THE BIG MOVE (Part I)

So Saturday morning comes, and I am quite certain that the state of my apartment is an insult to those coming to help. It is really barely ready for the move, and my only defense is those fracking carpet guys messed my groove thing up! They called 7:30 again, on their way to the house. This time, I was like "No, no one is there, you said you would come in the afternoon. There is no heat in the house still." Thankfully they agreed to come later.

On top of that, Lauren's husband (not me in third person but my friend Lauren from second grade), Steve came with their two kids: almost 3 year old and a almost 3 week old. It was either no Steve (which mean my Dad and Brendan moving all the heavy stuff) or no me (which meant a lot of the smaller organizational things, as well as the 'power packing'* would be left undone till Sunday).

*power packing: a term I made up just now to describe my ability to pack misc stuff in an organized manner faster than Brendan. I might be faster than a speeding bullet as well but it has never been tested.

In any case, I tried to at least make paths to the heavy items, and before I knew it- it was time to pick up the truck. When I got back, my Dad was there moving things already, I brought with me some Dunkin Donuts bagel goodies which was not the tastiest but least destructive thing I served (will go in to that more later). After Steve arrived and helped wrap up some of the truck packing, our caravan was off!

Top Right: white truck is my Dad and the budget truck is Brendan.




Steve was behind me, and I wasn't about to get in an accident turning around for the photo, so I used the rear view mirror to help me aim the camera, and he's in it- so great success!



As we were almost there the carpet guys call again asking where I am. AGAIN they went to the wrong address. I give them the right one, warn them that we have a big truck coming, and arrive with them puzzled as to how to get the carpet upstairs. According to the one guy, the people from yesterday must not have wanted to bring it up, because it was plenty warm to install. AKA I took off a day of work and some jerk was too lazy to not waste my time. Anyways, Steve and my Dad offered to help bring it up, since they were like 70. I think Steve made a new friend (George).




I largely spent my time watching the children. I had made a promise not to let Gianna get hit by a car or dresser, and again- great success. Also, changed my first newborn diaper since Andrew (my brother who's 17.5).






My first guests to hang out and watch TV!!!




Action Shot:




Lauren came by after class, and soon she and the fam had to go. (Isn't Steve and she cute?)




Went to an Italian deli (Sergio's) to get sandwiches for Brendan, Dad, and I. Their food is awesome.






Only problem came from a sandwich that had an eggplant caponata or something like that on it. It didn't tell me there are pignoli nuts on it, and my Dad is allergic.




After some brief relaxing, (and trying to make sure I didn't feel terrible about having him come up to help and then poisoning him), Dad headed home.




Brendan and I took a moment as well to enjoy the handiwork.




And then it was back to work. We purchased (not picked up) a split box spring, which turned out to be courtesy of m grandmother. (THANK YOU NANIE FOR THE HOUSE WARMING GIFT!) Then we went back to the apartment to pick up the kitty and whatever else could fit in my car.

We took a few last moments in the apartment, remembering the brief time we had in a well done, newly renovated living space with one set bill that paid for everything, and a landlord to bring upon all our woes.






Also last minute decided to bring this chair. 1) no idea where to dump it, 2) it's been every where else Brendan's lived in the last 3 or 4 moves. It should at least see the house.




Here is how the house ended it's night...

Kitchen:


Office:


Bedroom:


Our clothes:



And here's where we ended ours...

Living Room:



Good night!

The Day Before Tomorrow (Friday)

The Plan: Wake up. Send Brendan off to work after he loads the boxes I have already packed. Pack more boxes. Drive each load over. Go to Lowe's and finalize vanity plans as well as check out shelving options. Be at house between 1:45- 3:45 for the washer/dryer delivery. Make sure I am in and around the house from 10 am on so when the carpet guys call I can get to house within 30 mins. Get carpet installed.

What happened: Wake up. Get phone call from carpet guys that they are on their way @ 7:30 am. Panic. Call Mom to have her or someone go by the house. She sends Dad. Carpet people call- no one at the house. They are at the wrong house. Dad calls, they won't lay the carpet without heat. He starts space heaters, but they refuse to come back later. Bedroom remains carpetless.





I run to Lowe's and yell. Spend next few hours trying to get a plumber to attach radiators and or a carpet installer to,... well install carpet. Eat left over indian food at like 10 am.



Pace through cold house. Freak out in warm car. Washer and dryer arrive 45 mins early. Dude refuses to push it in all the way, plays the "language card", until it comes time to explain how I can rate him afterwards, 5 is the top rating. Dad shows up and pushes it in for me. Washer/dryer dudes leave.



Later I find they broke my screen door frame. I unpack boxes that are in the car. Discover and kill nasty bugs.



Brendan arrives. We go out to dinner. (I swear this is the last time my fridge looks like THIS on the inside.



Determined to do SOMETHING productive and right, I prime the bathroom while Brendan does work in his office.





And then we go home to the apartment for the last time.

P.S. This is all from LAST Friday (04/23/10). I am just a week behind in posting.

They Came Bearing Muffins, Fruit, & Juice

Sunday morning we arrived and Bone Daddy had already arrive with Aunt Debbie AND had already started cleaning house.




At times the work was 'fun.'




Other times it was downright scary.




Mostly it was exhausting.




But after those moments of spite and rage against inanimate objects subsided...




...there were moments of victory that made it all worth while (yes- I found and destroyed yet MORE wallpaper).








Victory or slight delirium?




All in all we got some trim painted, the yard and house perimeter largely cleaned up, the downstairs bathroom primed, kitchen scrubbed, and one toilet taken apart/one toilet put together. There was caulking and scrapping and disposing of sorts. The muffins were awesome; we need a wegmans up here in the boonies.

Coming up... the big move!!!

Spending the Weekend in My Bedroom

So after a weekend of Brendan and I getting our solo paint on, we brought in the artillery. How many Lucarini's does it take to prime a closet you ask? Why how fortuitous that I can show you!




Would you believe he did the entire ceiling with the tiny roller and extension? Would you believe TWO tiny rollers? ;)




Then we reaped the rewards! (Denville Dairy)

Last Weekend Without Paint!

So this Saturday (March 6Th) was the final run through with my general contractor. He is sheet-rocking over most of the first floor and patching what he doesn't sheet-rock, putting on new base trim in bedroom/living room/hallway, moving the door in the hall of the bedroom to put my laundry closet in the call instead, switching out some other doors, prepping for the one day installation of a gas fireplace, moving my dryer vent to the right area, taking out the chunk of wall between the radiator and counter in the kitchen, and sheet rocking the kitchen ceiling.

Meanwhile his son is bringing my outlets to code, moving wires for my cable and Internet, adding outlets where need be, and putting in the wiring so that when I get cabinets I can eventually get the under cabinet lighting put in at a fairly low cost. There is more I am probably not remembering off the top of my head, but in any case it should be no wonder I spent a lot of time walking around following a contractor with a notebook/clip board in my hand. Apparently it is a look my happy helpers were none too pleased with!




So I came Saturday and Pete was there (surprise) finishing up some work. Said goodbye to him that morning and gave him the heads up that I may have some soapstone to be cut and bathroom sinks to hook up, etc, but that I would only call him with it if I could get it all organized to be done in one day so it was worth the ride up. Pete came to about 3K and I think it was a very worthwhile investment.

My Dad and Brendan emptied out the garage, (as well as helped my mother empty the porch, and clear the side of the house) of debris. In the end I somehow have already filled my 20 cubic yard dumpster.






My Mom went out and got cleaning supplies and she, Brendan, and Dad scrubbed and scrapped the upstairs bedroom. After they left I basically went to war with all the dust from the spackle, and worked on getting it out so that we might paint the ceiling Sunday.




We also cleaned up the nails and staples in the ceiling downstairs so that it was all set for sheet-rock.



By the end of the day my check engine light was off (it had gone on again that morning) so yay. Great success. We did, however find some presents left behind that had been previously hidden by snow. Going to wait to fill the dumpster till I have another lined up or the construction guys are done.




Dinner at Old World Food Market; Best Supermarket Salad Bar Eva.

Making Up for Lost Time

So this weekend felt a little bit lost because a lot of time was spent speaking with and dealing with contractors. I Got a few plumbers in to do radiator estimates, and a couple of guys to discuss walls. In the end I chose a wall guy, who is actually a general contractor named Steve, and his son John (who it turns out I went to school with) to do the electric. They were particularly helpful in going over everything, sharing honest opinions and helping me organize my head without making it seem like I was crazy. It is these two who may make my wildest ideas come true. Just you wait.

In the mean time here is what we did:

Pulled out the ceiling in the kitchen.




Dad making short work of the moldings with his large pry-bar.




Brendan proving his smaller pry bar is not made for Play Skool.




Remnants:






Colors Discovered Under the the Moldings:










Problems (dryer vent was left outside the washer/dryer closet and the door way to the kitchen from the downstairs office/bedroom is a lil' funky):






Possibilities (cuz I like to end on a high note!) new vanity and shelf:




BTW, Mom and I were there managing the debris.