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...

Summer Lovin' and Lists

So far this summer has been pretty great, all things considered. And by ALL things considered, I mean considering Trent's gone. Because that's really been the only downside.

I've gotten a lot of sun already. Which, let's face it, is so important to me. I got to go home for the Canada Day long weekend and play with my family and watch fireworks - love. And I've gotten to spend time with two of my far away friends Melissa and Amy - whom both I adore and am so excited to see again when I can. I got to babysit Maja's pool for a few days, which meant more sunshine and swimming, and even a pool party with some sweet friends out here. Love it. I've gotten to ride my bike all over town. And my office isn't that busy, so I've gotten to get off early some days, which is ALWAYS nice! And I've gotten to make lots of different types of salsa - which are kind of my thing right now. I love all things homemade salsa. Mango. The best.

And now my summer is going to be so busy from here on out:
- This weekend I'm headed home for some serious family/friend time.
- Next weekend I'm going home to go camping in Waterton.
- Weekend after that the moving boys are coming and we're heading to Cold Lake with all of our stuff!
- Weekend after that I'll just barely be coming home from Cold Lake, after a week of signing, cleaning, unpacking, getting a PO box so I can start forwarding mail, and meeting at my future job!
- Weekend after that TRENT COMES HOME!!!
- Weekend after that I'll be in HAWAII at Amy's wedding!
- Weekend after that will be into September already and I'll be staying at friends' places in S'toon while I finish up working/waiting for Trent to return again.
- Give it three more weeks and then I'm getting my tonsils out on Sept 27! Hurray! And then Trent gets back on the 28th... welcome home... to poor sick me. And we get to drive to Cold Lake. I hope they give me a lot of drugs. At least Trent will be home to take care of me...?

And all the while in between I'll be working and playing all I can! I love summertime. I'd rather be busy than bored. And lonely.

Good Call

Yesterday the moving guy came to assess the apartment, so he could plan time and packaging for it all. He was a really friendly guy. Like, really friendly. For once, I don't mean creepy hitting on me friendly either. He just chatted me up the whole time and there came a point once we were done all the walk through and paperwork, that I thought I was actually going to have to ask him to leave. No, we're not going to just sit here and chat. We're done here. It was kind of amusing, but also slightly weird. But I just stood up and he followed my lead to the door. Thanks for the visit guy. Well in part of his babbling, he told me condos in downtown S'toon are so expensive because it's elite and prestigious. I couldn't help but laugh as I sat outside for my lunch today, in the heart of downtown, and watched a cop arrest a guy an confiscate his backpack. So elite and prestigious down here. How appropriate.

Happy Birthday Missy

Melissa is a forever friend.
Forever friends are hard to find.
But forever friends come with two inherent qualities that result in two of my favourite things:
They come with loyalty and personality.
Which result in the best memories and the promise of more.

Today is Melissa's birthday. Melissa doesn't like birthdays. I love birthdays. I love Melissa.

And upon visiting her blog today, I ventured upon some of the reasons I love Melissa and was reminded of even more as a result. We've had some great adventures, and I wish I was on a computer that had some pics of those adventures, but perhaps I'll add some in one day. And maybe this post will not be near as funny or endearing to anyone else but us, but here is a little (and not near inclusive) recap of our friendship - and why I love Melissa:

- We met in highschool. I was her little rugby prodigy, she was my idol.
- Sleepovers at her house where she mentored me on how to get the guy and we told stories and secrets. {And then I woke up to her brother and cousin who are my age... Oh hey guys... awkward.}
- I was privy to Melissa's grad lunch with her family. I love her family.
- She went away to university, but I conveniently dated her cousin so we could hang out at family get togethers, and so I could ask her if I could live with her in Edmonton.
- Thus we became roommates. It was a wonderful year.
- She took me in and helped me make friends, and was my workout buddy. One of us always felt like running. Or late night cleaning.
- We abided by our vows of silence when we needed to study, but would talk for hours when friends on.
- Did we compete who went the longest without showering...? Yeah that happened. She won.
- Date night. Sushi. Thai. Valentines Day. Pints of ice cream. Movie rentals. Accidental all night marathons. Oodle Noodle Box. {Please next weekend?!}
- Our banter. Man we have good banter. Even if we were a little competitive ;)
- That one time we drove 10 hours just to go see boys.
- When Melissa helped Bonnie and I study for and write our nutrition final. Now that's friendship.
- Asian dress-up and epic battle at the Wilderman's.
- One time we were dancing and she decided to try and dip me and dropped me on my head instead.
- It's okay, we cuddled later. 3 way. Only we could pull that off. Sorry again for that.
- All of our dress up moments. Like stealing our roommate's clothes to dress like rock stars just to go to Wes's and play rockband with perfectly normal dressed people.
- We made lots of delicious food together.
- Photo opps.
- Melissa is not a hugger, which makes her that much more a better friend for all the hugs and hand holds and shoulders to cry on she gave me freely. This girl is the best pep talker you've ever met. And made me the greatest smile book in the world that still makes me cry every time.
- Strangers love her. Which make for good stories.
- I feel like I don't have to pretend to be anything with her or put any particular foot forward. I'm just me and she's just her and whether we get each other all the time or not, we're still us.
- Now she's a dentist and I'm married and life is different, but it's also the same.
- I get to move to Cold Lake, where her parents live and will be our best friends and I'm sure to see more of Melissa again! {You don't know how excited that makes me}

There are SO many adventures and memories and inside jokes bubbling inside me, but really I just wanted to make sure everyone appreciates today how awesome a person Melissa is! Because today's her birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MELISSA!

Whether you think I'm cheesy or not. I love you THIS MUCH :)

Bathing Suits, Bicycles, and Bad Drivers

Today was a great day.

Today I made a delicious breakfast for one.

Today I put on my swimsuit, packed a bag, and went to the park 2 blocks away that has a splash pool and ample sunny grass for reading my kindle.

Today I stayed at that park for 4 hours until I was good and tanned (burned) and had read 45% of my book.

Today I had a handful of skittles and a bottle of water for lunch.

Today I finally hauled mine and Trent's bikes out of the back seat of my car where they've been chillin' since last weekend when I brought them back from Leth.

Today I learned that bikes get really hot in the back seat of cars and should be taken out in the morning while it's still cool so you don't have to use oven mitts to get them out and they don't scald you every time they bump your skin.

Today I went for a bike ride.

Today I almost got hit by an ambulance on said bike ride.

Yes, today I was riding down Clarence when an ambulance swerved to go around a car waiting to turn left and that ambulance came within a foot of me on my bike; pinning me between it and the curb. I had to slam on my brakes and lean away so it didn't swipe me. If I hadn't been so concerned with my life, I would have hit the side of the ambulance with my hand out of fury and to make a point of how close it was to me. A truck drove past me after and the lady called out the window that she had seen that and asked if I was okay. At least someone else witnessed my near death experience and could have called an ambulance if one had hit me.

Today I remembered how much I love riding my bike, though, despite ambulances.

Today I rode to a friend's house just because I could and hung out while her hilarious kids danced for us. (I love dancing kids) (I love dancing)
Today I watched my friend's baby sip pool water off the pavement. Repeatedly.

Today was pizza Friday at their house. I love pizza Friday.

Today I had a good conversation with my husband.

Today I love technology for keeping people far away close.

Today I wore my swimsuit all day.

Today was a great day.

Tomorrow is going to be a great day, too.