hqueen's collection of Far From the Usual stuff.

[hqueen13]

Whew, so its been a few days since I updated..... LOTS going on, and things are moving fast.
FINALLY got into the house Monday afternoon, so that's been a relief to start getting boxes OUT of here. It doesn't feel much better yet, but its beginning to get there.

E finally told his parents, and so his mom and brother met us up there on Monday afternoon, and she was THRILLED. She loves the place, and is SO excited for E. She's offered us all kinds of help, which is going to lower our stress level considerably. I'm grateful that she's so supportive, its going to make a big difference.

I'm going to run two loads up there today since I didn't get a load up there yesterday due to the rain. My friend T is going to help me out, so I'll load up the truck, and then meet her up there and then she's going to ride back down with me and help me load it a second time. Hopefully I'll get lots of things together and out of here so that the house can be a little more organized when K is here this weekend teaching.

I worked with Storm yesterday again and he's doing really well. I didn't have my string in my pocket to use to help him get used to something behind him, so I decide I'd just lift the butt bar into place and then put it back down, but as I lifted it, he pushed and so it was stuck and he was stuck. And he had my hand pinched between his BUTT and the butt bar, which thankfully was all squishy so it didn't hurt, but I couldn't get my hand out. He kept trying to look over his shoulder, which was frustrating, and I couldn't get him to relieve the weight off the butt bar. When he finally shifted forward enough that I could get it down, he backed out in a hurry and we both stood looking at each other for a minute. I was pretty scared, but he stayed calm and didn't freak out, thank GOODNESS. I asked him to load again, and he only went in up to his flanks a few times before he finally went all the way in again. I didn't mess with the butt bar again, but I did rub his rump and back legs when he would go all the way in. I think he'll be fine with someone to "catch" him at the front of the trailer and help hold him forward so that the butt bar can go up. I just hope he stays calm and everything when we go to close the ramp!

Today I need to:
- Get the wash hung outside (I hope its sunny enough to dry....)
- Meet with the park people about the upcoming summer work project
- Get the truck loaded & up to the farm
- Unload with T's help
- Stop on the way down and pick up the farm order
- Get to the house and reload
- Go back to the farm and unload again

If I get done in enough time the other half needs me to take his plates from his car back to the DMV, since he got his new SUV this weekend. I don't know if I'm really going to have the time to do it or not today. We also have to feed tonight, and there is a chance the other half might have to work late, and E didn't go into work until 7:15 this morning and I just got a text that he's not even on the road yet, which is not cool. He hates starting this late in the morning and I don't blame him, I like him home earlier too! If he ends up being late, too, then I'll start feeding earlier since it will take me about 2 hours by myself if everything goes like normal. We'll see how the end of the day wraps up....

 

[Denim Deb]

I hope it dries out as well. I'm wanting to work horses in the RP, but it's too slick in there. I'm tired of all the rain. I had someone tell me yesterday that we need the rain. Not counting yesterday's rain, we've gotten about 7" this month! I really don't think we need any more rain for a bit.

 

[hqueen13]

We don't either, but I'm afraid if I say that I don't want any more rain it will stop for the rest of the summer! LOL
Its gotten a bit better here, so that is good, and we have a clear forecast until Wednesday of next week... then its like 60% chance of storms through Saturday, which includes Friday, which is horse moving day and Saturday is moving day. UGH! I'm PRAYING that changes!!

It is to the point where things are now scattered, and that is making it harder and harder to stay organized. I remember this phase of the last move. It FELT like I was doing good, but when move day came I realized how not good I was... And since I know that feeling, I realize this time I'm not fooled, and I'm in a bit of a semi panic.

Yesterday I got 2 runs of stuff - all my canning jars went up (should have taken the canners, but I didn't think about it... ARGH!) and then a load of odd ball stuff, including the large metal shelf that held the jars, plus the bed frame went up, as well as a few odds and ends that were just odd to pack into a box. I also packed up my kitchenaid and took it up. It felt good, though I still feel like I need to do more.

Today I'm going to ride the horse and then play with the trailer for a bit. Gotta keep plugging away at that.

Once I'm done with that, I'm going to pick up with packing again. I need to really focus on working through rooms and finishing the things that need to be done. There is quite a bit of picking up that must happen, and I need to get ready to make 2 more runs tomorrow. I want to be sure I've got full loads tomorrow as well. I do have a few errands to run today, which I'll probably do after I'm done riding, but then I could even pack the car this afternoon and have it ready to go tomorrow morning.

Odd ball things that need to be packed:
Wine glasses
canning supplies (rings & lids and such, which are already in 1 basket, I just have to remember to take it!)
Canners (pressure and water bath)
Kitchen linens (table clothes and place mats)
Pots and pans
Christmas dishes from storage
Glass Pyrex things
Any rubbermaids that I am taking
Tent
Sewing machine
Iron
Shoe shelf
Computer speakers


Linens and sheets will need to be organized and packed after the weekend. There are a few things we'll need to get to make sure that everyone has enough of everything. I'm also hoping that E's mom will be willing to take us shopping to get some other odds and ends that we will need.

Right now my head is spinning with stuff, and that's not a good thing. I have too many things I'm trying to keep up with, and its getting really challenging.

Wish me luck...

 

[Britesea]

Moving is such a pain. I hope you get everything done today that you planned!

 

[hqueen13]

Thanks Britesea! Mostly... and might get a little extra!

Rode the horse, and worked him at the trailer. That wasn't too bad. He's doing good, I'm looking forward to my lesson again this weekend. I'll give him a break from the trailer this weekend, and then H and I will get back to it next week. I'm going to ask her if she'll help me practice with him a little bit just to see how he does with someone at the front. I also need to figure out how to make sure he has hay for the ride, too.

Came back in the house and ate lunch and cooled off before doing a little bit and then heading out to get gas and swing by the DMV. I was really nervous when I went into the DMV because there were a LOT of people in there... but my number was called faster than I could finish a text to E complaining about the number of people waiting! So I was in and out, then picked up a card for a friend whose father passed, and got gas and made it home really quick.

Got back and finished organizing the wine glasses and wrapped them all up and packed them in the wine bottle box (those things are handy!). Pulled out the Wii and the games and got that cleaned off and packed. Got the rest of my canning stuff organized and packed, pulled the stuff off the shelves E's room, and then the bookcases in the living room. E is probably going to get home early so I think we'll make a run up there and give the landlord the paperwork for the lease plus take the bookcases. It will be a lot easier to have his help to do that than have to do it myself. Besides, we're rather fond of making trips up there right now

I just heard from the other half and so now I have a few more things to separate and get ready to go. Its down to the miscellany and that is the toughest part of packing, especially the toughest part of splitting up a household and packing! Crazy!

I should do a few more things before E gets home. The more I do now, the less I have to do later. I just have to keep telling myself that.

 

[Denim Deb]

Sounds like you're making good progress. I'm getting stuff cleaned up and organized as well-I just wish it was because I was moving as well. :/

 

[hqueen13]

I hear you Deb. Moving is not fun, its fun, but its not fun... LOL
The thing that I kept saying was that I needed to get organized because I knew I'd be moving. Did I do it... no. Did I have time I could have done it, yes, probably. And here I am, moving, and flying by the seat of my pants anyway!

Got the 3 small bookcases into the house last night. That was a help to free up some more space.

Today I have a LONG list of things that need to be packed up and organized, on top of the fact that I need to try to make at least 2 runs up there, plus clean the house before K arrives tonight. And by clean the house I also include "get all the extra crap out of the living room so that she has a place to sleep" clean the house...

Today my list includes:

(get 2 loads of laundry done and outside to dry this morning... that's just got to happen because E doesn't have clean clothes!)
- Organize things in the kitchen and get that packed up
- Sort Pyrex
- Sort baking pans
- Go through other cabinets for anything else that might need to be split
- Pack up christmas dishes

- Sort and pack things from E's room
- Pack up last 2 drawers in the dresser
- Go through the closet for anything else that can be packed up now

- Sort the bathroom
- Split the towels and clean out the cabinets

- Sort the master bathroom
- Organize all the medicine & bathroom stuff

This list makes it sound so simple... But it doesn't feel that simple. I feel overwhelemed and my brain just can't keep up with all of it.

Lets see how fast I can work....

 

[hqueen13]

Managed to get quite a bit done today, and am still working though I'm definitely slowing down. My back is aching and my feet hurt. I can't wait to get my new boots!
Got about 90% of the kitchen sorted and packed up. All the pyrex storage containers are packed, as well as the pyrex cook ware. Majority of the pots are packed. Everything is cleared out of the upper cabinets, and I think the drawers are all sorted too. I do need to make sure that I get my christmas dishes out, and I have to sort out the vases that are under the cabinet, too, because I don't think I want to keep them all. Many of them are all the same size anyway, and that isn't very useful. I'll save them for later to freecycle after we move.

I managed to get a good full load up to the house, most of it kitchen stuff. I also collected several miscellaneous things that wouldn't go into boxes and got them up there. I need to work on the linens this weekend and the bathroom.

While I was at the house I hung up a bunch of things in the closet so that I could empty out the suitcases and bring them back. They will be ready to go for us when we need to pack up all the rest of our clothes to take with us.

Now I have to clean up this mess and turn this into a functioning house again...

The boxes have to disappear from the stacks in the living room. The half packed boxes need to be set aside, or topped off. The freecycle stuff and consignment shop stuff need to be organized and put into the empty closet so they are out of sight and out of mind until after the move is done. And then everything needs to be vacuumed and swept and dusted off. The kitchen table has to be cleared off so that we can eat there if we need to, and lots of little things just need to be put away.

I guess I'd better get to it or it won't get done. Oh yeah, and we have to feed tonight. The other half won't be home, so it will just be E and I. At least we got a coupon for pizza today so that will be dinner.

 

[Denim Deb]

You're making me tired just reading all that.

 

[hqueen13]

OMG, Deb, I was SO tired after all of that.

I did manage to get the house cleaned up, and it looked good. Especially compared to what it did look like! The real kicker was that just as we got started feeding E's exGF showed up and thought it would be a great time to have a conversation. So he ended up not helping me feed at all, and I had to take care of all 20 horses by myself which took me 2 hours. He needed to have the conversation, she just wasn't getting the picture (and she did hold him accountable for some things, which was a good thing in the long run, but it sure didn't make my life any easier). So I was EXHAUSTED by the time we actually got to bed.

Saturday, I spent recovering, mostly. I soaked in the tub in the morning with some muscle salts because I was still hurting pretty bad. I took a really short nap in the afternoon and then the other half and I cleared out the storage unit so we wouldn't have to pay for it for another month. That made me happy to get that done and everything is up at the new house that needs to be there, and the few things are back in this house and there is no more unit. E and I ran to get a few things for dinner, and then we came back here and had an easy going evening.

I tossed and turned all night on Saturday and was not pleased when I woke up hurting pretty bad on Sunday morning. I had my lesson at 9:00, and was not pleased that my left hip hurt pretty bad. K watched me working on the ground with Storm, and noticed that I was limping, and so she did some body work on me. VC happened to have his lesson before me and I was grateful that he came back down to watch after he put Piper away, and was also able to do some work on me. He's happened to be at the barn several times when I have needed some straitening out, and it has really helped! Between his work and K's work, the pain was gone, and I felt much better. Of course Storm also got to have a laugh because I walked laps around him for a while as he stood there like he was parked for a while. We were lucky in that we just finished up when it started to rain, and N and I got up to the barn before we got too soaked.

E got back home frustrated that he still wasn't able to fix my truck because he needed another part for it. So that is on order and will hopefully get here today so he can get that work done. We decided to make another run up to the farm and got a few more things packed and ready to go. We got up there and discovered that the a/c doesn't seem to be working. The fan kicks on inside, but the outside unit doesn't come on. I have to call the landlord about that today. Thankfully the other half was able to get me a quote for replacing the units, so that is good, I just hate to make him have to do that now. But at least if he does then it will be a good thing for us since it will improve the energy consumption pretty dramatically.

Today is full of phone calls to start with. I've got to call DLLR about my unemployment at my scheduled time, then I'll call Mom and catch up with her, and then I have to call the landlord about the a/c and find out when he'll be home so we can get him the lease and the check. H and I are going to ride again today, and this time I'm going to film her since Storm looks so good. Hopefully it won't be too crazy hot for us but I'm afraid this is the hottest week of the year, and so far there are storms forecasted every day this week. I just hope it doesn't interrupt our plans!

This afternoon I suppose I'll keep packing and see what happens. I'm getting down to the point that I fear I won't have as much done as I'd like to have done before it needs to be done... But I think that must be a normal "move" feeling.