April 20, 2009

One Down, One to Go

After a long three days, Brownie is now squared away in Oklahoma in the city of her dreams. She and I rented a U-haul trailer last Thursday and brought it home to load when Hubby got off work. When he got home I asked if he was sure the 12 foot trailer was big enough. He assured me that we could get it in. Starting with the washer, dryer, and bedroom dresser, he put the heavy stuff in the front of the trailer and then pieced the boxes and small things in like a giant puzzle. Brownie is lucky that she only had a loveseat, chair and ottoman, because nothing bigger was going into that trailer.

We had a few things to load the next morning, so left the loveseat in the garage to load the next morning. Friday morning was cold and rainy and Brownie left early so she could sign her contract and get keys to her apartment. Hubby had to work until noon and by then the rain had slowed to a sprinkle. Even though it looked like a tight fit, the mattress slid across the top but there was something raising one end so the box springs wouldn't fit. So we had to take out the mattress and loveseat, take off the feet from the loveseat, and rearrange a few other items in the trailer. Then put it all back again and slide the box springs in. All this heavy stuff in the rain. Still, it didn't all fit. We had to wrap her dining chairs and coffee table in plastic and put in the back of the pickup. An upright secretary had to be left behind. I knew we should have gotten a truck.

He and I were on the road by mid afternoon and got to her apartment just before dark. Even though all we really wanted to do was rest, we had to unload enough to go to bed. We got the mattresses, loveseat, chair, ottoman, and all the boxes out with little effort. The futon and mattress was another story. A pox on the malicious person who invented the futon mattress! It is impossible to carry the limp, heavy things, especially the thick ones. Finally, Hubby put it on his back and let it hang over. Then Brownie and I had to try to get a grip on it while it folded trying to get through the door. We advised Brownie to sell it rather than try moving it again. It was past dark by then and we were beat. The rest could wait until morning. After the futon, the dresser, washer and dryer were easy, especially using the dolly.

We spent the rest of Saturday cleaning the apartment and running errands to get the appliances and curtains in place. Brownie still didn't have a headboard and bed frame, so we looked at a couple of consignment stores, but found the same sort of pricing we had at home. Another thing Brownie had to buy was an air purifier. The musty apartment smell wasn't just from being shut for awhile, a neighbor's smoke comes through one of the bedrooms. This is going to be a problem since Brownie is looking for a roommate. With the room shut, towels stuffed under the door, and the purifier running on high, the rest of the apartment is ok, but it will be hard to find a roommate who doesn't smoke yet doesn't mind smelling smoke. When we came home, all of our clothes smelled of cigarette smoke even though we weren't in that room. Brownie slept in that room while we were there since Hubby is too tall to sleep on the futon, and even though she doesn't have a keen sense of smell, the smoke woke her up about 6 a.m. both mornings. Apparantly, that is when the tenant above gets up and starts smoking.

Brownie called when we were about half-way home and said she missed us already. It's always harder to be the one waving goodbye and going back into an empty house. I miss her too. The house has seemed very quiet today.

Marti

My ordinary life, Brownie

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