move week.

Wow! I am not sure if it's because we are married now and have a house worth of stuff for two instead of one, but I am not sure I expected this whole operation.

SUNDAY
We have moved into a hotel! We actually packed up our suitcases and left the apartment (we had to wash the sheets before packing them!). For some reason I was expecting the hotel clerk to ask my why I was checking into a hotel when I had a perfectly good apartment in Saint Paul and then proceed to refuse us a room. Fortunately that didn't happen.

MONDAY
The household goods move. We expected the movers to arrive between 8-9AM and in our anxiousness we called inquiring about their ETA at 9:15 (er, 0915 for you Europeans). Did they not realize that we were a couple of excited kids trying to prepare themselves to have ev.er.y.thing they own packed up and shipped over the ocean?! Apparently not. Well, timeliness would have been appreciated. Besides, Bryant got coffee for them and it was getting cold (he didn't want it to go to waste!) :)

0925: Joe and Dana arrive. Two 20-somethings who are here to touch all our stuff and box it all up while they're at it.
"Hi, I'm Hannah, this is Bryant."
"Hi. Joe, Dana. What do you not want packed?"
"Uh, just this here."
"Ok, thanks. We'll pack everything but that."
"Uh, ok. We'll just... I guess... stay out of the way as best as we can. Here is some coffee. And doughnuts."
"Sweet! Thanks!"

0927: It begins.

More than anything, it was harder to sit there and watch them do all of the work while we just stayed out of their way.

Two guys worked 2-3 rooms each and they packed and listened to their iPod or, like Joe here, talked to us about his European travels and how he was supposed to be in England right now playing Rugby. Lots of cardboard made its way into every open space and nine hours later everything that wasn't furniture was boxed up.

1200: Papa John's Pizza for everyone: brought to you by the ones who want to make sure their stuff is being treated well.

1600: A realization pops into Bryant's head.
"Oh, did you know we have a storage unit downstairs, too?"
"No. No, we didn't."
"Oh, yeah, that's down there."
"Oh, I guess we'll have to do that tomorrow."

1645: Dana and Joe leave.

TUESDAY


0830: Dana, Joe and Kevin arrive in a big truck.

0831: Kevin and Joe pack up the storage unit downstairs and Dana begins wrapping up all the furniture.

Storage Room Stuff

1000: The truck starts getting loaded. We are thanking God that it isn't raining!

1230: Lunch again, this time Jimmy John's. Seems to hit the spot for everyone. (success!)

1330: It's beginning to feel like we're watching a human-sized Tetris game without Korobeiniki playing in the background. 

1630: All done! The truck drives away... I had to get a video.

1845: Twins Game! Our final one for a while. It's depressing, but we prepared for cold weather and for a Twin's loss... which happened. It's ok, though, because we had fun and great seats! Bryant won these tickets, too. :)

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I got my hair cut! Maybe I'll post about that later...

WEDNESDAY

I went to work in the morning and the ladies from work took us out to a farewell lunch. After saying some sad goodbyes :( we had to go back to the apartment and wait for a new set of guys to come and pack up our second shipment (yes, there were two of them). This one is called "unaccompanied baggage" because it will go on a plane to England instead of a ship. We sent our clothes, bicycles and computer because it should get there next month.

1400: They're here!

1500: They're done!

That was easy.

THURSDAY
Bryant cleaned the apartment and checked out of the apartment while I was at work... and we sold our car.

So Empty.

Bye, car! 

FRIDAY (today)
I went to work and we realize that we are homeless, car-less, and stuff-less. Strange...

We said a lot of goodbyes at my office today and this weekend it's the family's turn for farewells.

My sister is giving birth to her twins as I type (she is in Washington) and my mom is flying out to see her tomorrow morning. I am SO jealous!!

Three more days before liftoff!

Sincerely,
the nomads