodwill nearby for some hoodies and the like until our stuff arrives.
When we got back B took a bath and the day finally caught up with me. I ended up falling asleep at 9:30. I was just so worn out from everything. As you can read, it was a long ass day. But...
We're happy. No, seriously. Both of us are very pleased with the new place. We did our homework this time and checked for noise, storage, layout; all the little things that bothered us about the old place. So far no issues. Can't hear the neighbors. Things work. I like being up higher personally (we're on the top floor above one other unit and the garage) and the weather is perfect (right now). The best part is that this is a great adventure and I have someone to share it with who is excited to be on an adventure. Who knows what tomorrow will bring, but for today, we are happy and for once I feel like I did the right thing and am moving in a positive direction. Notice I haven't had any major depression episodes lately? Been too busy to be depressed. Being here I think will also help curb things. We shall see. So far so good.
We switched at Weed. What a town. Talk about milking a town name. The people who live there take it for all it's worth, that's for sure. The rest of the drive was pretty uneventful. B slept for a couple hours, I listened to the radio. The best part is that the cats did an incredible job on this journey. A couple of times they made noise, mostly to reassure themselves we were still there but otherwise not a peep, no accidents, and no issues. I am very proud of them. The rest of the drive took us about 6.5 hours. We rolled into town at 9:25. The office didn't open until 10 and I decided after looking up their hours, we should go pick up the modem from the Comcast store to kill time. B also needed a couple of things and luckily there was a Rite Aid next door. Perfect. All said and done we returned to the complex at 9:59 as they were unlocking the doors. Timing was wonderful.
We got the keys in a few minutes. The only negative experience is there was supposed to be a package waiting for us and UPS says 'left at door' but there was nothing at the door, nothing in the office, and the mailbox had been flagged as 'Vacant Unit' so nothing in there either. That part sucked a little. Parked the car in the garage, yes garage with storage, and headed up. We got inside, let the wild ones free to explore, and we started bringing stuff up. I forgot how much stairs suck. But we managed to get everything inside and done. My buddy had offered to let us borrow his air mattress with pump until our furniture arrives and I coordinated with him a meetup at 2. That gave us about 3 hours to try and get some stuff situated. No problem. My main focus was the computers and internet. Of course Comcast fucked up and I had to call them. In the end though, as you can see, everything is good. One problem is that there's only one cable jack in the whole apartment actually wired. I need to get some F-connectors to wire the one up in the office. Right now I have a 50' cable (which I am glad I brought) running out to the living room. Not going to fly when stuff arrives. While I did that, B did the move-in inspection for us. A few little things like light bulbs out and a scratch on the washer (WHICH WORKS AWESOME! FULL SIZE COMMERCIAL WASHERS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD!), and little things like that. Nothing major. We did have a good moment though - they gave us a remote for the garage and without thinking, we locked the car in the garage figuring there was an external control. Nope. I had to walk back to the office and get a second remote. We have to figure out how to deal with that.
For B, the best part of the day came while I was setting things up in the office. I hear her gasp and open the patio door. I go out to figure out what is wrong and she is crying - tears of happiness. It's raining. Not crazy rain, but rain we have missed so much. The weather yesterday was perfect overall. Not too hot, a little rain here and there. We both were so happy. At 2 we met up with my friend and had a mediocre experience at Shari's for lunch. After lunch, the goal was some mandatory shopping. We needed a chair for me (office depot, $150 high back brown leather, so comfy), a shower curtain for B, and some little odds and ends like that. We saved about $30 without even trying. Why? No sales tax!! The price of something is the price of something! We got back around 4 and B laid down for a while. When we got back I had a message from another friend who lives up here. He and his wife have invited us over for dinner on Monday. The other buddy wants us to come over today. Not even here a full day and we have two social invitations. Not too shabby. She ended up sleeping until 7 while I worked on the chair, put up the shower curtain, general sorting, etc. For dinner we went for a walk! Right around the corner from us is Thai, Greek, Vietnamese, and a local bar. There's also a coffee and nail place, but lower on the priority list. Dinner was outstanding. Plus the walk was great. Both of us have a slight problem though. We packed for warmer weather without thinking about how cold it would be or the rain issue. Today we are going to slum it and hit the Goodwill nearby for some hoodies and the like until our stuff arrives.
When we got back B took a bath and the day finally caught up with me. I ended up falling asleep at 9:30. I was just so worn out from everything. As you can read, it was a long ass day. But...
We're happy. No, seriously. Both of us are very pleased with the new place. We did our homework this time and checked for noise, storage, layout; all the little things that bothered us about the old place. So far no issues. Can't hear the neighbors. Things work. I like being up higher personally (we're on the top floor above one other unit and the garage) and the weather is perfect (right now). The best part is that this is a great adventure and I have someone to share it with who is excited to be on an adventure. Who knows what tomorrow will bring, but for today, we are happy and for once I feel like I did the right thing and am moving in a positive direction. Notice I haven't had any major depression episodes lately? Been too busy to be depressed. Being here I think will also help curb things. We shall see. So far so good.
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Y7 D102
I was up at 3:15am. Partly out of anxiety, partly out of time changes. I went to the bank, put gas in the car, then sat until B got up at 7. We did what we could to minimize stuff for the movers. They arrived at 9:15 and started in at 9:20. Five guys total and they were out by 11:45. Bam. So from noon on, we sat bored out of our minds. We went to get some lunch which killed 30 minutes. I tried to nap for a little while but that failed. Too much anxiety about everything that needed to fit in the car. We ate leftovers and watched Project Runway to kill time.
We both managed to fall asleep for a while; B slept for about 2 hours, me for 90 minutes. We got up around 8:30 and I took a shower to wake up. Then we started on the car packing. I was right, it was a nightmare game of Tetris, but we did it. All in without blocking a window or breaking anything. At 10:40 we dropped off the old modem at Comcast's office and we were on the road at 11:45. I drove until 12:30, then B took over until 3. And that's where I will end this part of the adventure.
We both managed to fall asleep for a while; B slept for about 2 hours, me for 90 minutes. We got up around 8:30 and I took a shower to wake up. Then we started on the car packing. I was right, it was a nightmare game of Tetris, but we did it. All in without blocking a window or breaking anything. At 10:40 we dropped off the old modem at Comcast's office and we were on the road at 11:45. I drove until 12:30, then B took over until 3. And that's where I will end this part of the adventure.
Friday, September 4, 2015
Y7 D101
Bad day for me to be having serious stomach issues. Because it's MOVE DAY finally! Yes, in about 5 hours the movers will arrive and start packing our life up. Say goodbye to our stuff until 9/10 at the earliest. Almost a full week without anything. Oh this is going to be fun. As for my stomach, it's revolting against the Indian food I put in it last night.
Yesterday day time wasn't so much of a problem as last night was. During the day there wasn't a whole lot for us to do except make sure the odds and ends were packed and ready. I did some work including my expense report. I am pretty impressed with myself. $3600 spent for 10 days on the road over a weekend. I only spent $200 in food for the whole time I was there. I did pick up some meals on my own (the weekend) but otherwise, I just was really careful about how much I spent. I had another $200 in car services but that's way cheaper than a rental would have been. The big bulk was the hotel at $2700. But still, I did okay.
I took a nap early in the afternoon, B later. While B was napping I went to the store to pick up eye drops. I put in new contacts yesterday and all day the left one was giving me trouble. I was slightly blurry which doesn't happen with new contacts. I finally decided to take them out and look at that - the left eye had two lenses in it. They were stuck together and when I put them in, I didn't notice there were two. All the drops I had been putting in all day loosened them from each other. Son of a...
Around 7 we headed out with the bike to put it into storage in our friend's garage. That was a scary ass ride. To get there I had to go through this pass with 70 mph winds threatening to topple me the whole time. B was right behind me in the car and when we stopped she told me she was scared for my life the entire drive. She could see me forcefully fighting against the wind. She's right, I was. But we got it there, disconnected the battery and all is good. We went out for one last dinner with our friend and got home around 9:30.
NOW the fun started. It was time to break down the TV, the big computers, move the stuff that's going in the car with us, etc. I finished around 11 and collapsed. I am still dealing with time difference issues which means I was more tired than her even more than normal. She went to bed around 2:30. Time changes are also the reason I have been up since 3:15 with no issue. Wide awake.I am also extremely stressed about today. In 15 hours we are out of here. The next time you hear from me, it will be from OR. And we're off!
Yesterday day time wasn't so much of a problem as last night was. During the day there wasn't a whole lot for us to do except make sure the odds and ends were packed and ready. I did some work including my expense report. I am pretty impressed with myself. $3600 spent for 10 days on the road over a weekend. I only spent $200 in food for the whole time I was there. I did pick up some meals on my own (the weekend) but otherwise, I just was really careful about how much I spent. I had another $200 in car services but that's way cheaper than a rental would have been. The big bulk was the hotel at $2700. But still, I did okay.
I took a nap early in the afternoon, B later. While B was napping I went to the store to pick up eye drops. I put in new contacts yesterday and all day the left one was giving me trouble. I was slightly blurry which doesn't happen with new contacts. I finally decided to take them out and look at that - the left eye had two lenses in it. They were stuck together and when I put them in, I didn't notice there were two. All the drops I had been putting in all day loosened them from each other. Son of a...
Around 7 we headed out with the bike to put it into storage in our friend's garage. That was a scary ass ride. To get there I had to go through this pass with 70 mph winds threatening to topple me the whole time. B was right behind me in the car and when we stopped she told me she was scared for my life the entire drive. She could see me forcefully fighting against the wind. She's right, I was. But we got it there, disconnected the battery and all is good. We went out for one last dinner with our friend and got home around 9:30.
NOW the fun started. It was time to break down the TV, the big computers, move the stuff that's going in the car with us, etc. I finished around 11 and collapsed. I am still dealing with time difference issues which means I was more tired than her even more than normal. She went to bed around 2:30. Time changes are also the reason I have been up since 3:15 with no issue. Wide awake.I am also extremely stressed about today. In 15 hours we are out of here. The next time you hear from me, it will be from OR. And we're off!
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Y7 D100
So much went on yesterday I don't even know where to begin. Let's start with my 13 hours of travel. I was up at 1am EDT to get ready to leave the hotel. My car showed up at 2:45am which was wonderful. I was at the airport by 3, through security at 3:40, and in the Admiral's club at 4. I boarded at 4:40 and had a wonderfully pleasant flight from NJ to TX. Had my upgrade and enjoyed a french toast brioche with peach compote. The morning started off nice and relaxing. From Dallas, I had about an hour so plenty of time to get to my gate. I was 14th on the list and ended up sitting in coach. But I got very lucky for two reasons. One, this flight had the economy plus section which I purchased and therefore the seats are a little wider and there's a little more room. Not as good as first, but better than the rest of the cattle seats. Two there was no one in the middle. That was the best part. I managed to sleep a little on that flight and landed at 10:45 on time. Unfortunately B didn't plan for Wednesday traffic and didn't get there until almost 11:30. She did however bring the motorcycle battery which saved me a huge trip back and forth. On the way home we stopped and picked up a battery.
When we got home I was blown away by how much she had manage to get accomplished. So much of my stress was swept away when I saw what she had done. A big portion of what I was worried about was already finished up for me. That helped my mental state considerably. I then decided to focus on the bike. I went out, put the new battery in, and she started right up. Beautiful. I decided to take her to the gas station for gas and air and as I was riding I realized some fucker had stolen my mirrors while I was gone. I KNOW they were there before I left. FUCK ME. Back to being stressed. I went to three different stores in town to see if by any miracle anyone had anything. I found a clip on which will at least allow me to ride it without getting a ticket. It's useless to use, but it will suffice. I decided at that point that the bike is going into my friend's garage until October. I was not in the mood to try and deal with dealers or anything else. I got back home, looked up mirrors on the internet, found a pair for $30 and am having them shipped to his place. The bike is going over tonight to live in his garage.
With that out of the way, I focused on moving files, laundry, ordering a pizza for dinner, and clothes packing. That about covered everything. I also started taking the desk apart.
Today I have to do expense reports, break down the tv and electronics, pack up food, and move the bike. Otherwise, we are ready for Friday. In less than three days, we are out of here.
When we got home I was blown away by how much she had manage to get accomplished. So much of my stress was swept away when I saw what she had done. A big portion of what I was worried about was already finished up for me. That helped my mental state considerably. I then decided to focus on the bike. I went out, put the new battery in, and she started right up. Beautiful. I decided to take her to the gas station for gas and air and as I was riding I realized some fucker had stolen my mirrors while I was gone. I KNOW they were there before I left. FUCK ME. Back to being stressed. I went to three different stores in town to see if by any miracle anyone had anything. I found a clip on which will at least allow me to ride it without getting a ticket. It's useless to use, but it will suffice. I decided at that point that the bike is going into my friend's garage until October. I was not in the mood to try and deal with dealers or anything else. I got back home, looked up mirrors on the internet, found a pair for $30 and am having them shipped to his place. The bike is going over tonight to live in his garage.
With that out of the way, I focused on moving files, laundry, ordering a pizza for dinner, and clothes packing. That about covered everything. I also started taking the desk apart.
Today I have to do expense reports, break down the tv and electronics, pack up food, and move the bike. Otherwise, we are ready for Friday. In less than three days, we are out of here.
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Y7 D99
Doing this as a draft right now as it's too early to post technically.
Had a minimal day yesterday. Up at 5 to check in for my flight and was rewarded with one of my upgrades. I am at least getting comfy from NJ to TX. Was at the client from 7:30 until 2, came back to the room, packed a little, slept for a couple hours, had food delivered in as I didn't want to go out. Watched the rest of season 2 of Luther and then slept from 8 until 1am. Now I am up and ready to leave for the airport at 3.
SO fucking stressed out about everything I have to do when I get home.
Had a minimal day yesterday. Up at 5 to check in for my flight and was rewarded with one of my upgrades. I am at least getting comfy from NJ to TX. Was at the client from 7:30 until 2, came back to the room, packed a little, slept for a couple hours, had food delivered in as I didn't want to go out. Watched the rest of season 2 of Luther and then slept from 8 until 1am. Now I am up and ready to leave for the airport at 3.
SO fucking stressed out about everything I have to do when I get home.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Y7 D98
I'm awake but not awake. I had to get up early this morning to check in for my flight. 18 more minutes.
Last day of formal training was yesterday. I got them through it. Six days of non-stop by the book training classes. Most of them made it through yesterday without any issues. Some of them could use a refresher on all six days already but it is what it is. We finished up around 4:30 once more and I headed back to the hotel.
Did preliminary packing, tonight I finish the rest. I did check my reservation for car service tomorrow morning and boy am I glad I did. Turns out they had 3pm as the pickup instead of 3am. I would have been freaking out tomorrow. I will already be stressed about getting home that's the last thing I needed.
Walked to Chipotle for dinner, ate in the room, watched two episodes of Luther, and went to bed around 10.
Almost done here. Today is 'mentoring' so it could go 8 hours or it could go one hour. It all depends on how many questions or thoughts they have. I am hoping we go to about 2 or 3 so I can come back, pack, walk over to like Subway for a sandwich and sleep from 7-1. 13 hours after that I will be home. Home. No, not true. I will be at the place we are leaving in a few days. Boxes surrounding me for another 36 hours then movers, then a 10 hour car drive, then waiting, then sleeping on a floor. Ugh. Ask me in about 2 weeks how I am doing. Maybe by then life will be settled down. No wait, in three weeks I go to Eden Prairie. Ask me in January how things are.
Last day of formal training was yesterday. I got them through it. Six days of non-stop by the book training classes. Most of them made it through yesterday without any issues. Some of them could use a refresher on all six days already but it is what it is. We finished up around 4:30 once more and I headed back to the hotel.
Did preliminary packing, tonight I finish the rest. I did check my reservation for car service tomorrow morning and boy am I glad I did. Turns out they had 3pm as the pickup instead of 3am. I would have been freaking out tomorrow. I will already be stressed about getting home that's the last thing I needed.
Walked to Chipotle for dinner, ate in the room, watched two episodes of Luther, and went to bed around 10.
Almost done here. Today is 'mentoring' so it could go 8 hours or it could go one hour. It all depends on how many questions or thoughts they have. I am hoping we go to about 2 or 3 so I can come back, pack, walk over to like Subway for a sandwich and sleep from 7-1. 13 hours after that I will be home. Home. No, not true. I will be at the place we are leaving in a few days. Boxes surrounding me for another 36 hours then movers, then a 10 hour car drive, then waiting, then sleeping on a floor. Ugh. Ask me in about 2 weeks how I am doing. Maybe by then life will be settled down. No wait, in three weeks I go to Eden Prairie. Ask me in January how things are.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)