As the title indicates, Mrs J, the Three Dogs and I managed to successfully transfer to College Station over the last couple weeks or so. It was not beyond its exciting moments though as the whole process kept us busy beyond belief. Sleep at night is not difficult. However, we tend to awaken in the morning with our muscles warning us that we're in our 70's not in our 20's any more.
The festivities started with the two of us separating our "Stuff" into two piles. One pile to transfer to the rental house and the other to go directly into storage awaiting the completion of construction on the new home. We did most of the packing of the first pile. Unfortunately, we didn't get all the way done and the movers offered to pack the rest. Given that I am still wearing my neck brace 24-7, I was willing to take them up on the offer. Being much more practiced on packing and moving, they quickly got ahead of us.
Yep, a lot of stuff we wanted delivered to the rental, didn't and without unloading our two storage containers, we're doing without or buying new ones. Not optimum! But we'll get by.
I mean it's not all bad news. The Lord might have intervened and directed their action. The rental house is SMALL! 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths and about 1200 sq ft.
Anyhow, College Station is a medium large City. Texas A&M adds a lot of young'uns to the melee. Seems the need to drag race their cars on the streets is still a trend as it was 55 years ago when I got my license. I think the Lord might be repayig me for old transgressions. Yes, my blood pressure does go up a bit!
Oh, I forgot! 50 million rug rats running full blast around the ship, below my lower range of neck movement which includes vision limitations. Fortunately, Mrs J was willing to take me by the hand and keep me from trouble. I learned that finding a place to relax, with bar service and close proximity to a restroom (less than 50ft) made the situation a lot more survivable. Having been to both ports multiple times (No, I don't want another serape, Thank You!) I stayed on board for both.
Oh, my Word! The quiet and service was wonderful! Even got a nap in!
But...All things must come to an end. We got back home and mysteriously the Boxes hadn't unpacked themselves. Little J, LJW and Miss B went to visit LJW's Mom, so we're back to the process. Fortunately, the unpacking is well underway, maybe 75% of the boxes. Phase 2 is now underway.
For those who don't know or have forgotten, Phase 2 is the put things away phase. Or, more correctly the "Where the heck (insert a different verb that defines frustration better) is the XXXX?"
But Progress is being made, the garage is getting fuller, and the stack of recyclable cardboare id knee hiigh and getting taller. Man, I wish I still had my truck, for a lot of reasons, Neck being one.
Speaking thereof, while you're reading this, I'll be visiting my new neurosurgeon and hopefully he'll give the go ahead to take my neck brace off. Permanently. We'll See!
Fortunately, we haven't experienced replacement so far during the move. Forecast for the rest of the unpacking is still up in the air!
As you can see a slow and boring week.
Or Not!
Happy New Year!
You will be getting another F-150, right?
ReplyDeleteYep, the next stop after I get the go ahead from the doc to remove the brace, the absolute next stop will be the loal Ford Dealer.
Deletejuvat
But will the DMV let you drive it yet?
DeleteI haven't gone and talked to them, but it was supposed to be 6 months which will be the end of April, beginning of May. Getting a bit tedious, yes it is!
Deletejuvat
Good luck with the new neurosurgeon's decision on the brace juvat, as well as a replacement vehicle, what with the costs on those nowadays. Now to settle in amongst the boxes and wishing you and yours a Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nylon. Yeah the F-150's did get a bit more pricey. I'm wondering if the Ford Engineers looked at the wreck and saw we were still alive. I think they saw an opportunity to sell them on the slogan "Crash then into a stone wall and survive. Get your F-150 at Joe's Ford, now!"
DeleteHappy New Years to you and yours also.
juvat
Good to hear from you and that your adventure in living is going well! I wish the both of you tremendous luck in dealing with the full boxes you have sitting around and have a pleasant and happy new years eve.
ReplyDeleteSee you next year....
Thanks, Rob! We're making pretty good progress. Little J and LJW have pitched in and helped with the heavy lifting. They tried to sell me on a 5LB lifting limit. Looking it up, the limit is 10-20 LBS. OOOOOHHH, I feel so much more helpful now. ;-)
DeleteWishing you and yours a pleasant, happy and successful New Years also.
juvat
"However, we tend to awaken in the morning with our muscles warning us that we're in our 70's not in our 20's any more."
ReplyDeleteI'm almost there and my body insists on reminding me of the stupid things that I did when I thought myself immortal and unbreakable. That's SOOOOOO rude of it!
Cute LBD (I think that'swhat thatgarment is).. is that your attire for New Year's Eve?
Joe,
DeleteGiven that I just got up, I (literally) feel your pain. My weekly morning /evening pill sorter contains a Tylenol in each daily, just in case!
As to the last picture. Our Room Steward every evening would twist a towel into the shape of an animal or something. This one happend to be a Cruela DeVille look alike. I thought it was very well done. And the gold wrapped Chocolate coins were tasty.
juvat
Ah! Thanks for the clarification. It was hard to tell no my phone just what that was. A
Deletesooo...
You WON'T be wearing that on NYE!
No, but Mrs J is pondering making a slightly larger one if we decide to go out sometime.
Deletejuvat
Glad you had a good family time Juvat and managed to not re-injure yourself; your careful placement by the bar and restroom sounds inspired.
ReplyDeleteWe share a footprint more or less now as our apartment is about 1200 square feet as well (only 2 bedroom/2 bath though). It is shocking to me both how much that loss of space represents and yet how little it seems to impact our lives. Yes, we do not have the storage space we like (no apartment does, I think) and several of our boxes remain unpacked for lack of space to put things in, but all in all it has worked out well. Although we do not have as many furry friends to manage as you do; a rabbit and a cat take up much less space.
We had reason to go to our storage in New Home during Christmas to find some paperwork for me that I had carefully put away thinking I would not need it again - naturally, it was at the bottom back corner of the storage unit. As we repacked everything back in, The Ravishing Mrs. TB that she was coming to realize that there was a lot there that we were doing fine without (I thought the same thing). We have stuff there and in my parents' barn (which will have to come out when the place sells).
All of this, I suppose, to say that this move has caused me to significantly rethink my relationship with things.
Hopefully everything with the sale went well and the cash hit the bank.
THBB,
DeleteYeah, that "Not unpacking those Boxes" is an excellent test for what you really need and what you can get rid of (give it to the kids, Good Will and other charities, and the dump). We will be initiating that process shortly.
Agree completely about "significantly rethink my relationship with things".
Happy New Year!
juvat
But "Not unpacking" is legit since you'll be moving into a new home eventually so that excuse is just "not unpacking just yet!" How long is the lease/AKA, when will Chez Juvat be finished?
DeleteTuna,
DeleteLast time we talked to our contractor, he said 8-12 months from signing. So...basically late spring through late summer.
juvat
When I realized what I was paying for storage in a year for stuff I didn't need... it was still REALLY HARD to get rid of it!
ReplyDeleteGood luck.
Rob,
DeleteYeah, that IS a tough decision. Unfortunately, mixing the stuff we wanted in the rental and the stuff we were saving for a larger house kinda screwed up my carefully plotted out campaign plan. We'll see what happens when we start the move into the new house.
juvat
Storage. I've been renting the same storage unit going on ten years and open it maybe twice a year. I admire those who can ruthlessly discard non essentials. Good luck with your ongoing adventure.
DeleteWSF,
DeleteWell, we shall see what we shall see. Not gonna look through the storage stuff until we’ve got someplace to put it. Once we’ve got the house complete then we’ll start the transfer of long term stuff. Not sure how to proceed in the process. I think we’ll do the yay /nay decision in the storage units then when we’ve got the stuff we need/want and dispense with the rest.
juvat
It is truly amazing how I can get along without stuff that was packed up 6 moves ago. Which was about 20 years+ ago. Now, in my home, I have vowed to go through every box, open it, empty it (not just re-tape it back up), and decided where these items go...many have wandered out the door to the Salvation Army, and City Mission as well as the trash. As I have gotten older, and have had to help other folks empty out their houses, and as I have moved several times in the past 15 years, I am finding I can get along without quite a bit of stuff that I was unable to part with previously. Plus, before I go out to buy a widget, I am getting better about stopping to think how else could I do whatever I wanted that widget for another way. Don't get me wrong, I still have a house full of stuff...I look around and say, I so don't want to ever move again...but everything needs to do a lot of fast talking to get to stay. I don't know which is worse...packing it all up to move, or UN-packing it and then finding a new spot to put it in.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you were able to go sit in the sun and relax for a bit with the family!!
Fingers crossed you can get your restrictions lifted shortly...
Happy New Year!! May 2026 be a much healthier one for you!!
Suz
Suz, I'm going to cut, paste, save and memorize that first paragraph. Perfectlly describes my answer to the 'how's the unpacking" question as well as several outstanding suggestions. Thanks for that response, very useful.
DeleteGot an appoinment with my cardiosurgeon in a couple of hours. Assuming that goes well I've got a neurologist appointment next week. If that goes well, maybe the ring around my neck will come off. We shall see what we shall see.
Thanks, and a Happy, Healthy New Year for you and yours also.
juvat
Crusty Old TV Tech here. 1200 sq ft, 3-2-2 Attached...that's the specs of the house we raised 4 kids in, and are still in after 39 years, though ours was built in 1968, with all the late-60's construction joy that entails. Yeah, I had to add shelves in the attic to store certain infrequently-used doodads, that's the biggest downside to 1200 sf, no real storage space. It would be great to have a cellar for said storage, but the other name for "cellar" in SE Texas is "swimming pool"! Oh yes, the "getting up in the morning" thing...I know now why our old cat used to say "meOW!" every time she got up in the morning. I hope the traffic on the Gulf Freeway wasn't too blood-pressure-raising as you travelled on it on the way to Galveston. That 40 miles of freeway has been under intermittent destruction for the 40 years we've lived in the vicinity!
ReplyDeleteCOTV,
DeleteI admire your stick-to-it-ness. Being a military brat and then in the military, moves were many and frequent. Our move to the Burg in Texas lasted 20 + years. "Stuff" is very Rabbit like in reproducing. I'm hoping the smaller house will help us trim the "Stuff" we have in long term storage.
Traffic in Houston wasn't as bad as expected. I think most of the holiday traffic had either mostly already deployed (school kids out) or were last minute deployers. We were in the middle. I don't think we got slower than 40. Another indicator, my driver (AKA Mrs J) didn't seem to use any of my usual traffic verbage which at 40 would be medium ferocity coming from me. So, not too bad!
juvat
Great progress on all fronts.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, my first reaction to the two photos with the black objects was "Huh, someone in a burka???" I finally figured out feet, but the laundry art escaped me.
Best wishes with the new medicos, Ford dealer, and contractor. They will keep you busy and provide Chant material for a long time.
JB
Glad to hear you're in the new town, just need to wait for the house to get finished. As far as "unneeded" stuff goes, The Missus Herself says we have a lot. In my experience we need something two days after she throws it out. So yeah, I tend to keep everything unless it's out and out broken.
ReplyDelete