It is August 3rd and we are three days into our month long vacation. This is our first post. So far the one overriding theme that has pervaded our endeavor is best summed up by Carbon Leaf's song, "Let Your Troubles Roll By."
I was on the way back from Roanoke and was almost home. A sappy love song came on, the sign for the exit for home was within view, and I was thinking back over the past three years. It was a teary eyed moment because for the first time in a long time we were going to have time together with nothing looming over our heads. Everything except for a move half way across the country.
As I turned onto our street and approached home it became apparent that not everyone was home. Kim's dad was in the driveway and Ben Coaker was loading the POD, but Kim was no where to be found. I soon learned that this was because she was in the emergency room. As Kim was carrying a dresser drawer she set it down and removed her hand, but then felt a pain similar to a paper cut. The metal track on the drawer had pinched her palm and when she removed her hand made a gash in her left palm. Kim soon realized that this was no mere paper cut, rather, this was a gushing wound that would require a trip to the emergency room, stiches, and a tetanus shot. Thankfully, Kim had her mom and Jessica Coaker with her to keep her company, thus, she let those troubles roll by.
In the meantime, Ben, Kim's dad, and I loaded the POD. We began by first showing that dresser drawer who the boss was. Next, the rest of the furniture needed to be packed away. We got a good amount done, worked up a good sweat, and decided it was a good time to cut out and have some beers. First, however, we thought it might be a good idea to call the PODS people to see what time they planned on picking it up. We had requested an afternoon pick-up time, but they said there was no guarantees. No guarantees indeed. Me, "Yes, I was curious what time our POD was going to be picked up tomorrow." PODS customer service rep, "Your POD will be picked up between 7am and 10am." It was 9pm and the POD was not even a quarter full; this was going to be a long night.
The guys worked until about 10pm and then the ladies arrived from the emergency room. Kim's hand was bandaged, but otherwise intact. It was at this time though that a sad realization came about; Ben and Jessica had to leave. Their daughter Ruby was home with Grandma and they needed to head back to take care of everything. For the past several years Ben and Jessica have been a staple in Kim and I's life and moving to Nebraska, away from them, was going to be a big change. Like taking a bandaid off, we said our goodbyes quickly, marked our calendars to see each other again in October, and got back to work by healights of the car shining into the POD.
For the next three hours, until 1am, we worked. Packing, padding, organizing, stubbing toes ... and then repeat. The bulk of our life was in this 8 foot by 8 foot by 16 foot box, and so we slept, for 4 hours. Awaking at 6am we knew we were in store for a long day; so we hit the ground running. By 8am the POD was full. We sat down to figure out how to load the Mountaineer/trailer and the phone rang, PODS was 30 minutes away. The timing could not be more perfect.
One more night in town and breakfast with the parents in the morning and we were off to Nashville with a detour through Blacksburg. As we've learned, nothing will go smoothly! As we pull into town the car starts making some funny noisHere'es....CRIPES! The car went to the shop and we stayed an unexpected night in Blacksburg and Soco had a new hotel to inspect and nice clean sheets to fur up. A night on the town for old times sake and we were gone before sunrise the next morning.
I was on the way back from Roanoke and was almost home. A sappy love song came on, the sign for the exit for home was within view, and I was thinking back over the past three years. It was a teary eyed moment because for the first time in a long time we were going to have time together with nothing looming over our heads. Everything except for a move half way across the country.
As I turned onto our street and approached home it became apparent that not everyone was home. Kim's dad was in the driveway and Ben Coaker was loading the POD, but Kim was no where to be found. I soon learned that this was because she was in the emergency room. As Kim was carrying a dresser drawer she set it down and removed her hand, but then felt a pain similar to a paper cut. The metal track on the drawer had pinched her palm and when she removed her hand made a gash in her left palm. Kim soon realized that this was no mere paper cut, rather, this was a gushing wound that would require a trip to the emergency room, stiches, and a tetanus shot. Thankfully, Kim had her mom and Jessica Coaker with her to keep her company, thus, she let those troubles roll by.
In the meantime, Ben, Kim's dad, and I loaded the POD. We began by first showing that dresser drawer who the boss was. Next, the rest of the furniture needed to be packed away. We got a good amount done, worked up a good sweat, and decided it was a good time to cut out and have some beers. First, however, we thought it might be a good idea to call the PODS people to see what time they planned on picking it up. We had requested an afternoon pick-up time, but they said there was no guarantees. No guarantees indeed. Me, "Yes, I was curious what time our POD was going to be picked up tomorrow." PODS customer service rep, "Your POD will be picked up between 7am and 10am." It was 9pm and the POD was not even a quarter full; this was going to be a long night.
The guys worked until about 10pm and then the ladies arrived from the emergency room. Kim's hand was bandaged, but otherwise intact. It was at this time though that a sad realization came about; Ben and Jessica had to leave. Their daughter Ruby was home with Grandma and they needed to head back to take care of everything. For the past several years Ben and Jessica have been a staple in Kim and I's life and moving to Nebraska, away from them, was going to be a big change. Like taking a bandaid off, we said our goodbyes quickly, marked our calendars to see each other again in October, and got back to work by healights of the car shining into the POD.
For the next three hours, until 1am, we worked. Packing, padding, organizing, stubbing toes ... and then repeat. The bulk of our life was in this 8 foot by 8 foot by 16 foot box, and so we slept, for 4 hours. Awaking at 6am we knew we were in store for a long day; so we hit the ground running. By 8am the POD was full. We sat down to figure out how to load the Mountaineer/trailer and the phone rang, PODS was 30 minutes away. The timing could not be more perfect.
One more night in town and breakfast with the parents in the morning and we were off to Nashville with a detour through Blacksburg. As we've learned, nothing will go smoothly! As we pull into town the car starts making some funny noisHere'es....CRIPES! The car went to the shop and we stayed an unexpected night in Blacksburg and Soco had a new hotel to inspect and nice clean sheets to fur up. A night on the town for old times sake and we were gone before sunrise the next morning.
Here's a few photos for your enjoyment, taken by Jill:
Jeff and I on VT campus.
Soco doing his posing. I call this his portrait!
No comments:
Post a Comment