Oddly enough, three days after turning in the keys at my old apartment, I still find myself suddenly wondering whether I left anything in the bathroom cupboard, whether I remembered to cancel the electric service, etc. I tried to keep track, but there were too many details to keep on top of.
So I haven't really started relaxing and enjoying my week off here in Oklahoma. Mom and John and I had a nice day out and about yesterday; some shopping at Borders, B&N and CompUSA, before dinner at Red Lobster. I had a relatively early night & it's been wuunderful sleeping in a real bed again.
The cats are doing really well, all things considered. They have two rooms blocked off with a baby gate & have been wandering around, exploring. Hobo, mom's big dog, has been patiently sitting at the gate. No barking or hissing, and even some curious sniffing between them. Perhaps we should recommend "baby gate diplomacy" in the middle east?
7:37:00 PM
Sunday, March 30, 2003
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For those who are checking, I've arrived in Oklahoma City with the cats, who survived their 9-hour ordeal with seemingly few repercussions. I slept in this morning and am looking forward to a week of absolutely nothing. This past week, getting out of my old apartment & getting ready for the trip, was exceptionally rough!
4:27:00 PM
For some reason, I have delayed throwing out the only plant I've owned for the last two years. It's had major problems (i.e. plant bugs, lack of sun, too much water) but has survived despite my attempts. Tonight I decided to take it down to the trash room, but didn't throw it in the dumpster; I just left it by the door, thinking perhaps someone might take pity on it.
Someone did. By the time I made my way down to the trash room again, the plant was gone, oddly replaced with two palm plants that were in much worse condition.
4:05:00 AM
Wednesday, March 26, 2003
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Since we now have a "Department of Homeland Security," shouldn't we rename the other one the "Department of Offense"?
10:17:00 PM
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Have I told you how much I HATE moving? The past two times I moved, I hired professionals and it was the best couple of hundred dollars I've ever spent. I couldn't do that this time as half my stuff was going to the dump & the other half to Dad's. Thankfully Steve and Dad were around to help out.
As I knew would happen, after I took the metro to Pentagon City to pick up my 15' truck at 12:30, I was told they didn't have one available. My "reservation" was only a suggestion, apparently, that Budget should hold a truck for me. "Come back in two hours; we may have some turned in by then. Or, you can go to our other location where a 24' truck is available now." Since the apartment had me booked for the loading dock and freight elevator from 2-4pm only, I decided to take the 24' truck. I called the other Budget shop to let them know I was on my way & they said they were closing in 20 minutes so I'd better hoof it. I taxi'd over and the man filled out the paperwork & I had my truck.
I met Dad & Steve at 2 and at 2:05 the loading dock was still in use; a truck and a silver mini-van were parked there. I went in to the office, as I know they are very strict about times, and indicated I had a reservation for 2-4. A police incident, they said, was in progress & as a result the dock wasn't available. As I went back out to let Dad & Steve know, 3 policemen wheeled a dead body (in a body bag) off the freight elevator & into the minivan, where the funeral home personnel took possession. Apparently the man had died in his apartment & had been there a few days before anyone "noticed."
After the elevator was fumigated, the people who had had the dock reserved from 12-2 resumed their move, and were done a little after 3. We moved my stuff out of the apartment and into the truck by 5:30 or so. A long trip out to B.F.E. & the county dump, then an unload at Dad's, and we were done. I was really tired by that point, and still had to return the truck & get Steve's car he loaned me. I didn't get home until almost midnight & missed out on Beth's party. :-(
Sunday was a whole lot less eventful: Mr. Purcell picked up the Nordic Track after a brief demo, and Sean & Nicky came for the TV later in the afternoon. I made one trip with clothes down to Dad's in the evening.
So I'm in an almost-empty apartment this week, until dad picks me and the cats up on Saturday for the trip to OK. The beasts had their vet appointment yesterday & I have their travel certificates in hand. A maid service is coming tomorrow to clean, and I've turned in all the cable equipment & arranged mail forwarding and disconnection of utilities. It's a bit tedious living out of a suitcase, but I'll have a chance to regroup after I get back to my Dad's April 6. I'm glad some of my stuff managed to find homes with friends; the Boivins took some framed prints, and Steve took my entertainment center and my bike, among other things.
5:13:00 PM
Tuesday, March 25, 2003
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It's after midnight on Monday, and for the most part the move is over. I am exhausted, and my cats are spazzing. I'll write more tomorrow. Ask me about the dead man in the freight elevator....
5:39:00 AM
Friday, March 21, 2003
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So... the busy weekend begins. I have to go to the post office at lunch (my fifth trip this week) to send off about two dozen packages--eBay items. After work I'm meeting my dad at the metro so we can meet the Boivins at Temel's for Beth's birthday dinner. Cake and ice cream and presents, I think, after, at Beth & Kelly's. Then I have to finish packing; I'm about 80% done but it's the annoying odds and ends, little things that just don't fit neatly in boxes, that I have left. Tomorrow I'll get up and get the truck and my dad & Steve F will help me load it up. We'll dump the big stuff off at the county dump in Prince William county, then unload the rest at Dad's house. Hopefully I'll get to Beth's B-Day Party part II later that night. Sunday I have sweetie darling coming to pick up my TV, and someone else who's taking my Nordic Track off my hands for cash. I may try to get a load of "fragile" items out to my dad's. I also have to start cleaning the apartment. Still no word yet on when/if Rob K's coming to pick up his beasts.
So pardon me if I don't blog for a few days, won't you?
4:38:00 PM
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While my mom is off gallivanting around the Wild West, I decided I'd ring my gran up on Saturday to see how she was doing. It had been awhile since I'd spoken to her, so I had forgotten exactly how STONE DEAF SHE IS. I'm sure EVERY WORD OUT OF MY MOUTH was heard by my neighbors on either side & the floors above and below. But she seems to be doing well, and was glad to hear Dad & I had had a nice time at Dan's promotion. Our conversation was, mercifully, short.
3:41:00 PM
Tuesday, March 18, 2003
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In case you hadn't heard, "the North Carolina tobacco farmer who drove a tractor into a pond on the Mall maintained his standoff with law enforcement officials overnight and through this morning, creating traffic problems and prompting the federal government to close several buildings due to concerns about public safety." They're afraid he may have explosives. Traffic was insane this morning as most of Foggy Bottom has been shut down, and coincidentally the Metro had service problems and delays on three of its five lines.
It reminded me that I'd meant to write about a poster currently on display in many metro trains, describing how one should fight terrorism, not fear it. According to the poster, one should be aware of "suspicious people or unusual activity. For example, someone acting nervous or sweating...wearing inappropriate clothes such as an unusually baggy jacket." Well, that describes just about anyone who has just run to board the train on a cold winter morning. Thanks for the tip.
6:06:00 PM
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Here's how a company should not handle the ups and downs and uncertainties of the terrorist threat here in our nation's capital:
don't have an emergency preparedness plan
don't send out any communications to staff regarding actions to take during an "event"
secretly buy a cache of dried food and water, and store it in a locked closet, and don't tell staff what you've done
if you're a manager, stay home "sick" each time the government raises the threat level
when someone discovers non-dairy creamer spilled in the hall, quarantine the entire building but don't tell staff why
In case you couldn't guess, the company I'm working for has done all those things.
5:52:00 PM
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I've just found out that a blogger buddy of mine has recently ended an almost-two-year relationship, and it has me thinking again about relationships and happiness. Coincidentally a recently publicized study indicated that "[m]ost newlyweds experience a brief emotional bounce after their wedding, but they eventually return to the same outlook they had on life before they tied the knot."
It's been almost a year and a half since I've dated anyone, and it will be some time before I start up again (if ever) as I'll be concentrating on the move & the job hunt, but I am at times surprised at myself at how generally content I am to be on my own. I am extremely independent, and would have a hard time incorporating someone else's interests and requirements into my life. It wouldn't be impossible, and there are pluses, I know, to being in a committed relationship, but being on your own is OK too.
5:47:00 PM
Friday, March 14, 2003
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I will miss my Elsie
4:52:00 AM
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Just in case you are bored out of your gourd, perhaps you didn't know that these famous celebrities also have blogs:
I've cancelled my Netflix membership today, and I'm kind of sad about it. I'm not sure why, really; it's just another step on the road to Banbury, and the UK has similar DVD rental services (albeit more expensive, as is everything it seems). In any event, I haven't watched TV in over a week (who has time) so there really wasn't any need to wait until I actually leave. Plus, I've found a home for my TV; Nicky sweetie darling's brother Sean has said he'll take it off my hands for me. Hope he realizes just how big it is ....
4:30:00 AM
Thursday, March 13, 2003
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This is just insane:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The cafeteria menus in the three House office buildings changed the name of "french fries" to "freedom fries," in a culinary rebuke of France stemming from anger over the country's refusal to support the U.S. position on Iraq.
Ditto for "french toast," which will be known as "freedom toast."
Across the country, some private restaurants have done the same.
6:16:00 PM
Monday, March 10, 2003
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Things to do this month:
reserve a U-haul for moving weekend
book an emergency dental appointment
hire a cleaning service for the move out
Rob to pick up his cats
Fri, 3/14 to Sun 3/16: PACK
Fri, 3/21: Borrow Steve's car; Beth's family b-day dinner
Sat, 3/22: Get rental truck, Move 2-4pm, drop furniture off at Prince William county dump, unload boxes at Dad's, return truck, attend Beth's b-day party at her house
Sun, 3/23: Buy cleaning supplies for apartment and clean; move fragile items to Dad's; return Steve's car
Tues, 3/25: Cat appointment at vet for travel certificates
Wed, 3/26: Turn in Comcast cable equipment
Fri, 3/28: Move out inspection
Sat, 3/29: Turn in apartment keys, fly to Oklahoma with my kids!
9:27:00 PM
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You may recall I made reference to the awesome chairs we have here at work. I finally found a photo so I can show you the award-winning design:
Apparently I can't post the photo from work. I'll try again at home.
9:16:00 PM
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I called my Uncle late Friday night, as I hadn't spoken to him since he had to cancel his rendezvous with us in CO last month; his 14 y.o. dog, Amadeus, had not been doing well, and he had him put to sleep last Saturday. I knew it was not going to be a fun phone call, but it turned into one of the most painful communications I've taken part of in recent memory; Dennis is just heart-broken, and painfully lonely, as his dog was his only companion for the last decade and a half, and he misses him terribly. Tears abounded. "I hope you thought of that before you decided to give up your cats," he said.
9:11:00 PM
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The magic number is now
44
9:11:00 PM
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OK, only today am I feeling about 90% better. It was strange to note, with some detachment, how this cold progressed through the exact same stages as each and every other cold I've had in the last decade.
The cats were pleased to have me home the entire weekend, and I got a huge amount of trash thrown away & about 225 items posted on ebay. The cash is just rolling in. I may actually be able to afford a plane ticket to the UK in high summer.
Also, I had a very nice lunch with Xiao-an and Nicky at Oodles of Noodles on Friday. I'd never been, and Xiao-an treated. I was reminded that it would be so easy to make tasty, nutritious, easy-to-make meals for myself at home, if I just bothered to get off my ass.
9:05:00 PM
Thursday, March 06, 2003
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Cough, cough. Sniff. Still under the weather, but a bit better after 14 hours sleep last night.
8:04:00 PM
Wednesday, March 05, 2003
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I'm sick. I should have known, as I almost always get sick after a trip. It's that darn recycled cabin air. I was so cold last night, I had the heat on to 80 and I was wearing two layers of clothes & I was still shivering in my bed.
I missed work today, which I really couldn't afford to do, but at least I was productive during the afternoon. Much to do this month....
4:35:00 AM
Tuesday, March 04, 2003
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I wanted so badly to stay home today; the trip out to CO was too fast, and I got in way too late last night for me to be ready & cheerful for work at 9 this a.m.
It was nice to see Dan & Ains, and Dan's promotion ceremony was a novel experience. We didn't eat at home much at all, so it's a good things Weight Watchers points don't count when you're on holiday. The brunch on Sunday was particularly nice. It also snowed almost the entire time Dad & I were there, but that didn't affect our flights going out or coming back.
The three dogs AND three cats certainly make for a cozy household.
Of course, work today was the same. My headache arrived at 3:30.
4:01:00 AM
