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September 5, 2004

Disorder in the House...

From Michelle, in lovely Rotterdam...

Whilst in the midst of The Move from New Jersey to Rotterdam, the Netherlands, I kept a little journal of all the things sent to, um, try my patience...and my sanity...

Read on for my Diary of a Wacky Writer on the Move...

Picture this: Oh Patient One, my husband, left New Jersey at the beginning of June to take up his new job in Rotterdam. Teenager #2 is happily ensconced in the North of England with my family for an extended summer vacation. Remaining in our NJ home are just Teenager #1 and I. With a move to arrange...

Piece of cake, I think to myself. I've moved continent on my own before along with all my worldly goods. I am an experienced mover, I can do this, I am organized. Yay for me!

PACKING DAY ONE

2 a.m. In the morning. On account of not being able to sleep. Possibly also due to impending feeling of doom and gloom that something is about to go wrong...

Packers arrive in approximately 6 hours to begin, um, packing.

Over past few weeks I have thrown out large quantities of black trash bags filled to brim with all unnecessary, useless, unwanted stuff. I'm on top of this. I am totally in control, yes I am...

...Actually, am a bit trepidatious because the packers say that this process will take four whole days. FOUR. WHOLE. DAYS. See, when we first moved here 6 years ago it only took packers 2 days to pack our stuff at the other end. So, and this is the really trepidatious part of the whole thing: does this mean that I have acquired twice as much stuff?

Scary thoughts about how will possibly fit 2x stuff into smaller Rotterdam apartment...

I dismiss all scary thoughts and tell self that I am organized, Ohm, yes indeed I am. I will stop worrying needlessly. Instead, I will move on to next job on list: place all important documents in flight bag so that packers do not pack them. When I say important documents, I mean stuff like birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc., which is fine because I know exactly where they are. We've kept them in the same place for years...

4 a.m.

Cannot find birth/marriage certificates. Anywhere. I have searched every possible place three times. Possibly Oh Patient One took them back to Europe with him? Better send him quick email...

Oh Patient One does not have birth/marriage certificates. He thinks they are in the box with all the photos...

5 a.m.

Nope, not in box with all photos...Will search all obvious and not-so obvious places again...

6.30 a.m.

As I sit down in front of the computer to type another frantic e-mail to Oh Patient One, I have an epiphany moment. The computer desk cupboard is only place in entire house that I have so far not searched. Certificates should not under any circumstances be in there, but it wouldn't hurt to have a quick look...

Oh.

It is at this point that I remember that we put the certificates in here 6 years ago when we moved in...

PACKING DAY THREE

9 a.m.

Teenager #1 flew out to London this morning. Although I smile at the airport, I shed more than a tear or two on the way home because she is, in effect, leaving home.

It is just me on my own today. Plus the packers and the electrician. The electrician because he's coming to hardwire my fire alarms. Hardwiring alarms because is Town rule that I cannot sell house without hardwired fire alarms. This is a good thing, because I am a safety kind of gal! Just wish electrician could have come sooner...

All is going v. well with packing...

11 a.m.

Odd Job Man has cleared basement and attic of all junk/old furniture. It is now sitting at the end of my driveway in a tidy heap. I worry that the Town will get antsy about the amont of junk I have for today's collection, Odd Job Man tells me not to worry, he knows what he's doing, and heads off to another mysterious job...

2 p.m.

Public Works Department is very unhappy that I have so much trash to collect and tell me that I have to hire a dumpster to remove excess trash myself.

I call Odd Job Man and explain to his voicemail that (a) Town is unhappy, (b) I am also very unhappy due to stress and lack of sleep, and (c) I have paid him many $$$ to remove all the trash for me. So why is it still sitting at the end of my driveway?

4.00 p.m.

Electrician has just cut hole in kitchen ceiling. The same kitchen ceiling that I recently had repaired and repainted, due to previous leak from second floor toilet, which I also had fixed. He assures me that all holes in walls and ceilings are necessary for rewiring process, not to worry, because he also assures me that he will fix all holes and clean up mess. Ohm, I will not stress about this.

4.15 p.m.

Disaster has struck. There is another leak from the upstairs bathroom. I know this because water is streaming out of the hole that the electrician has just cut in the ceiling...

Oh Patient One calls me from Rotterdam to see how I am doing, and I burst into tears. It is our wedding anniversary. Oh Patient One makes reassuring noises down phone, tells me he loves me, and will make up for all stress as soon as I arrive in Rotterdam. Feel a bit better, actually.

Suspect packers are sorry for me, because they take it in turns to pat me on shoulder and tell me not to worry...

4.45 p.m.

Emergency plumber arrives. Suspect he is feeling very sorry for me, too, because he and his assistant keep patting me on shoulder and telling me not to worry. Old pipe is reason for leak (possibly pipe also disturbed by electrician) and will cost $$$ to fix. At this stage, I am so grateful that it can be fixed that I hand over my credit card with barely a whimper.

7.30 p.m.

Happy anniversary to me, I think, as I tuck into my Chinese takeout and a nice glass of Shiraz. My baby left home today. I have a pile of junk at the bottom of the sidewalk. I have a leaking ceiling. I have a house full of boxes and cartons, and I also have a broken screen door. Still haven't heard from Odd Job Man.

7.45 p.m.

Odd Job Man arrives. Suspect he feels sorry for me, too, because he keeps patting me on shoulder and telling me not to worry. He will sort out all junk, no worries. He also fixes screen door for me!

PACKING DAY FOUR

4 p.m.

House is completely empty. Is also vacuumed, and as clean as I can get it in the time frame left to me.

Bathroom leak is fixed.

Still have junk at bottom of sidewalk, but less today, which is an improvement.

Still have holes in walls and ceilings on account of electrician not being able to come back to day and fix, but wonderful Real Estate Agent is dealing with all outstanding problems for me. I leave a list with her, leave checks with her, and finally, hand over keys. Love the lovely Real Estate Agent!

Have many emotional moment as very good friend drives me to airport. Despite all stresses of the past few days, I am sooo going to miss America.

DAY ONE IN ROTTERDAM

When I boarded the plane yesterday evening in New Jersey, it was 85 degrees. It is aproximately 50 degrees in the Netherlands this morning, and is gray and raining.

Am very sad and a bit depressed at leaving the States.

But as I walk through to the arrivals hall, I see Oh Patient One waiting for me.

He smiles, and I feel instantly better.

Back soon with Red Tape and Slagroom!

Hugs,

Michelle :-)

Posted by Michelle at 8:04 AM | Comments (1)

Comments

Posted by: Lani at September 5, 2004 9:00 PM