The blur of days...

Sitting here and looking back, I cannot even recall all that I have been doing anymore.

I cleared out the rest of the house with help and without help.

On Sunday, we were all too tired to get up early and decided to catch the chapel service on campus in the afternoon. It ended up being a special program of local UM youth singing songs they had learned at summer camp...the story of Daniel and the Lion's Den. We went and had a nice lunch at Cedar Grill where my daddy had his shrimp bisque. Then we returned and Ski hooked up the stereo and the computer while I worked on the albums, kitchen, and bookshelves. We had to make some calls to get the internet working, but in the end it all worked out. One thing I particularly disliked was hooking up lamps and clocks in my parents' bedroom. I was thankful for Ski's long arms because no one, but perhaps Simon could fit under that bed and it was painful to try to squeeze even part of myself under there.

The carpet guy came to clean the carpets at the house on Monday. They looked amazing after he was done. Ski and I lugged two chairs and a console stereo up the basement stairs and put them out front with free signs. It was such a relief to see a full mattress and box spring, sewing table, chair and recliner, stereo and ironing board disappear into the backs of cars and trucks. Of course, we happened to meet a rather lonely lady who talked us to death most of the day. We got the boxes flattened and ready for Tuesday and the recycling place. We separated the last items into piles for the food pantry, my brothers, myself, and the bazaar. We had a cheeseburger sub for lunch from A&M --the BEST place around for subs!!! Then we had dinner at Dutch Way since my parents had eaten already.

Tuesday, we went to recycling one last time. Then, we lugged a HUGE metal cabinet up the stairs to take to my parents' to put into their storage bin. We took that and the rest of their things back to their place. We fit the cabinet into the storage area and took some of the extra food down there. I worked some more on their apartment. Oh, and in the process of moving, I lost a screw for their very old, but very cool and highly cherished floor lamp. I had taken it off and placed it on a box next to me, but forgot to pick it back up again. Then...later that day, I vacuumed the floor before I realized I had lost the screw. Multiple trips to the hardware store were made before we FINALLY found a machine screw that would hold the glass shades properly.

Thursday night, after dinner in the dining room, I took my dad to see his good seminary friend. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that his friend was not in the section of the Health Center that was close to us, but on the far side of the building. I nearly had dad falling over before a kind nurse lent us a wheelchair. My dad and his friend are funny. One has Alzheimer's and the other has dementia. His friend calls dad every single morning during the week. In fact, sometimes he has been known to call three times in one day!!! They make a funny pair. But the two had me in stitches as they chatted about the days in seminary. They were always up to no good and being troublemakers. And oh, they love each other dearly!! I was glad I got the chance to let them visit for a little while.

Wednesday morning, we went by the house and set out all of the garbage and I tried to discover a way to get back a table that my mother had donated in haste. I found a VERY nice lady who I think was named Ruth. She told me that she would call around and find out how mom could get the table back. Her apartment was amazing!! They had redesigned it just for her since she was in a wheelchair. Her furnishings were beautiful and she had the most incredible collection of porcelain dolls. She told me that she used to make them. I am sure my girls would have loved to have seen them.

The rest of Wednesday was spent driving home. It was a long, long day and I was glad to get home, but you wouldn't have know. I went straight to bed, barely awake.

I am so glad to have my parents finally settling in. They know people there...pastor friends, people they have met through the years, and even a friend mom made when they were missionaries down in Florida. And everyone I met was so friendly!! They all know each other and know my parents are new. They invite them to things...when they are more settled and rested. They are looking out for them...helping them get adjusted. It is nice to know that they are both independent and have help a button away. They have a cool contraption that if they need help, they just push a button and someone will come. They slip papers in their mailboxes now and then "just to be sure that they are around and doing well." They have housekeeping once a month and can pay for more often if they need or want it. They have free transportation within a certain area. They have drs that come on campus. They have programs and activities galore, and even a pool!! And if one needs more care, they won't have to move too far away from each other. I knew the head administrator until he left this year. I still know the head administrator, but not as well. Everyone I knew who worked there loved their job and loved working there. If they have to be so far from me, this is the ONLY place I would have chosen. I know it so well and I know they environment and the quality of care that we always strove for.

Moving day!! Fri. and Sat, too.

Thurs at 8am, the movers came. Three guys and two trucks. We began packing wardrobes full of closet clothes and odds and ends that didn't get packed. It was lunacy. Staying out of the movers' way at the house wasn't too difficult. They finished packing the house fairly quickly. Soon we were off to the apartment.

Moving in proved to be a little more difficult. Seven people wandering around a small apartment was a bit chaotic. When a chair came in, dad found a seat and usually stayed put. That was fine with the rest of us. We unpacked wardrobes, directed traffic and boxes and I tried to unpack the kitchen in my spare time. We ended up with a living room full of boxes in the center. After all of the boxes and furniture were unloaded from the truck, the dancing began. Mom brought a little more furniture than could comfortably fit so we had to figure out what would work and what we were willing to sacrifice. During this process, the movers were VERY patient and moved a few things several times before we were finally happy. They were sweet and told us that they had seen MUCH worse and told mom that she had done a great job and not to be upset if she had brought one too many items. In the end, the move cost less than we expected AND we discovered that the cost of the move will be reimbursed!! What a blessing to mom and dad!!

We figured out some lunch and returned to work on organizing. I mainly worked on the kitchen that looked pretty good until we brought the food over. About 12pm, I fell asleep half perched on the love seat. My mother tried to wake me because she was SURE I would fall off, but I would not be stirred. I woke to an empty room and the tv set up and the coffee table on the floor. I crashed on the sofa.

Friday was filled with TONS more work. The realator had scheduled an open house for Sat. Very inconvenient... My brother had the bright idea to clear the attic of the TONS of boxes and packing material that had been stored up there. My parents, no strangers to moving, had saved all of these boxes because they knew how expensive buying moving boxes could be. J. lugged them all down, but the carpet cleaner was due that day and he was in a panic because he needed to get them all broken down and to the recycle center. Together, we filled FOUR carloads of boxes for recycling and numerous bags for trash. In the end, the carpet cleaner wouldn't do the carpets since we had left some furniture in the house. However, mom called the auction house who came and removed what they would take. J. left that night, but I stayed up late once again trying to get the house cleaned for the open house. I got back to my parents' apartment at 2am and crashed on the couch again.

Saturday, I spent most of the day at the apartment unpacking items. I unpacked my parents' car of all the things I had packed into it the night before. While I was in the parking lot loading a dolly with items, a man, about 70-80 came by and asked if he could help. He was so sweet, but I declined his assistance. I also met a lady named Gaby who thought I was moving in. While waiting for Ski to arrive, I had a nice chat with two ladies. One was related to Jacob Albright!! She had a lovely dress that I had complimented her on earlier in the day. She told me that she had made it and that she had been making her own clothes since she was 5yo. David arrived around 7pm and we went for dinner. We stopped by the house on the way home so my folks could see how it looked. We brought a few more things over and went home to bed.

In all, I don't think I sat down very much at all on Thurs, Fri or Sat. My legs hurt so bad, I could hardly get out of the car. My back hurt terribly as well. I finally got a shower on Sat morning (I was too scared to take one Fri night in an empty house late at night...). The shower helped a great deal. I hope I NEVER have back problems because I bet it is REALLY painful!!! I feel badly for those who have problems with their back. It must be a great trial.

It's Stranger on a Train

I never thought I'd say it, but I LIKE taking the train.

Downside...leaving at 2am.
The one upside of this is stopping by Amelie's for coffee and a snack. Very nice way to send someone off. :) Last time NO ONE was on the train. This time....I think everyone in town was on it and going to NY. We got there early, but missed baggage check because they boarded really early. I don't know why. So I had to lug my baggage onboard. It wasn't terribly bad...until I got to Wilmington which has a TON of stairs and I think I had to walk a mile to the elevator.

Downside...there is always a guy chatting with someone on a cellphone at 3am in hushed tones. Yes, he was polite. But it is seriously strange that people talk about....nothing....in the wee hours of the morning.

Upside....the train lulls you to sleep. Last time, I slept quite well. This time...not as well. I think I only got 1 1/2-2 hrs of sleep. Basically, the long ride from Greensboro to just before Lynchburg. I woke up about 5:30 am and waited rather impatiently for 6am so I could have breakfast.

Upside...dining car.
I really look forward to breakfast on the train. I don't see many sunrises, but it makes it more tolorable to be watching scenery and sunrise if you have to be up at such a terrible hour. Yummy coffee...and they gave me refills.

Upside...always getting a window seat. At least I have something to lean against besides my neighbor.

Downside...sitting on the east side of the train in the morning.

Upside...meeting a cool new seat-mate on my trip. We talked quite a bit. When she discovered I had six children, she practically yelled "SHUT UP!!!" and swatted my arm. She apologized later, but I just laughed... Last time, I met a lovely lady from NY and this time, I met a lovely lady from Matthews area who moved there from NYC. VERY interesting lady.

Upside....cool scenery. You travel through the mountains of VA, quaint stations, over MD waterways, past the Jefferson Memorial and you get a great view of the Capitol, and Baltimore which can be...interesting.

I finally arrived in Wilmington at noon. I met my dear friend at about 12:30. We stopped for lunch and had a great time chatting again. It has been so fun catching up on the past 20 years or so.

And finally to my parent's house about 6pm. My brother arrived a little later and we were up until the wee hours of the morning ....packing, packing, packing.... I think I fell asleep at about 3:30 when he left to find a box for some glass lamp shades. I laid down on the floor and the next thing I knew, I woke up and the room was essentially empty. I stumbled to my room at about 5:30 am or so and caught a glimpse of my dad...just getting up. I slept until I heard my mom say..."It's 8am and the movers are HERE!!!" I dashed to the bathroom and threw on some clothes and the rest of the day...was a blur. More on that tomorrow...