Never Say Never

The pile of tomato boxes went untouched for the next two weeks. Monday night after my last night of work I was sitting at the table at SurEste Cantina during my “farewell party” when a co-worker (or now “ex” co-worker) asked me if I had started packing yet. “Nope.” I saved it to the very last minute and probably for the sake of my emotions that may have been the best plan all along. Thank God Tracy excitedly agreed to fly down two days early and help with my move because I don’t think I would have gotten it done in time without her. Or at least I wouldn't have slept any the last two nights still trying to get it all organized before my uncle and dad arrived.

Maybe I’m not giving myself enough credit. I did have most of my clothes (actually, almost all of my clothes) packed, and almost all of my kitchen stuff done. In fact I do recall unpacking a few pots and pans and dry food supplies to make my final meal using up the last chicken breast and some frozen vegetables that I had. But the little things like my refrigerator magnets and the random crap you keep in your junk drawer, bathroom rugs, curtains, and last pieces of mail still needed to be packed away. It’s little things that don’t automatically have a place or category that will drive my selectively OCD brain insane!

The few articles of clothing I had left to pack

Because I had run out tomato boxes and packing had subsequently come to a standstill and because I finally got a member of my family to visit me in the South, we decided to take advantage of my last day in V-town and go out to see the sights. Tracy and I classically started out our day with lunch at Chick-fil-a and then I took her to the downtown area full of boutique shops and antique stores. After scoring some cute TOMS and a couple antique finds, I fulfilled her dream of seeing a Hobby Lobby. Then it was to the mall (or “small”) and one last meal at my favorite restaurant, Masatos. By the end of the night, our feet hurt but I was really happy to have Tracy with me. It helped keep my mind off of what was coming and I can look back and think how much I really enjoyed my last day in Valdosta, Georgia.

November 2^nd, we woke up bright and early as I wasted no time throwing final loads in the washing machine, taking curtains and rods down in the bedroom, packing up my toiletries, and preparing for my dad and uncle’s arrival. Right on schedule I had a knock on my door shortly after 11 am and my apartment exploded again with empty tomato boxes.  After giving the boys directions to the designated U-hal pick up site, Tracy and I got right back to work filling up 9 of the 10 boxes dad brought with him. Saving the original boxes turned out to be a life-saver as I re-packed my TV, blu-ray, even my oddly-shaped spice rack. Tracy kept saying how smart I was with my packing and how organized I was with the boxes. By the time they got back with the U-hal trailer, we were pretty much ready to start fillin’ her up.

My chariot!

This side of the room was originally my pile of "stuff going into storage"

And this side originally was my pile of "stuff going into the house"

We had about 4 or 5 bags of trash to take out

Naturally I had my moments. I saved them and a few tears for when I was by myself in my living room in-between walking boxes out when I could discreetly wipe the tears away. My uncle, however, was far too intuitive then I gave him credit for. In one quick moment he comforted and reminded me of all the support I had waiting for me back home. I was very thankful to have him there with us to help pack the U-hal. You could tell he had done this a time or two. By the end of the trip though, you could also tell that him and my dad also bonded a little too well!

Just takin' a quick break

Nah, we really don't have time for that

Really we were getting the couch in.

It was way heavier than it looked.

Thumbs up! My trusty encourager!

Beginning piles...

Bigger piles. Tracy still thumbs up!
My "two separate pile" concept didn't really matter in the end.
The shit just went where it fit.

Almost all out

Just before 3 pm  the pile in my living room that I could have been convinced was not growing any smaller became completely empty and after a short-lived tantrum at the broom, everything was packed away (including the broom) and we were rolling out of the complex. I quickly turned in my keys to the leasing office and we were pointed in the direction of I-75. I appeased dad and followed behind the U-hal going anywhere between 55 and 75 mph. If you know me, you know how much of a challenge this was! 

Annnnd we're off! Our view for the next 6 hours...

This was actually a comfortable position...for about 2 minutes.

Riding buds!

The guitar that Tracy almost flung against the concrete.
At some point it shifted and began to rattle against something driving Tracy mad.

We got as far as Dalton, GA which was my usual stop when I traveled this route by myself. What usually takes me 4 hours to cover took us 6. Not too shabby, considering. The next day the boys left earlier than Tracy and I giving us the freedom to wake up at our pace and, possibly more importantly for me, drive at our own pace. We met up with them in Richmond, KY for lunch and thankfully they said we didn't have to follow them the rest of the way home. It was smooth sailing till right after crossing the Michigan state line when we ran into a parking lot.

What we thought was her infamous construction traffic was really the tail end of a semi-truck accident . Leave it to Larry to point out that we go over 900 miles of driving without a single traffic jam, then cross the state line and BOOM. Larry said we should change the welcome sign to, “Welcome to Michigan, Pure Orange.” Finally after nearly 11 hours of driving, Tracy and I pulled into my parent’s driveway only about 45 minutes ahead of the boys.

Greeting my mom again I said, “I hope you’re okay with your living room exploding with all my stuff!” Sunday we packed the storage locker Randy and I are sharing. I should probably just pay him the entire rent because at least 80% of the square footage is now occupied by my crap. It was like packing the U-hal all over again. Again, I’m so thankful we had my uncle to help us. Speaking of square footage, we used every possible inch of space we had, vertical just as much as horizontal! It still wasn't enough as I made a mildly panicked phone call to Tracy asking if she was sure she didn't want any furniture knowing that my cheap Wal-Mart pieces were not going to make it into storage.

Naynay invasion!

Nothing moved...wonder why.

This was my "Dear God Don't Lose Me" box.
Very important stuff to start my new job with inside. And it wasn't lost! In fact, nothing was.

 Once all of that was settled and stored, it was just my room that was left to move back into. Unpacking my clothes was easy but at one point I just sat down in the back of my closet trying to process all the other random stuff to find a place for. I just don’t want the clutter. I find it extremely easy to part with things I've held onto for so long. Maybe I just have new things to hold onto now. Like my big black clock or my antique-find wreath.

Part of me quietly misses the South. This week would be my normal work week. I miss my charge nurse, I miss my co-workers, and yes, it’s not difficult to say in this 40 degree weather that I miss the heat. Mom said, “Who’s to say you won’t ever be back?” I was the same girl that said I was never moving away from home. Guess I've learned, “never say never.”