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Weekly Update
So, I've been in New Mexico for a week. I've learned that I don't handle free time very well, lol. But as for the move itself ...
Up until the week of the move, I thought that the weather could not be more perfect. For a month, we'd had sunny days and warm temperatures in Lander. And then, that Monday, everything changed.
Seriously, Mother Nature?
Light, fluffy snow began to fall. By Tuesday, we had received over a foot of new snow. Luckily, it began to warm up Tuesday evening, and the snow began melting.
But not quickly enough!
Wednesday morning, we went and picked up the Uhaul truck. When we arrived, the lot hadn't been unlocked yet, and no one was around. We waited for 10 minutes, and finally they opened. The lot was packed with snow, and the guy told us that Uhaul had said the truck was to be picked up at noon. Of course, I'd picked this place because they open at 7 a.m.! Luckily, the man bent over backwards to help us out. We weren't sure if he was going to get the truck out of the lot because of the snow, but after about 10-15 minutes of rocking and spinning tires, the truck was ready for us to take.
I'd never driven a truck this large, and was secretly terrified. But, to paraphrase a Doctor Who quote from #3, "Bravery is being scared and doing what needs to be done anyway." I'd gotten every bit of insurance I could get on the truck and its contents, so if I really goofed up, I'd be covered. That gave me some comfort.
After we got the truck, Andy took off on the 2 hour drive to Casper to pick up his brother, Tony, and sister-in-law Donna. They were going to help us move, which was great. Roommate #3, Rob, and I then took the truck to his storage locker. When Rob moved to Lander 2.5 years ago, we didn't have enough storage space for all of his things. I never knew how much he had, but I always expected that his storage locker would be filled to the top with boxes, mainly because I had seen the truck he used when he moved and I knew how much stuff he had in the house. I don't know why it never occurred to me that his truck probably wasn't filled when he arrived, but his storage locker was practically empty. Once the snow had been plowed from the front of it, it took us about 15 minutes to load his things, and head back to the house.
It was not a warm day, but the forecast looked promising, at least.
Once Andy and the gang arrived, we went to the storage locker and Tony & Donna began the job of sorting through what things of theirs still remained inside. I made numerous trips to the landfill, as well as to the thrift store to donate items. Still, once they were done enough remained that I was worried about fitting it all in the truck.
All of this and more ...
needs to fit in here!
However, once we got started, we quickly realized the truck would hold much more than we thought.
Thursday, we finished packing the truck after breaking down the rest of the house. We all stayed the night at the hotel that night, leaving the truck parked on the street by the house. Friday morning, we picked up Jinx at the house, said our good byes, and off we went!
Getting gas the first time was nerve-wracking for two reasons: 1, because for the first time I was really maneuvering the truck around other vehicles and on and off the road into tight spaces, and 2, because filling the tank half full cost around $100!
This was the least amount of gas it took for the truck the four times we stopped to top off the tank.
The drive itself is much a blur now. The truck bounced around wildly; I crammed my laptop backpack underneath my right leg to support it while I was driving, as there was nothing to rest it against and it quickly began to cramp; the wind didn't buffet the truck so much as it pushed it around; and I learned just how badly people drive around a truck without realizing how difficult it is to slow one down! The number of people on the highway that pulled directly in front of me and then slowed down was astonishing.
The weather, while cold, was fine for driving. The only inclement weather we had was occasional snow flurries, and they didn't stick to the road.
We stopped for the night in Colorado Springs, Colorado. We had reserved a pet room so that we could take Jinx in with us for the night. He quickly discovered he could squeeze under the beds, and decided to spend most of the night there! He was a real trooper, however, and didn't really worry us much during the trip. We kept him in a soft-sided pet carrier, and he rode in the passenger seat of Andy's car.
Saturday, we drove. And drove. And drove. We finally arrived at Albuquerque around 3:30 p.m. The truck had to be unloaded and returned that day, because there was no place to park it for the night. We had much more help unloading than we had loading, and it went quickly. I had reserved a storage locker, and after unloading the beds at Tony & Donna's house, we started packing our belongings into the locker. By 5:30, we were ready to return the truck.
After fruitlessly searching for 10 minutes and turning around a few times on crowded back streets, we finally located the Uhaul place I was to return the truck. They didn't have any visible signs, and the only way I knew it was the right place was by spotting some beat up Uhaul trailers in the fenced in area behind the shop. I cautiously maneuvered the hulking truck into the lot, thankful that this would be the last I'd have to deal with it. I'd managed to not hit a single thing the entire trip, even though there were a few close calls, and my nerves were shot.
I went in to the gas station to return the keys. Behind the counter were two young men who looked like they had just stepped out of The Jersey Shore ... not what I was expecting to see in New Mexico! However, what really shocked me was their blank expressions when I told them I was turning in a truck, and they told me they hadn't dealt with Uhaul for a month, and no longer did! Neither could they tell me what to do with the truck. Their best suggestion was to take it to another Uhaul location across town.
Donna managed to find a closer one on her phone, and called them. The gentleman really went out of his way to help us, letting us know the truck could be brought there, and even though he was closing for the night, we could leave it by the lot and turn in the keys and everything would be fine.
Sure enough, by the time we got there everything was locked up. Again, the only reason we spotted the place was because of the other Uhauls parked around. Apparently, no one in this town likes to put up Uhaul signs! The man saw us drive up, however, and unlocked the gate and took care of everything for us. This time I was really glad to be rid of the truck.
The past week has really been nothing more than time off for me. I've applied for one job I found on a website, checked the local newspapers listings for jobs without any luck, and mainly just concentrated on getting settled in. And browsed reddit. Lots and lots of reddit. I feel like I should be doing more (Like, writing a column for April, for instance!) but honestly, I do deserve a break.
Monday, I start the job search in earnest. I wasn't intending to really start looking until May, but even though I have enough money to live off of for three months, I'm itching to be employed again. And a little concerned.
See, I've always had this idea that no matter what, I could get work at a reprographic firm here that is made up of employees I've worked with in the past. But when I stopped by to give them a resume, it turns out that business is not going well, and they don't have a place for me. That eliminates my backup plan. So, I'm a little more concerned than I was on the way here.
But this is where I am now. I jumped into my future with both feet. Time to make the most of it!
Up until the week of the move, I thought that the weather could not be more perfect. For a month, we'd had sunny days and warm temperatures in Lander. And then, that Monday, everything changed.
Seriously, Mother Nature?
Light, fluffy snow began to fall. By Tuesday, we had received over a foot of new snow. Luckily, it began to warm up Tuesday evening, and the snow began melting.
But not quickly enough!
Wednesday morning, we went and picked up the Uhaul truck. When we arrived, the lot hadn't been unlocked yet, and no one was around. We waited for 10 minutes, and finally they opened. The lot was packed with snow, and the guy told us that Uhaul had said the truck was to be picked up at noon. Of course, I'd picked this place because they open at 7 a.m.! Luckily, the man bent over backwards to help us out. We weren't sure if he was going to get the truck out of the lot because of the snow, but after about 10-15 minutes of rocking and spinning tires, the truck was ready for us to take.
I'd never driven a truck this large, and was secretly terrified. But, to paraphrase a Doctor Who quote from #3, "Bravery is being scared and doing what needs to be done anyway." I'd gotten every bit of insurance I could get on the truck and its contents, so if I really goofed up, I'd be covered. That gave me some comfort.
After we got the truck, Andy took off on the 2 hour drive to Casper to pick up his brother, Tony, and sister-in-law Donna. They were going to help us move, which was great. Roommate #3, Rob, and I then took the truck to his storage locker. When Rob moved to Lander 2.5 years ago, we didn't have enough storage space for all of his things. I never knew how much he had, but I always expected that his storage locker would be filled to the top with boxes, mainly because I had seen the truck he used when he moved and I knew how much stuff he had in the house. I don't know why it never occurred to me that his truck probably wasn't filled when he arrived, but his storage locker was practically empty. Once the snow had been plowed from the front of it, it took us about 15 minutes to load his things, and head back to the house.
It was not a warm day, but the forecast looked promising, at least.
Once Andy and the gang arrived, we went to the storage locker and Tony & Donna began the job of sorting through what things of theirs still remained inside. I made numerous trips to the landfill, as well as to the thrift store to donate items. Still, once they were done enough remained that I was worried about fitting it all in the truck.
All of this and more ...
needs to fit in here!
However, once we got started, we quickly realized the truck would hold much more than we thought.
Thursday, we finished packing the truck after breaking down the rest of the house. We all stayed the night at the hotel that night, leaving the truck parked on the street by the house. Friday morning, we picked up Jinx at the house, said our good byes, and off we went!
Getting gas the first time was nerve-wracking for two reasons: 1, because for the first time I was really maneuvering the truck around other vehicles and on and off the road into tight spaces, and 2, because filling the tank half full cost around $100!
This was the least amount of gas it took for the truck the four times we stopped to top off the tank.
The drive itself is much a blur now. The truck bounced around wildly; I crammed my laptop backpack underneath my right leg to support it while I was driving, as there was nothing to rest it against and it quickly began to cramp; the wind didn't buffet the truck so much as it pushed it around; and I learned just how badly people drive around a truck without realizing how difficult it is to slow one down! The number of people on the highway that pulled directly in front of me and then slowed down was astonishing.
The weather, while cold, was fine for driving. The only inclement weather we had was occasional snow flurries, and they didn't stick to the road.
We stopped for the night in Colorado Springs, Colorado. We had reserved a pet room so that we could take Jinx in with us for the night. He quickly discovered he could squeeze under the beds, and decided to spend most of the night there! He was a real trooper, however, and didn't really worry us much during the trip. We kept him in a soft-sided pet carrier, and he rode in the passenger seat of Andy's car.
Saturday, we drove. And drove. And drove. We finally arrived at Albuquerque around 3:30 p.m. The truck had to be unloaded and returned that day, because there was no place to park it for the night. We had much more help unloading than we had loading, and it went quickly. I had reserved a storage locker, and after unloading the beds at Tony & Donna's house, we started packing our belongings into the locker. By 5:30, we were ready to return the truck.
After fruitlessly searching for 10 minutes and turning around a few times on crowded back streets, we finally located the Uhaul place I was to return the truck. They didn't have any visible signs, and the only way I knew it was the right place was by spotting some beat up Uhaul trailers in the fenced in area behind the shop. I cautiously maneuvered the hulking truck into the lot, thankful that this would be the last I'd have to deal with it. I'd managed to not hit a single thing the entire trip, even though there were a few close calls, and my nerves were shot.
I went in to the gas station to return the keys. Behind the counter were two young men who looked like they had just stepped out of The Jersey Shore ... not what I was expecting to see in New Mexico! However, what really shocked me was their blank expressions when I told them I was turning in a truck, and they told me they hadn't dealt with Uhaul for a month, and no longer did! Neither could they tell me what to do with the truck. Their best suggestion was to take it to another Uhaul location across town.
Donna managed to find a closer one on her phone, and called them. The gentleman really went out of his way to help us, letting us know the truck could be brought there, and even though he was closing for the night, we could leave it by the lot and turn in the keys and everything would be fine.
Sure enough, by the time we got there everything was locked up. Again, the only reason we spotted the place was because of the other Uhauls parked around. Apparently, no one in this town likes to put up Uhaul signs! The man saw us drive up, however, and unlocked the gate and took care of everything for us. This time I was really glad to be rid of the truck.
The past week has really been nothing more than time off for me. I've applied for one job I found on a website, checked the local newspapers listings for jobs without any luck, and mainly just concentrated on getting settled in. And browsed reddit. Lots and lots of reddit. I feel like I should be doing more (Like, writing a column for April, for instance!) but honestly, I do deserve a break.
Monday, I start the job search in earnest. I wasn't intending to really start looking until May, but even though I have enough money to live off of for three months, I'm itching to be employed again. And a little concerned.
See, I've always had this idea that no matter what, I could get work at a reprographic firm here that is made up of employees I've worked with in the past. But when I stopped by to give them a resume, it turns out that business is not going well, and they don't have a place for me. That eliminates my backup plan. So, I'm a little more concerned than I was on the way here.
But this is where I am now. I jumped into my future with both feet. Time to make the most of it!