Getting things settled

Today is my last full day of work until after the July 4th holiday. I only work until noon tomorrow, and then I'm free for nearly three weeks. I cannot wait.

Granted, taking two weeks of my allotted yearly vacation time to move isn't the ideal way to spend the time. BUT... it's making me feel much more in control and relaxed about the whole moving process. I have two weeks to devote myself to cleaning and throwing shit out, packing up boxes, moving what we can down to the house by ourselves, and then finishing everything off on June 30th.

We've spent the last couple weekends almost exclusively down in Providence. Erich's been tackling the mowing (now under control, save a few areas that we need to get an edger to get into). I've done tons of laundry, and helped pick up branches and stuff to get it out of Erich's way. The house doesn't feel like it's ours, though. Probably because it's empty, and not renovated. I feel like I'm going over to care for the house of an aunt who has gone away on extended holiday overseas.

The flooring guys had a cancellation on the job they had scheduled ahead of ours, so they've started working on the floors. I drove down on Monday to let them in, and gave them the extra set of keys. At this point, we're not worried if they have them. There's nothing in the house of value, AND... once they're done with the flooring, we'll be going to change the locks (we're still using the old set) in preparation for our move.

I have to say, though, that I had a wonderful surprise as I watched them pull up the first carpets on Monday. I saw the area that they have to replace (that we knew about before buying the house). I also saw the gorgeous wood that's on the floors next to it. When they were originally laid, it was done with a lot of time and care-- we have essentially one big parquet square in the dining room and one big square in the living room. All of the boards are placed in a pattern to square inward toward the center. Interestingly, though, the area where we need to reboard suggests that it was originally straight-boarded and will look just fine if we do that again. (and it will be cheaper to do that instead).

The floors in the dining and living rooms are a warm honey maple. They're darker upstairs, and a bit lighter in the Florida room. I didn't see all of the floors on Monday, but since then the company has pulled up everything and has done some of the sanding upstairs.

I seriously cannot. wait. I'll see them Saturday, and will be bringing the camera. Because having looked again at our original viewing of the house, it's amazing to me how perspective of those photos has already shifted. :) I think it's been very handy to have the photos to compare the before, during, and after shots.

Amazingly, this move is coming together just fine. All of our utilities are squared away at the new house. Basic stuff is already up and running-- electricity, water, sewer, and heating oil. The cable company is coming out the last week of June to hook up our phone, digitial cable, and high-speed internet. The flooring guys are at work. Our new kitchen appliances arrive on Saturday. And the movers are booked and scheduled to arrive on the morning of the 30th.

There's one little problem in the plan, and that's Jury Duty on the 28th. But it's county jury duty, and as of now, I'm on Standby status. There's a chance (however slight) that I might not have to show up at all. And if I do have to report, there's a good chance that I can explain that I am, in fact, moving out of state in two days, and therefore will become ineligible. (I'll be bringing a copy of our sales paperwork and my paystubs, which are already going to the house, as proof). But eh, I'll deal. I hope to have a very good deal of the packing done by next Friday anyway.

In two weeks from today, we move into the house. Our. House.

How long, I wonder, until that idea really sinks in.

I'm betting as I wake up on July 1st in a new bedroom.