I wanted my next post to be about my new socks, but forget that, I'm gonna have myself a pity party and you are all invited. Get your hats and your noise makers, suck the helium out of the balloons and talk like Mickey Mouse, because I have a bad case of the “poor mes” right now.
At 11PM last night I kissed my puppy and Leo goodbye and they drove off into the starlit night for Oregon. And perhaps I cried maybe a bit because a month away from the two of them sound heart wrenchingly lonely. And maybe I worry that they'll be abducted by aliens and I'll never see them again because while I don't actually believe in alien abductions I do believe in horrible unexpected things happening to people I love, so I'm sad. But Leo has been sending me pictures from his phone of the little girl enjoying her trek to lands unknown (at least to us)
The move has been no small feat for us, and the ordeal doesn't end any time soon. To start with, since we are both trying to be frugal and we are moving on different dates, Leo will be unpacking the truck by himself. On the plus side, we've decided to sell most of our larger furniture, but on the downside, we're still keeping both motorcycles, our queen sized mattress and box spring, our 32" TV, and a few other choice back breakers.
As a side note, Leo drew quite a crowd driving the motorcycles up the ramp of a moving truck. I’m pretty sure everyone was waiting for him to fall off the side or crash into the boxes already sitting in back.
Speaking of moving trucks, I'm not going to name any names, but we are not happy with our moving truck experience. The company in question (whose name may rhyme with "poo-ball") has set us off our schedule by a whole day. Originally, we were scheduled to pick up our truck on Monday morning at 9AM. We were supposed to find out which LA office we were to pick up our truck, no later than 5PM on Sunday night. At around 6PM we were informed that they didn't know when or where we'd be able to pick up the truck the next day, that they hadn't even scheduled us a truck yet and that they'd call us on Monday and let us know. We made our reservation over two weeks prior and since one of us still has a job to go to, we were looking at a long couple of days.
So after several hours of listening to hold music and being told by countless customer service reps that the branch office would be notified of the urgency of our need for a truck, we were finally told we could pick up a truck in an office that ended up taking about 45 minutes to get to. Good times.
We worked for two solid days with only the barest minimum of sleep, but we finally got most of what we hoped to pack, into the truck. Now, I need to get all the remaining flotsam and jetsam out of the house (to Goodwill with what we they'll take and to the trash with the rest) then try to sell the furniture on Craig's list.
On the upside, it'll be a lonely and grueling two weeks to get the house in order, but after that, I'm staying with a friend who has graciously offered to drive the scenic route to Oregon with me the weekend of the 26th. We'll be taking a long slow journey up the cost, camping as needed to refresh ourselves and stopping for every scenic view we deem worthy. Since I'm easily amused there may be a lot of stops along the way.
I want to thank you all for attending my pity party. Please feel free to take home any leftovers that you’d like. I definitely won’t eat them all myself. I’ll grab your jackets from the extra room and see you out the front door.
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Comments (33)
A month without your man and your puppy! :-( I go nuts after ony a couple of weeks without my boy. Sound slike a lot of people would like to catch up with your hermitness before you leave :-)
(Hey, Peeve got here first! She lives just up the road from me :-)
Posted by lynne s of Oz | August 4, 2006 9:28 PM
Posted on August 4, 2006 21:28
I love a good pity party! Thanks for inviting us!
Poo-Ball screwed me over in 1997 when I moved from Michigan to Colorado. I would haul my furniture on my back before I'd ever use them again.
Hang in there. You'll be reunited with Leo and Panda before you know it.
Posted by Kathy | August 3, 2006 7:21 PM
Posted on August 3, 2006 19:21
A month without your man and your puppy! :-( I go nuts after ony a couple of weeks without my boy. Sound slike a lot of people would like to catch up with your hermitness before you leave :-)
(Hey, Peeve got here first! She lives just up the road from me :-)
Posted by lynne s of Oz | August 3, 2006 3:55 PM
Posted on August 3, 2006 15:55
Ouch. Hate hate hate being without my loved ones!
The trip up the coast does sound lovely, though.
Posted by Peeve | August 3, 2006 2:30 PM
Posted on August 3, 2006 14:30
Ouch. Hate hate hate being without my loved ones!
The trip up the coast does sound lovely, though.
Posted by Peeve | August 3, 2006 2:30 PM
Posted on August 3, 2006 14:30
yep, poo-ball sucks! not only do i feel your pain on that issue, i am moving myself this weekend, and don't look forward to lugging everything up a flight of stairs at my new place. i am even having a bit of a pity party myself this week, we should coordinated our hors d'oeuvres! but i am certain that we shall both get through our experiences with grace and be happy in our new locales!
Posted by kabili | August 3, 2006 2:27 PM
Posted on August 3, 2006 14:27
Oh honey! I'm sorry, I know how bad that sucks. The good part is that with all you have to do, the time will go fast.
Well, Portland is looking forward to having you here. And you should be here just in time to see the Yarn Harlot at Powells. Two highly worthy sights!
Posted by Laurie | August 3, 2006 1:05 PM
Posted on August 3, 2006 13:05
There are rest stops in Oregon. Just not on 101. There's a town every 15-20 miles, no need for a rest stop.
Posted by RodgerM | August 3, 2006 12:20 PM
Posted on August 3, 2006 12:20
Can you find time to do something nice for yourself admidst all this moving-craziness? You deserve it! We're all rooting for you?
Posted by Delica | August 3, 2006 11:16 AM
Posted on August 3, 2006 11:16
Can you find time to do something nice for yourself admidst all this moving-craziness? You deserve it! We're all rooting for you?
Posted by Delica | August 3, 2006 11:15 AM
Posted on August 3, 2006 11:15
Poor Leo and Panda, spending a whole month without their Marnie. Hold on, I must have shown up at the wrong pity party!
(Just thinking about being away from my man and my dog for that long makes my eyes well up!)
Posted by Tami | August 3, 2006 10:50 AM
Posted on August 3, 2006 10:50
poo-ball is the anti-christ. enjoy the drive up the coast - it's gorgeous!
Posted by malia | August 3, 2006 10:47 AM
Posted on August 3, 2006 10:47
sorry about the sadness, moving is like that...soooo emotional. good news it you will soon be reunited. the drive to oregon is really nice especialy with a friend.
Posted by kat coyle | August 3, 2006 10:39 AM
Posted on August 3, 2006 10:39
I think how you are feeling is exactly how you should feel when dealing with separation from Leo, Panda and dealing with poo-ball idiots. Can you schedule anything nice just for you in the midst of all this moving-craziness? You deserve it! We're all rooting for you!
Posted by Delica | August 3, 2006 9:28 AM
Posted on August 3, 2006 09:28
I think how you are feeling is exactly how you should feel when dealing with separation from Leo, Panda and dealing with poo-ball idiots. Can you schedule anything nice just for you in the midst of all this moving-craziness? You deserve it! We're all rooting for you!
Posted by Delica | August 3, 2006 9:27 AM
Posted on August 3, 2006 09:27
Aww - poor Marnie. :( Can I have that last slice of cake?
Posted by AmyP | August 3, 2006 4:43 AM
Posted on August 3, 2006 04:43
No doggie...for weeeeeks? My eyes are welling up just thinking about that!
Be strong! And just think of all the kisses you'll get when you see Panda again!!
Oh, uh, the boy too...
BUT THE PUPPY!!! ooooh. Poor Marnie.
Posted by pam | August 2, 2006 9:14 PM
Posted on August 2, 2006 21:14
It just sucks to be without your loved ones, but hang in there.
PS. If you are going to take 101 be aware that there are no rest stops in Oregon. I didn't know that until my trip back from California last year. Lesson learned:D
Posted by Katie | August 2, 2006 8:42 PM
Posted on August 2, 2006 20:42
No Leo or Panda for a month?
*puts on black party hat with a yellow frowny face on it. Half-heartedly blows into a noisemakse that doesn't work and just unrolls towards the floor."
Pumpkin, that sucks.
It's going to be a helluva reunion, though. If you think of it, take a picture of the both of them when you first see each other. I bet they'll both have such beautiful smiles.
Posted by Debbie | August 2, 2006 8:30 PM
Posted on August 2, 2006 20:30
Oh gosh, if you stop in Newport don't expect much in the way of yarn stores. We have one Craft Warehouse with minimal standards and a yarn store tucked out of the way in a bunch of tourist mall crap.
But we have good cafés! If you want/desire ice cream or coffee, try the Nye Beach Scoop on Nye Beach. It's not hard to find, promise.
Posted by RodgerM | August 2, 2006 6:27 PM
Posted on August 2, 2006 18:27
They are an awful moving company. When I was moving out of college, my parents had called and reserved a truck. I think that my mom even paid extra to confirm the reservation.
Then, when we showed up, they had no trucks, wouldn't have any until Tuesday at the earliest (I had to be out of the dorm by Sunday evening), and didn't see why this would be a problem.
I still glare at their truck pounds whenever I drive by.
Posted by Lydia | August 2, 2006 4:35 PM
Posted on August 2, 2006 16:35
Hang in there, Marnie!
Posted by --Deb | August 2, 2006 3:18 PM
Posted on August 2, 2006 15:18
I am glad you have someone fun to share the ride up to Oregon.
Poo-Ball has one of the most terrible services in the Truck Moving industry.
Posted by isela | August 2, 2006 2:35 PM
Posted on August 2, 2006 14:35
Poo-Ball, as a matter of fact, double schedules every truck and then calls people back the night before the move saying, "Oops -- that reservation you made months ago? Not going to happen." I heard this from a dropoff-site vendor who stopped doing business with them (rightly so!) for using such a dishonest tactic at a time when people need things to work out the most.
Here in our college town, many people live in their trucks during the overnight before "couch day" (leases end on 8/14 and new ones begin on 8/15). There are no words to describe how glad I am that I've never been one of them.
Best wishes for a safe and smooth move. Craigslist should set you right up.
Posted by Madam | August 2, 2006 2:23 PM
Posted on August 2, 2006 14:23
You guys will have so much fun on the drive. If you feel like it, you guys should stop off in San Francisco for a knitting break-- You know we have the quality coffee (Peets) and yarn (Artfibers) here!
PS-- As someone who is just now recovering from back trouble from moving boxes a week and a half ago tell Leo to BE CAREFUL!!!
Posted by Emily | August 2, 2006 2:17 PM
Posted on August 2, 2006 14:17
If you're taking 101 up the coast of Oregon, it is very pretty. Twisty but pretty. I-5 gets pretty boring, but it'll get you there. Best of luck!
Posted by TheBon | August 2, 2006 1:22 PM
Posted on August 2, 2006 13:22
Oh Marnie! I realized you'd be w/o Leo for a while, which is sad enough, but nowhere in the equation did I fathom you'd be w/o Miss Panda, too! Oy! We should try to get together before you leave. And, let me know if I can help out with anything. :)
Posted by Nonnahs | August 2, 2006 12:52 PM
Posted on August 2, 2006 12:52
I think that you're certainly allowed to have a pity party - the process of moving brings so much upheaval and mess and craziness, it makes for a huge amount of stress. Being without your major supports can make that even more difficult. I hope you can find some relaxation with your knitting and friends through all of this.
Also, Leo is into motorcycles? We need to talk because we have even more in common than I thought :)
Posted by Jenna | August 2, 2006 12:32 PM
Posted on August 2, 2006 12:32
Good luck and may there be many entertainment opportunities along the way, lovey. I remember the separation crapola. Sucked. But it ends...never fear.
Posted by Lee Ann | August 2, 2006 12:29 PM
Posted on August 2, 2006 12:29
Hang in there. Moving an entire life is hard. I have done it, not that long ago. I have lived in Portland for a year. Prior to that, I lived in Tacoma, Washington. (near Seattle) My husband's job required us to pick up life, family, belongings and move to Portland. It was a rough two weeks for me, especially. We made it and settled in okay. You will be okay.
Besides...you have to cool road trip to look forward to with your friend. Girls, road trip = fun, knitting and giggles.
So, hang in there. All will be well again soon. HUGS!
Posted by Lani | August 2, 2006 12:27 PM
Posted on August 2, 2006 12:27
"Poo-ball" got me too! I reserved the smallest van that wasn't a trailer to move out of my barest-of-bare studio apt, but when I went to pick it up they didn't have that size. But I reserved it! So I had to get these huge thing that I barely filled a quarter of and payed almost twice my quote.
Posted by mollysusie | August 2, 2006 12:26 PM
Posted on August 2, 2006 12:26
Oh, schmoo, I'm so sorry you're going to be without your Panda and your Leo for a month! That is yucky. But you will survive, and the reunion will be wonderful.
Poo-ball. Heeheehee.
Posted by Carrie | August 2, 2006 12:25 PM
Posted on August 2, 2006 12:25
Making the drive up the coast with a friend is the best way to go!
Posted by lori z | August 2, 2006 12:25 PM
Posted on August 2, 2006 12:25