The Family Letter A little of what’s going on with me, some ranting, and more!

Catching Up

Boxes left to unpack: 16.  All books.  That's intentional, because some books may very well go to live at my work office this assignment rather than my home office.  So I'm not unboxing anything before I'm sure.  I'll probably open them all today and  label them "home" and "work," then I can begin unpacking the home stuff over the next few days.  Those boxes are all well hidden, so as long as I don't go into the guest bedroom closet I can live in happy denial!

Oh, and there are a few misc boxes that I brought from the last place via car that I keep forgetting about.

Bottom line, though, is that unless I feel totally compelled to touch boxes today, I ain't doing anything move-in related.  I really, really, really need to get on that treadmill or one of the ellipticals in the gym downstairs, I've been without PT for over a week[1].

I just don't want to unpack anything.  Period.  I got clothing out of a dresser today, not a bag or box.  I pulled cereal from a shelf, and a bowl from another shelf.  My ABUs are clean and presentable.  There's nothing that has to happen today.

So aside from exercise in some form, I think I need to explore...  Perhaps Red Rock Canyon, since it is close.  And maybe the North Vegas Airport, to inquire about flying lessons.

I did get paid today, despite some concern on my part over the lack of any April LES[2]. There still is no LES...  So I'm left guessing what I get paid now.  It changed because I receive my BAH now[3], rather than having it go to the housing office.  So I'll have to wait two more weeks to find out what my income will be, and compare that with expenses.  Overall though, I think I can afford some flying, and still save money, etc, etc.

Okay, back to... Not unpacking!

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1. In part due to fatigue, in part to the schedule, and in part due to my trapezius hurting again. [<--]
2. Leave and Earnings Statement.  Pay stub.  Visible online a week before the pay hits, usually. [<--]
3. Basic Allowance for Housing [<--]

Moving Day

In all the years I've read the comic PCSing I've never run across a strip detailing the process of moving in.  I think it might make a good series.  The time spent in TLF, followed by the signing of the lease, the apartment changing the move in date[1], the movers showing up and unloading, not wanting to unpack and reassemble furniture[2] and, of course, the missing items.

So far I've been lucky.  Things have broken in transit to and from Hawaii, but nothing has been missing.  But that was an overseas move, where everything goes in crates for weeks on end, so breakage is more likely, but it is harder to lose stuff.  This time everything went on a truck at my place of origin, then was offloaded into a warehouse, and then back onto another truck.  Fortunately that truck is the one coming today, minimizing loss.  And, I believe, mine is the first delivery after leaving Oklahoma, so that minimizes the chance something of mine was unloaded into someone else's house.

So... Hopefully everything will be there.  I won't end up with a desk with three legs, no sofa, or TV.  Or a broken TV.

We shall see.  I hope everything is there and intact, 'cause the whole claims process can be a pain.

At any rate... Today's moving day part two.  Half my stuff from TLF is in the car already, and I only have a bit more to go.  In an hour (or less) I'll head over to the front desk, check out and pay, and then make my way to the apartment.  I'll grab some bagels and coffee on the way for the apartment staff and the movers...  I'm open to creative suggestions for lunch, they've already said they get too much pizza.

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1. Not their fault, the previous residents moved out late. [<--]
2. Not true in my case, either, these guys are awesome, and the driver's already said he'll handle all that over the phone! [<--]

Things Are Moving Forward

...pun intended.

Okay, so I'm in Las Vegas, in temporary lodging.  Thankfully only for two more nights, 'cause I think either the cat or I will go slightly nuts if it were longer.  I was resigned to spending a few nights on an air mattress, but it looks like my luck changed.

I got a call the other day from the moving firm.  They had run into a quandary.  The driver would arrive in the Vegas area late Friday or early Saturday.  He had to be in California on Monday or Tuesday.  So they were going to unload into a warehouse here, then deliver my stuff next week.  The problem was, the warehouse was closed on Saturday.  So, would you mind terribly if we just dropped the stuff off at your place, direct?

Um.  Gosh.  What a bother.  Well...  I suppose.

Heck yes!  Deliver away!

So, barring any issues, I may sleep in my new apartment on my own bed on Saturday night.  Providing, of course, the driver left time to reassemble my beds.  That's part of the deal, but if he's on a really tight schedule.  Perhaps I'll offer to help with that.  I might forgo some unpacking, too, though my preference is to have everything unloaded, unpacked, and the boxes taken away.  Maybe they can send someone out on Monday to do some of it, too.  I'll inquire.

Today I took it easy in the morning, and did some laundry, then headed over to the BX for a haircut, shopping[1], and lunch.  From there to Target for a few more things, and then the apartment.  They weren't expecting me, but reacted gracefully, and wrote up my lease, got me a storage area[2], and a new move-in-cost-sheet.  I popped over to a grocery store for the money order and... Done!  I have a place to live!

They even went as far as to allow me to use the storage locker right away, which comes as a huge relief.  The car, to put it mildly, was a cluttered mess, and chock full of stuff.  I moved 99.9% of that into the storage locker and secured it, so the car is mostly now free of clutter and available for use.  I just have a few things left here to load and take over on Saturday.

That took awhile, one box at a time, but I got it done, then went shopping for a few "luxuries," like a better shower head for the master bathroom.  I came across an L&L Hawaiian BBQ place, so brought some Hawaiian back to lodging for dinner.  Yum.

And now... Time to wrap up blogging and see what else needs done.  Maybe a walk.

But I tell you... Having the movers and the apartment all lined up... Definitely a good thing.  The car cleaned out, a great bonus.

Who knows, maybe tomorrow I'll play tourist!

Night!

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1. There were a few things I didn't bring, like an automatic feeder, litter box, etc, for the cat, and a phone for the new place. [<--]
2. A "cage" style unit inside the apartment building. [<--]

Spoiled Rotten

The cat and I make quite the pair on this trip... Apparently we're both spoiled.  I know I spoil her, normally.  Lately I've had to keep reminding myself that though she's a member of my family in spirit, she's still just an animal.  So if she's unhappy riding around in the back of my car or being locked in the hotel bathroom overnight... Tough.  She'll live, and I need my sleep.[1]

Back to the spoiled part...  It cost me an additional $75 just to have the cat in the room with me overnight.  Someone at church suggested just opening her carrier, setting out some food and water, putting a litter box on the floor, and leaving her in the car overnight.

I just couldn't do it...  I mean, what if someone broke into the car?  Or heard her crying and called the ASPCA!  So, no, I spoiled the cat.

And myself...  Last night I intended to stop at a Subway for a sandwich on the way to the hotel, eating it once I checked in.  Inexpensive, filling, all good.  Then I discovered that the Subway in question, along with most of the nearby restaurants, was in the middle of a police standoff.  Yes, you heard that right.  A whole section just east of my hotel was completely blocked off while police tried to serve a warrant on a gang member.[2]

So I went straight to the hotel, checked in, unloaded what I needed, what the cat needed, and the cat.  And realized my blood sugar was low, fatigue was high, and...  Ordered room service.  That was the most expensive hamburger I've eaten in a while, but so worth it.

And right now I'm having fresh fruit over yogurt over granola... Also room service.  Also way overpriced.  And you know what... I don't care.  After the drive, the whiny cat... A little "spoiled" goes a long way.

In a bit we hit the road again, but rather than going all the way to Vegas, I decided to stop in Flagstaff.  That's less than five hours, which will be nice.  I will, however, be detouring through Painted Desert / Petrified Forest parks.  They can be driven through, rather than needing to park and hike.  So I don't have to worry about the cat frying in the car, and I can still see some neat stuff I've heard about since I was a kid!

Okay, back to my overpriced granola.

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1. She started off in the kennel in the hotel, looking out over the balcony and the pool.  As soon as I went to bed... MEOW.  MEOW.  MRRRROOOOOOW!  So she went into the bathroom where it was muffled enough to let me sleep. [<--]
2. Someone said to me a month ago, "If you're staying in Albuquerque, chose well, there's a lot of gang activity there."  Pish, I thought, if I chose a reputable hotel near the interstate, how bad could it be.  Remind me to put a hold on thoughts like that in the future, please. [<--]