Sunday, April 02, 2006
Moving part 2 and part 3

*Happy Birthday, little brother!

I wish I could be there today. I love you! *



It's 4:30 P.M. and I couldn't be more stressed out.

We're taking a short break from moving. I have 6 friends in the kitchen eating a lunch of Breadrolls with Mette (raw meat) and smoking up a storm. I thought I'd escape from the chaos for a moment to type out a quick entry. I'm sitting indian style on the hardwood floor in our nearly empty livingroom. My body is sore.. my arms ache from lugging boxes.

So far our big moving day has been a series of errors and mild tragedies.

1. Our friend, Jeanette tells us last minute that we can not borrow her van to transport our boxes to the dock to be shipped to America. She has to use her van for work.

Which means we have now have to rent a moving van tomorrow in order to make it to the dock before the ship leaves. We have to travel to a town 3 hours from here. It's Sunday, so everything is closed.

2. Our friend, M. accidentally smashed into our friend, Bastians car when he was pulling in to park in front of our house. Bastian has a fancy sports car and was freaking out. He just bought this car two months ago...

3. THEN I set the kitchen on fire! I threw a few breadrolls in the oven for our guests.. I was called into the other room and I twisted the knob without looking. Then I exited the room. Instead of turning on the oven, I turned the knob for the stove top. There were papers piled up and they all went up in flame. Eric smelled it quickly and put out the fire before our entire house burnt down.

4. We're putting our belongings onto the curb and I had this hope of people coming to take our television, our stereo... It would go to new owners and I would see everyone stroll off happy.

no such luck, It just started to pour rain... I'm watching all our belongings get soaked and destroyed in the down pour.

Things are breaking, Friends are tripping, everywhere I turn I'm crashing into someone.. Everyone is hectic, or sad, or exhausted...

and we have only about 1/3rd of our belongings on the curb. It's going to be a LONG NIGHT.

C'est la Vie.

Yes, I snapped a few photos. Naturally, I have no time to upload and post them. I'll add the images to this entry tomorrow when I have a free moment again.

I have to return to the kitchen. Wish me luck.


NEW UPDATE - 7:35 A.M.

I felt disoriented when I woke up this morning. I stared up at the ceiling in confusion. I knew I was in my livingroom, but at first I thought I had fallen asleep on the sofa. Then I gazed around and saw that I was on the crappy guest bed mattress on the floor...with Eric sleeping beside me.

The entire room was empty.

I heard a terrible loud crunching and screeching sound coming from the street. It resonated through our flat and I made a face.

"What is that NOISE?"

But let me backtrack...

Things have improved since my last update yesterday afternoon.

The sun emerged from behind the dark clouds, Our friend Peter. called up his parents and asked them if we could borrow their van for our move. They agreed and showed up with an S.U.V. , It is significantly smaller than the last van. But it can fit the majority of our boxes. That saved us a lot of stress.

We called the girl that wanted to buy our bed last month. We told her "You can pick it up today"

"Oh I don't want it anymore", She said "My parents bought me a new bed at IKEA"

Great....

So we gave our 500 Euro bed to our good friend, K. He was so happy. He was sleeping on an old pull-out bed and couldn't afford a new one. His relatives came, disassembled it and lugged it away. I watched our bed exit the flat. We lost some money by waiting to sell our bed until the last minute instead of last month, but K's excited expression was priceless. I know it means a lot to him. The bed is going in good hands.

Slowly everything began to empty out and disappear...





and end up in boxes on the street...

Our friends were amazing, They pulled everything out. The combined man-power made things move a lot faster. People came in and took some things out of our flat. Here is a man removing our Washing machine...


"Thanks so much", he said before heading down the stairs with it. "I've been going to the laundromat for 3 years because I couldn't afford a washing machine of my own. This is really great!"

I felt good and wistful at the same time. There was another happy story though...

We have a cabinet that is filled with fancy glasses. They were handed down to Eric from his mother, who handed it down to him from her father. Some of the glasses date back to the early 1920's and worth a lot. We couldn't take it all with us... there was no space in the van.


So it all ended up in box to be put on the curb. I know that was painful for Eric...He could remember visiting his grandfather during his childhood and using those glasses. His Grandfather pulled them out for special occasions. All this history was going to end up in the trash.


But only 10 minutes later.. an older woman wandered over and peered in the box


"Oh my goodness...", she whispered, carefully lifting the glasses and peering at them "Oh my goodness...these are so beautiful..oh...oh...", She started piling them in her arms excitedly. Than she eventually just strolled away gleefully with the entire box. She looked as though she had won the lottery. I knew those glasses would be put to good use...

I excitedly ran upstairs and showed Eric this photo. He smiled.

We finished moving at 10 P.M. and called it a night. We were exhausted. We hugged our friends goodbye and thanked them for all their help. Then we crashed...

Now I'm lying on this mattress...and listening to the loud destructive sounds on the street...

"What is that noise??"

Eric blinked open his eyes "They're picking up our trash. Their is a huge trash compactor that is eating up all our belongings with it's metal teeth..."

"I want to see.."

"It's better if you don't. You put some of your paintings out there..you might feel sad."

We just lay there together, listening.

"Most of the good stuff has probably been removed by our neighbors", Eric said.

Which is probably true. At one point there was a huge crowd of people pulling our tapes, television, electronics and belongings out of the boxes. It was free for all. What was left was most likely really only trash.

Now we have to take a shower and pack up our remaining boxes in the van.

There it is. Everything we have left in the world. We have a long ride ahead of us...

Then we have to return to this flat. We have to begin clean the floors, walls and windows.

Tomorrow at 7 p.m. our landlord is coming to take the keys.

and that's...it.

*****

Thanks everyone that has left caring comments, encouraging words and shared their own experiences from moving. That was really comforting and appreciated. I can't respond to everyone personally right now because I have to log off. This is a hectic crazy point in my life.

But I just want you to know how much that means to me. Thank you.

*****



 
posted by Clarity25 at 10:45 AM |


26 Comments:


At April 02, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

Time to slow down, girlie... just breathe.

At April 02, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

Good Luck Ms. Clarity. It can only get better, right?

At April 02, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

well about the oven catching fire, that makes two of us. i was cooking some porkchops for hubby and decided to heat up some cheesy bread but while the oven was heating up it somehow caught on fire. i freaked out and screamed for hubby and he just laughed it off thinking i was joking but i go nooo come quick bring the fire estinguisher. i was freaking out cuz i thought the whole freakin oven was gonna blow up even though i soon as i saw the fire i turned the oven button off and ran. i kept shaking afterwards, i have this fear of fires ever since my parents house burned down. it was our fault, i had made some meatloaf and i asked hubby to take it out a couple of days ago and when he did he dropped grease onto the oven but i hadn't noticed it cuz i hadn't used the oven since then until today and in a hurry a just shoved the tray with bread into there and i'm guessing it caught fire or something. unless there was something the very bottom of the oven but even right now, i havent looked. i dont think i'ma be using my oven for a while... sorry for the long story anyways hope things look better for you in the coming days. :) it can't rain forever right?

At April 02, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

God, reading about moving sends shivers down my spine. There are very few things that I'd do less willingly, and I mean very few.

Luckily enough for me, here in Korea moving can be quite simple. For about $400 you can hire a company to come to your place, pack everything up, transport it to the new pad, and set everything up (including hanging up the clothes, putting the pictures on the walls, and putting the dishes & silverware away). Then, they clean the place. Takes about 6 hours, and it was by far the best money I've ever spent.

At April 02, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

Good luck, Clarity! You're almost done!

At April 03, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

Sorry to hear you're having such a crappy time moving. Moving always sucks it seems. I'm not sure if you're going to have internet for a while but I hope things cheered up for you guys. Be careful! :)

At April 03, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

Hi Clarity. I know exactly what you're going through. Moving from my parent's to mine and M's house that we'd bought wasn't TOO bad but the move before that was awful. I'd split up with my boyfriend who I'd lived with for 2 years, we were still best friends but 1 month after we split we had to move, him back to Eastbourne (South coast) and me to Manchester (North West). Not only was it awful packing up and throwing away stuff we'd collected together and saying goodbye to the little cottage we'd moved into with such high hopes but it was like finally saying goodbye to a relationship we'd thought was for good. When his parent's car drove off down the road I went back into the empty house and cried for an hour. Bloody awful. You have my sympathy! But hey, awful as it is things will get better and there'll come a day when you both smile about this. It might be a while off but it will come. Love Vicola

At April 03, 2006, Blogger Mike B 

I was touched by the glassware comment. My Partnerin has a few pieces of silver and glassware that were handed down from her grandparents and great-grandparents, which given the mid-20th century history of the country is no small feat. If we ever move away from Germany, they will come with us, because the attachment is really there, not to the things, but to the people from where they came and I know she would miss it (the connection).

Good luck on the other side.

At April 03, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

YOU THREW OUT YOUR PAINTINGS?!?

*sad Tenshi* :(

At April 03, 2006, Blogger Stacia 

I'm sorry this is so hard. At least it's not because Eric and you are splitting up, it's because you're starting a new adventure in your life together. My move is coming up in June, but that's only half way across the country (and the NAVY will pay for it).

At April 03, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

I just can't imagine how painful it is to give up some of your beautiful things...but you are so wonderful to give to people that obviously really need it. You two are so strong and I know everything will be looking up soon once all this chaos is over..take care.
Lisa

At April 03, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

Hope your move went well and you can realx tonight. You put so many things on the curb, I would have totally taken your stereo, mine is broken. (But I am not home right now.) I moved nearly every year in the past 7 years and everytime I minimized my belongings. But it is always hard to give things away that have a special history.
By the way, 3Bubbles doesn`t work on my computer, my messages do not show up. (Maybe it is because of my Mac?)Have a good week.

At April 03, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

Geez, I can't believe you have to get rid of so much! I'm so sentimental about things that it would probably kill me to put so many beloved items on the curb. ;) But they are just possessions, after all. And it's good to lighten to load you carry through life once in a while. When you and Eric finally have a home of your own, you can collect all the useless garbage you want! And then your grandchildren can curse you for being packrats. ;)

At April 03, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

Hope your move went well and you can relax tonight. You put so much on the curb, I would have totally taken your stereo, mine is broken.... I moved nearly every year in the past seven years and every time I minimized my belongings. But it is always hard to give away things that have a special history.
By the way, 3bubbles is still not working on my computer, my messages don`t show up. (Maybe because it is a mac?). Have a great and less stressfull week.

At April 03, 2006, Blogger Kathleen 

Clarity, moving sucks ass. I moved one year ago - just up the stairs, but unlike you my friends didn't turn out in force to help. I had one friend come for an hour before he had to go to work. And literally that was it. I finally called my cousin in tears and he came over and helped me (along with my male neighbor) get my bedroom set up the stairs. I am planning on never moving again.

*hugs*

At April 03, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

I know it must be awful having to put all of your stuff out like that, but at least you know that some of it went to people who will really appreciate it. Hang in there!

At April 03, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

Wow. I think the word is CATHARSIS!

At April 03, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

Thank you for continuing to tell us what's going on. You are in my thoughts.

At April 03, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

I can't imagine what it was like to leave all your belongings on the curb like that. I guess they don't have yard/street sales in Germany? Too bad, you could have made some extra dough. But at least the horror of moving day is over, right? I do not heart moving.

At April 03, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

Wow... This entry broke my heart in so many good and bad ways.

I'm sorry you had to throw out so much stuff but there's a Universal law that says that the old stuff has to go out so the new things can come in.

Somehow, words fail to me in this moment. All I can tell you is that I send you much, much love and positive vibes. I care a lot about you both and wish only for your happiness... Big disco ball hugs and much, much love! =0) This will pass, too.

At April 03, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

Oh man..I would have been so all over the stemware! I have a thing for shiny sparkly glasses like that!

At April 04, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

Just sayin' hi. Sorry you had to part with so many things with so many emotional attachments to them, but the stories of where they went - onward those things go.

At April 04, 2006, Blogger Nightmare 

Clar-Bear...You have an amazing journey ahead of you. I hope you can keep track of that light at the end of the tunnel. It'll be there even if you can't see it, just remember that moving isn't losing it is just relocating. With technology the way it is nowadays it is a lot easier then when I moved away from everyone and everything I knew...all I had was a payphone, and the advent of calling cards....

So keep a smile on your face and just remember that you will always have your journal to kick start the memories, sights and smells of a wonderful 2 years.

At April 04, 2006, Blogger warcrygirl 

Oy, the stress! I'm feeling it with you. Bon Voyage!

At April 05, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous 

I hope the final stages of the move went smoothly. It's hard leaving somewhere that feels like home.
Good luck over the next few weeks!
xx

At April 05, 2006, Blogger candoor 

I wish the best of good fortune to both of you (deep breaths and look forward to the day you can laugh at everything again :)



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