So Much For The Plan

Well, as predicted, very little went according to plan.

First I must apologize to my readers for not having posted for such a long time. However, there is an excuse. One thing that didn't go to plan was that the moron at the cable company who entered in the 'transfer' of service put it in as a disconnect. So, the 8 am to 10 am appointment we had for them to come out was futile. They never showed up. We called, they told us, they waived the transfer fee, and we got cable and internet just yesterday morning - five days unfavorable to plan.

So let's go back to last Friday night after I got off of work, the day before the Saturday we took possession at 8 pm. That night we did the usual, of course, and went to the local bar spot. Had a good time, drank, celebrated.

Saturday was a complete mess. We woke up relatively early to go get the paint. We know a manager of a really great paint store who got us some great prices - it was awesome. However, it took us almost forty-five minutes to get to the store, then we went and changed the shades of paint we had originally wanted, and everything took a little longer than expected. We didn't get back to the apartment until around early afternoon. The packing ensued. We didn't make much progress though, and it was pretty frustrating. We did get a lot done I guess, but it didn't feel like it.

Saturday night we continued to get more and more excited as 8 pm approached. We kept packing to pass the time more quickly. Pack pack pack. Our real estate agent called around 7 pm or so and asked us how everything was going and mentioned that the sellers probably were going to be out well before 8 and that we could show up early and be fine. We passed because we didn't want to run the risk of getting there before they were out. What did we do? We went to the liquor store and bought a little bottle of champagne and two bottles of wine. I got red, A got white. With enough time killed we headed to the house.

We didn't get there until around twenty after eight. The sellers were still there. We kind of deflated. What the hell? We told them we were going to go get something to eat and we'd be back later - they said they needed ten more minutes and they'd be gone.

We went to O'Charley's for dinner. It was kind of a blah dinner because neither of us were really hungry nor wanted to be there. But, the Vols were playing on the big screen TV - to be beaten by the worst team ever, South Carolina. (insert vomit noises here). We got back to the house around nine-thirty. They were gone. But, the clean house we were told we'd be moving in to was nothing but a dream. It had not been cleaned, there were boxes left in the garage, and there were still old paint cans in the garage. The paint was actually written into the contract to be removed because we didn't want it and it is hard to get rid of. Whatever, we weren't going to let a loss to SC, a few boxes and some dirt spoil our evening!

We were exhausted by this point, however, and decided against painting initially. Then, as the radio got cranking and the wine started pouring I broke out the primer and went after the dining room. This began what was a three day painting marathon which is still not complete. We still have two walls of the den to add a second coat to. The painting was not so bad, it was actually fun. But, with so much of it to do we both got sick of it. By the way, I had to buy two ladders from Home Depot too.

Sunday morning we slept a little too long, but we needed it. It was a surprisingly good night's sleep on a blow up mattress I've had for a while. When we did wake up, we realized we had no clue where that lovely commodity on which we so desperately depend was - where the hell was the coffee, the coffee maker, the filters, the mugs? We went to Starbucks. It was a beautiful day, so we sat outside and enjoyed their breakfast scones with their coffee. Sunday afternoon it was painting, painting, and more painting. A friend from work stopped by and brought us lunch from Rafferty's and was officially our first house guest. We stayed up late painting and I believe we ordered pizza that night. We have eaten so much pizza for its convenience that I am, yes me, beginning to tire of it.

Monday of course we continued to paint. I put on the last coat of paint in the dining room and was pleased with my success. A continued to trim the den and got started on some of those little areas around the fire place with a brush. Monday afternoon the movers showed up at 2:30 pm. They were supposed to be there at 5 pm. No bother however, because we hadn't completely finished packing. They came and while they were moving stuff A and I packed faster than anyone has ever packed. They said they needed the boxes to be sealed, so we did it. We just threw stuff in there and as soon as we were done one of them would come and take it to their truck. But, we weren't able to get all of it out. We left what we thought would be another trip of boxes for us to pick up later. I'll tell that story in another post...

By Tuesday, with both of us completely exhausted and most of our stuff packed in our new house, we continued to paint. We did a pretty good job finishing up the den, but we still haven't had time to put on the second coat of two walls. Tuesday night I believe we took it easy and tried to prep ourselves for the return to work. I keep saying 'believe' because I am so far behind with my posting it is a challenge to remember all the whens and whats.

Ok, so the plan went to you know where. But by Tuesday night we had done relatively well getting everything going. The work week ensued, and the mornings were filled with finding coffee makers and using fortune cookies as forks for Chinese food.

More to follow on the move....