Random details of life while I begin the journey to move to and live in Brasilia.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Moving out of Chicago
My actual last weekend in Chicago is going to be so busy and full that I am moving my belongings out of Chicago a weekend early then coming back Sunday night for work on Monday.
Throughout the last few months, I have been halfheartedly packing and setting things in piles for either Brazil, Dayton (my sister's), or Sandusky (my parents). This week I needed to spend the evening hours going through everything making sure it was in the right pile and adding everything else I owned to one pile or the other.
I am picking up the Budget truck at 9am on Saturday June 23rd and I have the movers booked for 12pm.
Kerri
Kerri is planning to come over to the apartment in the afternoon on Friday to help me make sure everything is packed and organized to be loaded for either Dayton or Sandusky.
Friday June 22nd - I leave work at 4:30 and traffic sucks, so I don't get home until a little after 5pm. Kerri has been at the apartment since 4pm but forgot her keys so is hanging out waiting for me. I get home and we go upstairs. I have been telling Kerri all week how most is done and it's just moving the stuff we need to do, Kerri laughs when she walks in and sees how much there actually still is left to do.
We start going through a few things and packing a few clothes. I mention how I wanted to have those vacuum seal bags so I wouldn't have to repack when I got back to Sandusky. Kerri says, "let's just get them now then." Smart girl that Kerri. We look up prices and then head to Bed Bath and Beyond to buy stuff.
Of course I walk out with more than just vacuum seal bags but it's all good.
We go back to the apartment and start packing and sorting.
Holy Moly do I have a lot of stuff!!
We ordered Jimmy John's since they deliver and are "freaky fast."
We enjoyed dinner and wine and Kerri began going over all of the things we have done in the 12+ years we have known each other. I think her goal was to make me cry.
At one point, she played this song and I got SLIGHTLY teary but was good. She however was bawling often throughout the night. This is not the video she played but I enjoyed it.
My bedroom became the area for all things going to Sandusky and Brazil, so those items would be loaded first by the movers.
MY BED dismantled
Going to Brazil minus the oven roaster
I really love my bed!!
I am going to miss my bed sooo much. Thankfully, I am still able to enjoy it while visiting my parents.
Everything going to Dayton was arranged in the living room/ kitchen area and would be loaded last into the truck. This is what it looked like Friday night/ Saturday morning.
The bar, the couch, the roll top desk
Molly is claiming them
This is an amazing apartment
Finally, fell asleep about 2 am and for the last time slept on my mattress in Chicago.
Saturday June 23rd - I woke up at 7:15 and took a shower quickly. I needed to get on the blue line by 7:45, so I was hurrying through the morning and out the door.
I was meeting Katie for breakfast at 8am. Who is Katie O you ask? Katie has been working at EAB for the past year and is going to be my mentor for the next year. She happened to be in town this weekend only, so she could celebrate with her sister and was willing to meet me that early on Saturday morning so we could meet up and talk.
We met at the Windy City Cafe and had good food and very attentive service. We talked about what life will be like and how I will be adjusting to life in Brazil and work at EAB. It was AWESOME.
I left Katie about 9am to go pick up the truck about 5 blocks away.
Budget Truck!!
I walked into the Budget office and was waiting for them to get done with the customer in front of me. When it was my turn, she looked up my reservation then asked for my credit card and license. She entered some information into the computer then looked at me and said this card is expired. No she wasn't talking about my credit card but my driver's license. I said I know then said oh right, you can't rent me a truck. She confirmed that, we talked for a few moments, and then she asked if someone else could come pick up the truck. I called Kerri and she came over for me. YAY!!
Kerri drove the truck back to my apartment and then we drove to the bank in her car so I could get cash out for the movers.
We headed back to the apartment and got ready for the movers. We needed to put the plastic wrap around my bed and finish up a few more things. It was just about 11am.
The movers called at 11:30 and said they were here if I was ready for them. I said come on up.
The loaded all of my stuff in just under the 2 hours I had reserved them. The could have finished earlier, but they took breaks every once in awhile since they had the 2 hours either way.
My bed all packed in the back of the truck.
The desk and the bar
My life in a truck
Only a few clothes left in the closet
It looks so small
They left and then I made a sweep through the apartment to make sure I had everything. Since this is what my room looked like I figured I was good.
Kerri and I said goodbye, she headed home, and I hopped in the massive truck to drive the 6 hours to Dayton, Ohio.
The drive was pretty boring. It was just me in the truck listening to music. It was definitely an experience to get used to, so I didn't really feel comfortable calling people on my hands free device while driving that truck.
Pat and Nora
I got to Dayton about 8pm and it was still light out, which was great since half the truck needed to be emptied.
When I pulled up, my mother attempted to direct my parking this massive truck and then my future brother-in-law came out and guided me to avoid hitting the garage.
Surprise! My sister and her fiance were in town and stayed to see me and help unpack
We unloaded the first set of stuff and then hung out together. We had Katy - owner of the house, Nora, Pat, my mom, Tania - sister-in-law, Tatianna, Therese, Matthew, and later that night Molly - old roommate and Katy's current roommate.
Nora and Tania made dinner and someone made some amazing stuffed mushrooms. The kids bounded around the house and Molly got them signing "We are Family." It was fantastic.
Safely in Dayton
The girls carried anything which gave them an excuse
Ok we finally went to bed and the next morning got up to drive up to Sandusky - not Meghan since I wasn't a valid driver - and unpack everything there else there.
Mom drove the truck and the girls and Tania drove her, Matthew, and I.
We left Dayton about 7am as we wanted to get to 10:30 mass in Sandusky. Mom and the girls made it on time and Tania, Matthew, and I were only 10 minutes late.
We went to Berardi's after for breakfast and then the crew got to work. Somehow the crew consisted of me and then two girls playing on the truck ramp. HMMMM suggestion - don't buy your crew food BEFORE they do the work.
After cajoling and begging, the crew came out and within an hour we had everything out of the truck and my bed put back together in the Brazil room.
My stuff out of the truck and in the foyer!
My bed put together in the Brazil room
Matthew helping make the bed
So in 1998, when my brother decided to marry Tania, he painted his bedroom blue and painted the Brazilian flag on it. It became the Brazil room. Ironically, this was where all of my furniture and extra stuff was going to be placed/stored while I lived in Brazil!!
Those black bins are my luggage going to Brazil
My Bed
My Bedroom set
ICK!!! I was moved in back in Sandusky and feeling pretty gross from all the moving. I took a much needed shower and a nap. Then headed back to Chicago for my last week of school and Chicago living.
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