Thursday, December 3, 2009

A Moving Pictorial And The Degrees of Fragility

Today I'll a few photos from the last couple of days before the moving truck arrives and we start the (happy, tiring, overwhelming, invigorating) unloading process.

Speaking of the moving truck, I had posted on Facebook yesterday a question about whether or not it was appropriate to tip movers and if so, how much. Among the very helpful responses I got was one from my big brother, Tim, which made me laugh out loud. (Which is kind of a startling thing to do early in the morning.)

He wrote, "I've heard that if you push them really hard when they are not looking you have a pretty good chance of tipping them. Much like cows."

Thanks for the laugh, Tim!

Okay. Photos. Now.


On Monday we ate our last family meal in our Smithfield home.




We had lasagna from the leftovers I froze after the wonderful ladies from the church cooked for our family last week.

We also had "cheese rounds," which are simply leftover refrigerated biscuits that didn't get eaten up the first time around. I throw them into the freezer for a rainy day (or a moving day) and then thaw them, slice them, butter them, sprinkle them with garlic salt, add a little cheddar (or you can leave the cheddar off, Sue) and broil a couple minutes. Simple and yummy. And a great use of leftovers.

After dinner, Sarah and I (and Snowy) climbed into our big bed for our last night of reading in Smithfield.




And speaking of "lasts, here's Snowy in my last picture of him in the house.


Nathan and Meagan during an "almost last" picture on Thanksgiving Day.



Steve said a last good-bye to a radio controlled airplane he built and flew years ago.





And I said a last good bye to a songwriting trophy I won a long time ago at a national songwriting conference. Both the plane and the trophy went to the curb with the trash. (And don't ask me why I have such a strange expression on my face because I don't know.)



(Note: The trophy was for second place in a sub category of songwriting so it wasn't terribly near and dear to me. In 2000, when I won Grand Prize for songwriting--across all categories-- I received a trophy that I will never get rid of. It was such an honor for me to win something like on a national level.)

But I digress. Back to moving we go . . .

The morning that the movers arrived, I decided to go ahead and bake a frozen pizza since sliced pizza in baggies is easier to transport than a big ol' pizza in a box. Sarah happened to come downstairs about then and I said, "Sarah, since it's our last morning here, would you like pizza for breakfast?"

Can you guess her answer?





Okay. Your assignment at this very moment is to gaze at the following photos and be thankful you're not in the middle of a move!












Also be thankful that you didn't slice your finger like I did while using the Big Macho Businesslike Tape Dispenser. I usually used the more feminine and genteel dispenser . . .





. . . but alas, at the moment of the finger slicing, the Big Macho Businesslike Tape Dispenser was the only one around.





Nothing like packing a hundred boxes with a finger that hurts and keeps bursting out into bounteous bleeding at any given moment. I kept on putting on Band-aids and they kept falling off. I was a pitiful little ol' Mangled Moving Mama.





I had to laugh when I saw this box. We had instructed Sarah to clearly mark anything that was fragile; she obviously decided to deem this box as "slightly fragile." Nothing like a writer to concentrate on the degrees of fragility contained in the packing of boxes.





And a few more . . .





















Outside the house, waiting to pull away for the last time.









And finally, this is is the sight that greeted us when we went to our house yesterday afternoon (between naps and doses of Tylenol) to move a few things in that we had brought in our van and car. The wonderful people in our church strike again!




I love this photo since it shows a reflection in the glass of the three people who will be doing the memory making!


Later on, I'll be posting pictures and stories from a new home and a new chapter of life.


_________________________

Comments and Questions:

Michelle, thanks for the compliment about the highlights in my hair. Nothing like a nice thick mustache to bring out a lady's hair color. And yes, I did have a recent hair cut; thanks for noticing.

Also, Ann asked if our new church has a website. No they don't but we would like to get one going soon.

Thanks for stopping by!

13 Had Something To Say (Just click here!):

Anonymous said...

Glad the moving is going as well as moving can be expected to go. Inquiring minds (at least mine does!) want to know: For what song did you win the top award?

Jan (Toledo)

Anonymous said...

What a nice note to welcome you to your new home!

I'm excited for you! Unpacking and arranging is the best part of moving!

Traci
Hunker, PA

Anonymous said...

What is on Sarah's Christmas list this year?

lesley said...

Awww-I wonder what Snowy is thinking?

Lysa said...

Pizza for breakfast! You are a cool mom indeed!!! Can't wait to see "first pictures" of the inside of the house and the beginnings of new memories. Your church members are so thoughtful. Little things like that note taped to the door mean so much.
Praying today is a productive day for you!
Lysa, in SC

Anonymous said...

Wise decision on that second place trophy: It doesn't look like there was any spare space in the moving van for it!

Great sign... hope unpacking will be one of the good "new memories".

mrs pam

MaryH said...

I love the stark contrast between the empty house in Smithfield and Sarah's expression in the car then to the reflection of the three of you with the wonderful note on the door of your new home. Those two tell the entire story - however, I loved all the photos inbetween. "Slightly Fragile" - that made me smile - I don't think that was all about the contents of the box but the contents of all your hearts on those days of leaving. Isn't it such a relief that part is complete?

Lisa said...

Blessings to you this day and believing that this is the beginning of a wonderful new chapter in your life. The Best Is Yet To Come!

Hugs,
Lisa

Anonymous said...

I check in with you daily, thought you need to know we have *exactly* the same dinner plates as you, so obviously you have great taste!

Wish I could mail over a box of boundless energy for the days ahead, you are taking on a massive task with such grace, best wishes.

Jean C.
St. Louis, MO

Anonymous said...

Thinking of you as you start the process of unpacking and finding new places for your treasures in your new home.

I'm so glad that we may actually stay in place for the next 4+ years! We are going to do some purging over Christmas break now that our moving days are close to an end.

Prayers and hugs,
Connie F-G

Anonymous said...

I have checked in but haven't had a chance to comment for awhile! I am glad for you that the packing part is done...but I am a little sad that the Smiths are out of Smithfield!
I will be thinking of you and the endless boxes that need unpacked. I am having a problem just getting the energy to get the Christmas stuff out of the boxes sitting next to me in my family room!
Luck and energy to you....

Lynie

Anonymous said...

I just found your blog through the Blog Frog community and wanted to say hi. Your new house is beautiful!

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