The Many Adventures of Moving

Well we have to start with day .5

I arrived at Cold Lake around 8:30pm and drove to the Lowry's who have been gracious enough to let me stay at their house and even gave me a key so that if they weren't back yet from Utah, I could still get in and get settled.

So I arrive and let myself in the garage and when I step into the house, I hear their alarm system. Oh yeah, alarm system. Shoot. What did they say the code was again? C'mon brain... As I'm trying to come up with the right numbers - the alarm system has had enough. It starts SCREAMING at me - and I don't even mean fire alarm screaming - I mean the loudest harshest screeching you have ever heard. I thought I was going to go deaf. Actually. Which really didn't aid in my attempt to get the right number typed in to disarm the dang thing! But I got it typed in and the horrible horrible noise stopped. Good news - the alarm system works. And if I were a burglar I definitely woulda peaced out simply due to the pain that noise inflicted on my ears. Killer. Well, then a man comes on the speaker and says they got an alarm disturbance and if everything is alright. "Uh, yes, sorry, my arms were full so it just took me a second to get the code typed in, sorry." - "No problem at all, I'll just need your name and safety code." - "My name is Cathy Bevans, I'm a friend of Dave and Marilyn's, you can call them, they know I'm coming, but I don't have a safety word..." - "No problem, thank you, have a good night."  PHEW! They did call Dave, but it's probably for the best, because then he wasn't completely surprised to see me on his couch. I'm pretty sure he forgot I was coming this weekend. And that's my arrival fiasco on day 0.5.

Now Day 1

I had a walk-through with my realtor first thing Monday morning, 8am. Just to confirm that we'll take everything as is and the sellers met all negotiated requirements. We open the front door and BAM, it hits you - the overwhelming smell of urine. GROSS. These people had cats and dogs and something in a cage, but part of the deal was for them to have the carpets professionally cleaned because that was one of my MAJOR concerns. The carpet was nasty. Pee stains and grunge everywhere. Disgusting. Well stuck nicely on the fridge door is a receipt from the carpet cleaners. What a crock. I swear all they did was poor water on the carpet and suck it back up. SO not clean. Oh and that smell just kills me! I CANNOT move my furniture and bedding and clothes into that smell. Sick. So my realtor gives me a good carpet cleaner's number and I call right then and there. I explain the situation and that the movers are probably coming tomorrow or day after and he works out getting his tech to come this very evening. THANK YOU. Seriously, my hero.

Walk through dealt with, I head back into town to the Lawyers to close on the house, 9am.

The lawyer Trent and I met with before is off on sick leave, so I'm meeting with his associate. It took them a little while to get my papers together (I guess they've had internet problems and been super busy with my lawyer gone). But I head in and we start going through the rigamarole. Everything is going smoothly and the lawyer even comments on how organized and thoughtful I am. Excellent. And then he says they can't request funds and close until they have proof of home insurance. Pardon? Totally missed that step. Shoot. I had looked into it, don't think I had completely forgotten it's necessity, but Trent was wanting to do combined house and car through the dental people, so we had decided we'd just deal with it when Trent gets back (I tried to figure it out, but I don't think I could without Trent). I had also tried to contact the lawyers last week to make sure I had everything I needed, but the receptionist said she'd have to get someone to get back to me and then no one did and when I tried calling again the next day, they had closed early. Rude. So I claim this isn't my fault. I tried. Trent and I just apparently missed that it was necessary to have for closing. Not a separate entity. Oh well... kinda. The lawyer assured me I had enough time to get it purchased and confirmed before noon, when we had to be closed by. We sign everything else and he sends me on my way to get home insurance.

I am now flying by the seat of my pants, 10am.

I have no idea how to get dental group home insurance ASAP and quite frankly in the panic of needing it I blanked and thought we were wanting it through military (totally forgot about dental). So I drive to the base and try to find the admin building, fail, and decide to go to the only place I do know, the dental unit. Thank goodness the receptionists were as nice as they promised to be when Trent and I checked in, in June. They steered me in the right direction and even sent a fax to the insurance people for me. I was on the phone on and off with the insurance guy and lawyer's secretary for close to two hours. I have no idea if I answered all the insurance questions correctly or if we're getting a good deal or what kind of coverage we have vs need. All I knew was that I needed insurance now, come hell or highwater (you'll insure for that right?). And they ask such hard questions like total amperage going into the house and what the plumbing is made of (had to call my realtor for both of those). All the while, the lawyer's secretary and I keep playing phone tag because apparently they HAVE to have a mailing address to close, as do the insurance people. But I tried to get a PO ahead of time and I CAN'T get one until I have the final purchase agreement papers. Which I only just got this morning from my realtor after the walk through.

Well all of this madness is occurring in a parking lot on the base outside the dental unit and my future office building. I literally had all the doors open and papers strewn everywhere in my car trying to find all the information the insurance guy needed. Strewn all over my tightly packed car, with a giant cooler filling the entire back seat and suitcases and bags tucked and packed in every nook and cranny. I'm sure I looked like a crazy person. Especially with the desperate look I probably had on my face.

Good news is, I was also parked right outside the base post office, which is in the same building mine and Trent's offices are in. How convenient, I think, if they'll give me a PO box here, we can just grab our mail every day on our way home from work. That sounds way better than driving to the post office separately. So I go in and sweet talk the guy into giving me a box - they're supposed to only be for people living on base in PMQ's, but since we both work right there and will get a free PO box downtown either way, he totally gave me one! Hallelujah! Something went right.

And I managed to get that mailing info to the insurance guy and the insurance info to the lawyer guy JUST in time. Like we're talking 11:35. Barely enough time for the secretary to request funds and close on the house. BUT I MADE IT! And you know what? Even if we end up cancelling this home insurance and switching it to a dental home and car bundle, whatever, it's a $100 penalty to cancel. At least we have our bases covered.

It's only almost noon and I'm starving and so frazzled, 12pm.

The rest of the afternoon is fairly uneventful. I spent a good hour or two on good reads trying to decide what I want to read now and what I want to read in Hawaii. Downloaded a couple to my kindle. Spent that whole time having to go to the bathroom, but I was sitting in the middle of a random school field and a) had no idea where to go to pee, and b) didn't have it in me to get up and go somewhere. Until I finally went to Walmart and bought batteries and used their facilities... I think I must have really fried my nerves this morning because I almost broke down bawling right there in the Walmart bathroom because I just wanted Trent there and a girl shouldn't get her first house all alone and this morning wouldn't have been crazy at all if Trent were just here and I just want him to carry me over the threshold and be excited with. Good news is, I kept it together.

I get a call from my realtor that I can pick up the key to my new house! 2:30pm.

After picking up the key, I head straight out to the acreage. Oh hey home. Weird. I've already seen two little red foxes out here. I think Trent is really going to like this place. And foxes are way prettier than coyotes so maybe I will too. I carried in all my suitcases of personal effects and threw open all the windows to try and lessen the pee smell. I also had that gigantic cooler to deal with... load by load I filled the fridge freezer with the most crucial food and then drained and rearranged the cooler and hauled it to the basement storage room where the deep freeze will be. And by hauled I mean, hobbled it to the entrance and drug it down the stairs and hobbled it a few more feet to the storage room. SO heavy! Even only half full.

I had to run back into town to mail a check to Hawaii for the deposit on the AWESOME place I found on VRBO - all props to the receptionist at work that recommended it.

I am SO excited for our own little studio a block from sunset beach! I got to the post office at 5:04pm and they were closed, but the two ladies were still there so I begged them for postage and we exchanged stamps for change under the barred sliding doors and I shoved them my letter to mail out. It was kind of humerous, but I'm so glad they were willing to play my game.

Then I just headed back to the acreage to reorganize my suitcases and wait for the carpet people, 5:30pm.

Dave came out to check out the place so I gave him the grand tour and explained all of mine and Trent's potential hopes and dreams. He agreed that the carpets had to go, and we crossed our fingers these carpet cleaners could help.

Carpet cleaner boy finally came! 7pm.

I gave him my speech on how disgusting the smell and carpets are and begged him to make it better. He promised he could! Hurray! Poor boy was at the house until 9:20pm. It was hard work to make those carpets liveable, but he totally did it and I am so so so so grateful! I haven't been back to the house yet today, but I'm excited to smell the place. Weird, I know. But I think this guy was able to get rid of the smell! Oh Hallelujah! And while he worked I managed to get the suitcases organized the way I want them for Hawaii and working in Saskatoon. AND I got all the paperwork organized for the house and military and bills, etc. I made notes in my phone of all the contact information I might ever need for all the diff things with the acreage. After a CRAZY morning, I felt much more organized and in control by the end of the day. And after the carpet cleaner left I did a little photo tour of the place! You can check it out on my facebook here.

Now I just need my stuff to arrive. The guy in S'toon had said they would arrive Monday and be ready to unload Tuesday morning. Well when I called "base traffic" first thing Monday morning, they hadn't heard from the movers at all. She said she'd call me the moment she did, but she didn't. So I guess my stuff isn't being unloaded Tuesday morning.

That's Day 1 of my crazy moving adventure. I should back track and write about the packing and loading, but that's a whole other baseball game. It's raining today and no, my stuff isn't arriving today, hopefully tomorrow. I've written this whole long post while sitting in McDonald's. Thank goodness for free WiFi and delicious bacon and egg mcmuffins. But I tell ya, it is FREEZING in here. Time to go outside where even though it's raining, I'm pretty sure it's warmer.

Cheers!

Adventures to be continued...