I just finished the Hunger games trilogy. Starting the first one on Monday night was a huge mistake. Even after that long exhausting day I stayed up too late to finish the book. Then I read book 2 last night, finishing it up this evening at dinner. And anyone who's read that book knows that the minute you read the last page you have to read the first page of the third book immediately. So I ordered it up on kindle at 10 and just finished it. When I read like this, when I'm so tired and my eyes hurt and I have to work all day and drive back to Austin tomorrow night and then begin our big move early Friday morning, I think I have some small glimpse at what it must be like for people with more dangerous addictions- the drug and alcohol dependencies I don't understand. Mine is a relatively harmless one of course, but I know I need sleep. Know I will curse myself as soon as I finally turn out the light. Know I will curse myself more in the morning and JP will yell at me for not getting more sleep while I was away. And yet I can't stop. I turned out the light twice only to switch it back on and read just a few more pages. At least it was only a trilogy of fast YA reads...
Today was a rather rotten day. My job is still awesome. Unmitigatingly awesome. The SEC seems different from a lot of other agencies... it's pretty fast paced, initiative is strongly encouraged, everyone there is relatively young, super smart, and loves their job. People smile all the time and talk excitedly about their matters in the hallways. I have missed that so much.
But on the move front the day was a mess. I spent 70 minutes caught in zoo traffic, apparently due to a combination of Spring Break and "half price day," while trying to get to the new house for the cable installation so that JP can have internet right away to work from home. The current owners very nicely arranged for me to have access to the house from 1-3 when the cable company could come out, even though we don't actually close until tomorrow, because the next available install date wasn't for weeks (due to the cable company's crazy policy of not allowing me to schedule installation until the current user has canceled, so even though I called weeks ago, they wouldn't schedule me until yesterday). The owners called to warn me that the electricity have been inadvertently turned off a day early, so I called Cable Co to ask if installation could still go forward. They said it could. I called again to ask another person, just to make sure, and they again assured me installation could proceed. While stuck in the horrible traffic that made me spent an hour to go the final 1.5 miles, I got a call from my lender. For some technical reason that should have been foreseen, we can't close on the house tomorrow as planned. I very nearly start to cry. Then I get to the house, FINALLY, and the installation guy tells me immediately that he can't install anything without electricity and the next available appointment is on the 28th. I have now wasted nearly an hour and a half and all that has been accomplished is a lot of frustration, wasted gas, and the knowledge that we might not be able to move in on Friday.
I get back to the office and after a lot of phone calls, it looks like we can close Friday morning from Austin. A notary will come to our house in the morning and I'll drive the originals to Fort Worth as soon as they're signed. JP will supervise the rest of the move and meet me with the kids and Tex in Fort Worth a few hours later. Hopefully funding will happen by 5 p.m. and we'll have the keys before the moving van arrives. I can't even contemplate the alternative.
Cable co is coming back out tomorrow at 1. Electricity is supposed to be turned on by midnight but no one will tell me when or make any estimates. There's no Saturday installation so if we can't get it installed tomorrow, JP can't work from home on Monday.
Between Mockingjay and today's move-related stress, at least I should fall asleep quickly- a rarity for me and a hotel room. I can't wait to be home- wherever that is for the next few days, and back with JP and the kids. The kids because I miss them so terribly it hurts, and JP because he'll hit my arm if I stay up too late reading. Lights out.
Fugs & Pieces, November 22, 2024
14 minutes ago
Oh my goodness. That is a rotten day. I'm stuck in the closing limbo, tool... We were supposed to close tomorrow, but now it looks like it will be Friday. We're moving within the same city, from an apartment to a house, and it's just the two of us. So, it's not nearly as your stressful as your situation, but I still feel your pain. Isn't it the worst when it's completely out of your hands? *sigh* Good luck with everything getting done on time!
ReplyDelete(And I did the same thing with those books - just could not put them down!)
I had a crappy day yesterday, too, involving similar hijinks with our impending move (Fed Ex just . . . didn't deliver a high priority package. Didn't call to tell me it was lost, wouldn't track it down for me, didn't even apologize . . . totally messed with our home financing, as it was a down payment being sent to a bank.) Ugh. Today WILL be better.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I read this and thought of your RRA! Not that you need any more reading right now, but I thought it would make you chuckle!
http://jezebel.com/5893121/ladies-are-hiding-some-pretty-dirty-stuff-in-their-nooks
UGH, so stressful! We had a nightmare closing situation with our first house. It was awful. I hope by Saturday it's just an awful memory and you and JP are drinking champagne by the pool!
ReplyDeleteHang in there! If our movers don't show up today (they didn't call last night), I might just die. OK, maybe I won't. But I'll have a fainting spell.
ReplyDeleteOh dear... :( I'm a faithful reader but I must have missed a post - what happened to Rosie?? You've only mentioned Tex in 2 posts now.
ReplyDeleteCan JP buy a sprint card? work at starbucks? breathe sweetie. and i love hunger games.
ReplyDeleteTHAT ZOO TRAFFIC!!!! We have lived near DFW airport for AGES and have been caught in that traffic on more than one occasion. It's the worst. If I lived there, I would probably have those days posted on my fridge just to avoid the area.
ReplyDeleteHope the closing gets back on track as well as the utility hookups. The best laid plans often have to be scrapped. "Flexibility is the key to air power." Moving horror stories are almost as good as labor and delivery stories AND can be told in mixed company!
Take care,
Ann
I read the hunger games like that too. obsessive! when i finally went to sleep, i dreamt of the arena. fantastic books
ReplyDeleteOh, my. So glad you read The Hunger Games but, yeah, maybe not the best week to do so. ;) The stories themselves are stressful/emotionally draining, I think!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, wishing you a better day today, and a very successful week ahead - hope all goes smoothly from here!!
Closing on a house and trying to move in a set amount of time (it always seems to be an extremely short amount of time) is never fun. You seem to somehow get through anything and everything and I greatly admire you for that. I wish I could handle things as well as you do.
ReplyDeleteWhen we bought our house a few years ago, the seller gave us an extra set of keys so that we could move in, in case the funds didn't go through in time. I am not sure if that is something the sellers would be willing to consider, but its worth a shot.
At least today has a great shot of being better than the day before (that is what I usually tell myself)
My sister and I had the bright idea to go to the zoo a few spring breaks ago, not knowing that such a thing as free zoo day existed. I lost a few hours of my life on I-30 that day and feel your pain.
ReplyDeleteI too was curious about Rosie, and I too am obsessed with the Hunger Games. I am going in full costume as a citizen of the Capital at midnight next week. I'm 32. What? ;)
ReplyDeleteHere's my interest board for my costume:
http://pinterest.com/milestoneangie/hunger-games-movie-opening-costume/
I really need to put this in a post because I think I've left the same comment for the last 10 days, but I'm so glad people are concerned about our Rosie girl :). And no worries- she has a new mom and is very happy and VERY spoiled. I wrote more details in some comments in "About Me" and a few other posts.
Delete(And the Hunger Games books are freaking amazing, I can't stop thinking about them. They'll be re-read immediately.)
I forced myself to space out reading the books themselves, but I read each one in one sitting and paid the price the next day, too. SO GOOD!
ReplyDeleteI hope the move goes well and the set-ups go smoothly and on time.
Yay, Hunger Games! Seriously amazing books, I've reread the series like twice already. And I'm soooo excited about the movie, I actually watched the Red Carpet coverage from the premiere. I don't know what's wrong with me, but I've gone total fangirl.
ReplyDeleteHope your week gets better!