The morning of July 5th arrived nice and late. We didn't get up until 8, which was the time we wanted to actually leave.....but after having Soul Bits sucked out by the desolate wasteland known as Nebraska, sleep was necessary. On a delightful note....the towels at the hotel actually resembled towels rather than the barely woven strings that were referred to as towels in Chicago.
Nuurdygirl got in and out of the shower first. Feeling much more human......she stepped out of the bathroom to dry her hair, and discovered the ICKIEST "bug" lounging happily entangled in the carpet fibers. First thinking it was dead.....she looked a little closer. However, it wiggled.
"We need to leave. NOW!" she tells Geekboy
"Why?" he retorts lazily from the bed, still under covers and without eyes even open.
"Bugs. This bug. This bug has exceeded my creepy crawly limit. It looks like a cross between a beetle and a shedding caterpillar, and its GROSS."
So much for the hotel in Cheyenne being much better than Chicago. At least the drive would be shorter......
Longest. Drive. EVAR!
Wyoming is so boring!! We left Cheyenne around 10 (after gas and skipping coffee, again), and reached Evanston to meet up with Jawbreaker and Chickie Babe at 3. But that was the most boring 5 hours. Ok.....Pennsylvania was still longer, but Wyoming is still really boring. The Continental Divide sounds cool....but it really isn't once you have been in a Corolla for 30 hours.
We had lunch in Evanston at JBs .....but more importantly we were next to the greatest store to be found. It had an ARCADE!!!
We left Evanston following Jawbreaker and Chickie Babe (and Molar). But rather than getting back on the interstate, we headed back down a state highway 51 through the Uinta mountains. Poor Nigel the Corolla.......he was already weighed down so very much, and now he was expected to scale the summit at Bald Moutain. Over 10,000 ft high (more than 3100 meters). The car did quite well following Doc the trike.....but there was a point where breathing was a little tricky for Geekboy. Other than the welcome chill in the air, Nuurdygirl noticed nothing. Perhaps being raised only around the corner from the summit made a difference.
We came down the mountains and dropped into the town of Heber. Heber is a quaint little town, with not much to speak of beyond farming and a small "resort" called The Homestead. However, as stop at Maverick gas station yielded a wonderful discovery......Australian Licorice bits. The most wonderful and yummy black and red licorice pieces ever tasted. Not really to be described, but experienced and savoured. It is highly recommended......but sadly has not been located in Washington state. If Jawbreaker or Chickie Babe read this: PLEASE SEND MORE!! :)
We rounded the back of Mount Timpanogos....named for a fabled Ute princess. It was early evening when we happily reached Jawbreaker and Chickie Babes nest in Pleasant Grove. It was a short day of driving overall....even though trememndously dull to start out with. The feeling of being back in a cozy home was very welcome.....and hanging with the folks was welcome and enjoyable.
The evening was spent with laundry running, and an introduction to the most holy of condiments. FRY SAUCE. Utah has some quirks......and fry sauce is one of the best. Every restaurant has it's own version; and while the ingredients of ketchup and mayo are the same....each recipe turns out a little ifferent. They have different consistencies, degrees of tang, some have relish, some have barbeque sauce. But at Sonic Drive In that night.....Geekboy got his first taste and loved it.
Wrap up of driving day 3:
1. The Continental Divide is a bunch of rocks that aren't as cool as the sound
2. It was appropriately H-O-T in the town of Flaming Gorge
3. Evanston has a lingerie shop with an arcade?
4. Breathing is more difficult 2 miles above sea level
5. Ground squirrels don't stand a chance against the wheels of Doc
6. Fry Sauce is the dressing of the Gods
Monday, July 6, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Day 2.....Headed on the Highway
Sleeping until 8am was absolutely delightful after arriving in "gorgeous" East Hazel Crest, IL. The "biker gang" that had been in the parking lot upon our arrival at 2am seemed to have dispersed, and it was pretty quiet upon our exit.
The drive on day 2 was really quite average and boring. We got out of the Chicago-land area before really talking about stopping anywhere. It was late morning when we decided to pull off and get gas and snacks.....and for some reason we picked the exit to Atkinson, IL. When we got off the exit, and the gas station was not immediately visible, we should have had a clue that it was not a good stop. Now....really.....there was nothing wrong with the town. But there we no people around, no businesses, and the gas station (part of the Casey's General Store chain) was in the middle of a fully residential neighborhood. Certainly, it was a nice town.....but it truly looked like the set from a horror flick. Jeepers Creepers comes to mind.
While in Atkinson, we got "homemade donuts" from the case. Now.....no telling which home they were made in....but the brown house on the corner looked like a donut-type of house. The key to which home they came from would have been to find the house with the stack of Crisco tubs....because the donuts were essentially lard-cakes with chocolate frosting. Thank goodness for the Dr Pepper to wash them down!
There was little to write about after Atkinson. We stopped in Omaha for dinner. Nuurdygirl was driving at that point....and while Geekboy slept, she noted to herself how much bigger Council Bluffs, Iowa, is than originally thought. Now, for anyone raised with Mormon history, you would remember that Council Bluffs was the starting point for the Mormon Battalion during the Mexican-American war. Just after Joseph Smith was killed, and Brigham Young became the leader of the Mormon Church, the Mormon Battalion was outfitted in Council Bluffs and marched all the way to San Diego. This battalion was interesting for a few reasons: first, it is the only religious battalion to exist in the United States, as well as being a key factor in many of the land purchased in the southwest area of the country. For Nuurdygirl...this was about the only place of historical interest that we came across. And in 3 minutes, we were through it and into Omaha.
Dinner in Omaha was at Cracker Barrel. Nice to have fairly normal and un-fast food ..... but with Nuurdygirl driving it did take 3 U-turns to get there. Now.....at this point it would make sense to insert a little anecdote about Hostage and his voracious appetite for corn bread....but Hostage deserves his own post. So look for that shortly. What will be said...is that we learned that dumplings are a vegetable. Whatever is listed on the menu, in the list with the vegetable side dishes, instantly gives said item vegetable status....Just ask the Cracker Barrel folk.
The longest part of the day dragged through Nebraska. Iowa seemed pretty long....but Nebraska seemed to stretch nearly as long as Pennsylvania. However, NOTHING was as long as Pennsylvania.
As the night wound down, fireworks started to appear. Being out in the nethers of nowhere, there were not large stadiums or displays. However, the highway was speckled with flashes and whistles from driveways, parks, and yards all along the way. You could see families with children in the drive and parents in lawn chairs enjoying the holiday. Groups of cars and pickup trucks parked at small homes for family gatherings.
Near the end of the day, around 10 pm, we stopped for gas and another drink. This time in Gothenburg, Nebraska. We pulled into the Shell station at exit 212....which looked to be the only place open. Far and away.....the best gas stop EVER! There was one older woman working there, and not another soul in sight. The place was well lit, organized, the bathrooms were clean, and the woman working was the nicest of any employee at any stop the whole way. She must have been near 70....and was sweet as could be. If you are ever in the west part of Nebraska, the Shell station in Gothenburg is highly recommended.
As you may recall, Ohio was rated as the stinkiest state on this trip. It should be noted that Iowa gets an honourable mention for having not only the North Skunk River, but also the South Skunk River. Wyoming tried to play in the game......but even though the instant we crossed the Wyoming border we were welcomed with a fresh skunk stink......it was not even in the running for the stinky title. We may have considered it....but to have yet another skunk so immediately was just taking it too far. Nebraska did get it's own stinky commendation....only because there were patches where it could not be said WHAT the animals were.
We arrived in Cheyenne, Wyoming, at about 1am local time. This capped off a nearly 15 hour day with 962.5 miles of road.
The state of the hotel was far better than near Chicago, and the rest was very welcome. Tomorrow would be another early one, even though shorter in distance and time.
Recap of Day 2 Highlights:
1. Novelty of travel plazas on the highway ended
2. Iowa City (where Nuurdygirl's friend Ben used to teach) is as boring as Ben (Brillo-boy) said
3. Dumplings are equivalent to carrots
4. Hostage has a junk food problem
5. 900 miles is the limit for driving in a day
The drive on day 2 was really quite average and boring. We got out of the Chicago-land area before really talking about stopping anywhere. It was late morning when we decided to pull off and get gas and snacks.....and for some reason we picked the exit to Atkinson, IL. When we got off the exit, and the gas station was not immediately visible, we should have had a clue that it was not a good stop. Now....really.....there was nothing wrong with the town. But there we no people around, no businesses, and the gas station (part of the Casey's General Store chain) was in the middle of a fully residential neighborhood. Certainly, it was a nice town.....but it truly looked like the set from a horror flick. Jeepers Creepers comes to mind.
While in Atkinson, we got "homemade donuts" from the case. Now.....no telling which home they were made in....but the brown house on the corner looked like a donut-type of house. The key to which home they came from would have been to find the house with the stack of Crisco tubs....because the donuts were essentially lard-cakes with chocolate frosting. Thank goodness for the Dr Pepper to wash them down!
There was little to write about after Atkinson. We stopped in Omaha for dinner. Nuurdygirl was driving at that point....and while Geekboy slept, she noted to herself how much bigger Council Bluffs, Iowa, is than originally thought. Now, for anyone raised with Mormon history, you would remember that Council Bluffs was the starting point for the Mormon Battalion during the Mexican-American war. Just after Joseph Smith was killed, and Brigham Young became the leader of the Mormon Church, the Mormon Battalion was outfitted in Council Bluffs and marched all the way to San Diego. This battalion was interesting for a few reasons: first, it is the only religious battalion to exist in the United States, as well as being a key factor in many of the land purchased in the southwest area of the country. For Nuurdygirl...this was about the only place of historical interest that we came across. And in 3 minutes, we were through it and into Omaha.
Dinner in Omaha was at Cracker Barrel. Nice to have fairly normal and un-fast food ..... but with Nuurdygirl driving it did take 3 U-turns to get there. Now.....at this point it would make sense to insert a little anecdote about Hostage and his voracious appetite for corn bread....but Hostage deserves his own post. So look for that shortly. What will be said...is that we learned that dumplings are a vegetable. Whatever is listed on the menu, in the list with the vegetable side dishes, instantly gives said item vegetable status....Just ask the Cracker Barrel folk.
The longest part of the day dragged through Nebraska. Iowa seemed pretty long....but Nebraska seemed to stretch nearly as long as Pennsylvania. However, NOTHING was as long as Pennsylvania.
As the night wound down, fireworks started to appear. Being out in the nethers of nowhere, there were not large stadiums or displays. However, the highway was speckled with flashes and whistles from driveways, parks, and yards all along the way. You could see families with children in the drive and parents in lawn chairs enjoying the holiday. Groups of cars and pickup trucks parked at small homes for family gatherings.
Near the end of the day, around 10 pm, we stopped for gas and another drink. This time in Gothenburg, Nebraska. We pulled into the Shell station at exit 212....which looked to be the only place open. Far and away.....the best gas stop EVER! There was one older woman working there, and not another soul in sight. The place was well lit, organized, the bathrooms were clean, and the woman working was the nicest of any employee at any stop the whole way. She must have been near 70....and was sweet as could be. If you are ever in the west part of Nebraska, the Shell station in Gothenburg is highly recommended.
As you may recall, Ohio was rated as the stinkiest state on this trip. It should be noted that Iowa gets an honourable mention for having not only the North Skunk River, but also the South Skunk River. Wyoming tried to play in the game......but even though the instant we crossed the Wyoming border we were welcomed with a fresh skunk stink......it was not even in the running for the stinky title. We may have considered it....but to have yet another skunk so immediately was just taking it too far. Nebraska did get it's own stinky commendation....only because there were patches where it could not be said WHAT the animals were.
We arrived in Cheyenne, Wyoming, at about 1am local time. This capped off a nearly 15 hour day with 962.5 miles of road.
The state of the hotel was far better than near Chicago, and the rest was very welcome. Tomorrow would be another early one, even though shorter in distance and time.
Recap of Day 2 Highlights:
1. Novelty of travel plazas on the highway ended
2. Iowa City (where Nuurdygirl's friend Ben used to teach) is as boring as Ben (Brillo-boy) said
3. Dumplings are equivalent to carrots
4. Hostage has a junk food problem
5. 900 miles is the limit for driving in a day
Saturday, July 4, 2009
And We Hit the Road.....Sort Of
Today started out with a little more fervor than the previous two. We got up around 7....allotting 2 hours to finish the cleaning, packing up the car, and moving out the large furniture. Funny how this kind of stuff seems to take longer than you think.
The plan had been to get the sofa and the recliner out to the trash early (the dressers were already moved out and/or destroyed). Let me assure you that a small sofa measuring approximately 5'x3'x3'....while small for sitting....is ENORMOUS when the stairs you have to move it down are only 3'2" wide (with a handrail), have a 6-6 stair rise, and a 90 degree turn at the bottom out a door that does not fully open and does not stay open. Once we were fully STUCK at the bottom of the stairs with no hope of bringing the sofa back up or being able to turn it as planned, luck smiled on us.....the downstairs neighbor had to attempt to get out, and thus opened his door. This gave us a few inches to angle the sofa end in his doorway, and get it out to the parking lot. The recliner was slightly less difficult.....at least that is the story. The recliner needed to be moved out in its fully reclined position, which means that if you don't watch what you are doing, the springs and metal workings will most certainly find every finger you wanted to keep attached to your hand. I am sure that at this point the sofa, recliner, large dresser, and coffee table have all found lovely homes and are being jumped on and off of by New Jersey kidlets with love.
One little item to note.....I am sure you are wondering why we didn't have the furniture picked up by anyone. After all, they were all in fine condition right? As it turns out, the thriving metropolis of Toms River does not have any local charity shops such as Salvation Army or Goodwill; and the closest location was 30 miles away and had a delivery/pickup radius of 25 miles. NO CHARITY IN TOMS RIVER!
The week before, Geekboy had talked to the apartment office and arranged for the exit inspection at 9am so we could get on the road at a decent time. We had wanted to get through the inspection by 9:30, be loaded up and out of the parking lot by 9:45, over to the Bivins house by 10:15 for brunch and farewells, and then on the open road by 11. But when the clock rolled over to 9:45 and there was no sign of the apartment office personnel......it gave the impression that our schedule was going to fall apart. As it turns out, they don't really care about an exit inspection. As long as there is not FURNITURE left behind, they call it good. We looked around after loading Nigel the Corolla as full as he could get, and decided that 2 lamps, some cables, and a non-sucking vacuum, certainly did not qualify as "furniture" and could certainly stay put. Eleven AM was the point at which we said: let' just get out of here!
Total items "ditched" in New Jersey:
1. single box full of books
2. suckless vacuum
3. blow up mattress (who needs a bed anyway) and matching pillows
4. TV
5. assorted cables and power cords
6. 2 saucepans (lids made the trip just fine)
7. 2 lamps
8. various pantry items....which I am sure all have a shelf life equivalent to the Twinkie.
The excitement was palpable as we finally pulled away from the apartment building. Mixed emotions of joy and sadness.....but overall a relief to be away and moving forward. Next stop was the lovely home of the Bivins family. Bestest friends, and gracious hosts for brunch and friendly chat before taking on the desolate and unforgiving highway. Yes....BESTest friends.
Just the BEST friends that you don't actually know where they live.
See.....New Jersey (not unlike Washington) has exits on the freeway that are not labeled the same from both North and South. So....as we left Toms River and headed North to Wannamassa, we got on the parkway and took what was the proper exit. Presumably. Ten miles later, we thought different. We were no where near where we needed to be, got back on the parkway going south, and snaked through the holiday traffic to the correct exit. Then proceeded to go past all the other turns we needed, make 3 U-turns, and then find the house.....only 2 hours later than expected. Shawn and Ellen were so amazingly gracious....and we stayed longer than planned. But it was difficult to leave from having such a good time just shooting the bull. It was the perfect moment to remember New Jersey with.
Once we shuffled and sorted the car interior a little better, we were on the Interstate at 2pm. Other than the bit of traffic on the Parkway for people headed to the Jersey Shore for the holiday, traffic was a breeze. Geekboy took the first shift for driving to get us on the right freeway and through the first toll plaza or two....but after about 30 minutes he was beat. That is what happens when you don't sleep much the night before. So Nuurdygirl took the wheel and headed off to Pennsylvania!
At this point.....it would be nice to expound on the amazing sites of the road, the great people we met, and the life-changing experiences we encountered. But really....there was 845 miles of road, 4 travel plazas, a load of trees, 6 toll booths, and 1 flying pet carrier. We successfully mapped out our journey to avoid any attractions or points of interest and every major city. SUCCESS!
Rating of states traveled on driving day 1:
1. Pennsylvania: longest state EVER
2. Ohio: stinkiest state EVER (6 skunks, 1 herd of stinky cows)
3. Indiana: bumpiest state EVER
We made it to the Super 8 in some town just south of Chicago at about 3am on the 4th. The road that leads to the hotel was not so much a road as a path disguised as a dirt driveway. You could see the building and the sign....but it was like you couldn't get there from here. That concept may be a theme for this trip.
In any case.....day one of driving wrapped up with all the pieces and parts still in tact. Nigel was ready for a rest.....and so were we. Another long day was looming.....
The plan had been to get the sofa and the recliner out to the trash early (the dressers were already moved out and/or destroyed). Let me assure you that a small sofa measuring approximately 5'x3'x3'....while small for sitting....is ENORMOUS when the stairs you have to move it down are only 3'2" wide (with a handrail), have a 6-6 stair rise, and a 90 degree turn at the bottom out a door that does not fully open and does not stay open. Once we were fully STUCK at the bottom of the stairs with no hope of bringing the sofa back up or being able to turn it as planned, luck smiled on us.....the downstairs neighbor had to attempt to get out, and thus opened his door. This gave us a few inches to angle the sofa end in his doorway, and get it out to the parking lot. The recliner was slightly less difficult.....at least that is the story. The recliner needed to be moved out in its fully reclined position, which means that if you don't watch what you are doing, the springs and metal workings will most certainly find every finger you wanted to keep attached to your hand. I am sure that at this point the sofa, recliner, large dresser, and coffee table have all found lovely homes and are being jumped on and off of by New Jersey kidlets with love.
One little item to note.....I am sure you are wondering why we didn't have the furniture picked up by anyone. After all, they were all in fine condition right? As it turns out, the thriving metropolis of Toms River does not have any local charity shops such as Salvation Army or Goodwill; and the closest location was 30 miles away and had a delivery/pickup radius of 25 miles. NO CHARITY IN TOMS RIVER!
The week before, Geekboy had talked to the apartment office and arranged for the exit inspection at 9am so we could get on the road at a decent time. We had wanted to get through the inspection by 9:30, be loaded up and out of the parking lot by 9:45, over to the Bivins house by 10:15 for brunch and farewells, and then on the open road by 11. But when the clock rolled over to 9:45 and there was no sign of the apartment office personnel......it gave the impression that our schedule was going to fall apart. As it turns out, they don't really care about an exit inspection. As long as there is not FURNITURE left behind, they call it good. We looked around after loading Nigel the Corolla as full as he could get, and decided that 2 lamps, some cables, and a non-sucking vacuum, certainly did not qualify as "furniture" and could certainly stay put. Eleven AM was the point at which we said: let' just get out of here!
Total items "ditched" in New Jersey:
1. single box full of books
2. suckless vacuum
3. blow up mattress (who needs a bed anyway) and matching pillows
4. TV
5. assorted cables and power cords
6. 2 saucepans (lids made the trip just fine)
7. 2 lamps
8. various pantry items....which I am sure all have a shelf life equivalent to the Twinkie.
The excitement was palpable as we finally pulled away from the apartment building. Mixed emotions of joy and sadness.....but overall a relief to be away and moving forward. Next stop was the lovely home of the Bivins family. Bestest friends, and gracious hosts for brunch and friendly chat before taking on the desolate and unforgiving highway. Yes....BESTest friends.
Just the BEST friends that you don't actually know where they live.
See.....New Jersey (not unlike Washington) has exits on the freeway that are not labeled the same from both North and South. So....as we left Toms River and headed North to Wannamassa, we got on the parkway and took what was the proper exit. Presumably. Ten miles later, we thought different. We were no where near where we needed to be, got back on the parkway going south, and snaked through the holiday traffic to the correct exit. Then proceeded to go past all the other turns we needed, make 3 U-turns, and then find the house.....only 2 hours later than expected. Shawn and Ellen were so amazingly gracious....and we stayed longer than planned. But it was difficult to leave from having such a good time just shooting the bull. It was the perfect moment to remember New Jersey with.
Once we shuffled and sorted the car interior a little better, we were on the Interstate at 2pm. Other than the bit of traffic on the Parkway for people headed to the Jersey Shore for the holiday, traffic was a breeze. Geekboy took the first shift for driving to get us on the right freeway and through the first toll plaza or two....but after about 30 minutes he was beat. That is what happens when you don't sleep much the night before. So Nuurdygirl took the wheel and headed off to Pennsylvania!
At this point.....it would be nice to expound on the amazing sites of the road, the great people we met, and the life-changing experiences we encountered. But really....there was 845 miles of road, 4 travel plazas, a load of trees, 6 toll booths, and 1 flying pet carrier. We successfully mapped out our journey to avoid any attractions or points of interest and every major city. SUCCESS!
Rating of states traveled on driving day 1:
1. Pennsylvania: longest state EVER
2. Ohio: stinkiest state EVER (6 skunks, 1 herd of stinky cows)
3. Indiana: bumpiest state EVER
We made it to the Super 8 in some town just south of Chicago at about 3am on the 4th. The road that leads to the hotel was not so much a road as a path disguised as a dirt driveway. You could see the building and the sign....but it was like you couldn't get there from here. That concept may be a theme for this trip.
In any case.....day one of driving wrapped up with all the pieces and parts still in tact. Nigel was ready for a rest.....and so were we. Another long day was looming.....
Thursday, July 2, 2009
And So it Begins
It seems that the time for the MisAdventures to begin has arrived. However....being candid....the cleaning and the packing make it quite an anti-climactic beginning. Of course it is FANTASTIC.....but "we began our new life with a sponge, the vacuum, and the trash bin at our side" does not really seem like the opening of a great novel.
Nuurdygirl got a late start on the flight. However, prior to the flight leaving late and landing even later, she did get to have quite an interesting talk with her shuttle passenger-partner on the way to the airport. A very nice older gentleman was headed to Alaska on a cruise for the first time in his 80+ years, and his wife was headed to Estonia for a large music festival and to see family. His wife was a refugee from Estonia during the second World War, and they traveled back for the first time in 2000. This year, they spent 10 days together in Chicago where he grew up, and then parted ways....however they will be at the same latitude, just straight through the globe from each other. This is truly another testament to what Chickie Babe often says......separate vacations are vital in a happy marriage. :-)
Back to the late flight....it was late. Late boarding, late take off, holding pattern, late landing, no gate, late de-plane. Overall, nearly 2 hours late. Isn't that exciting and what everyone hopes for? There was not even turbulence to make in interesting!
Not much got done on night one. Burgers and fries for dinner....and then sacking out to try and get enough energy to face day two. Day two was much more engaging than the first. Trips to the trash, boxing up the kitchen, and vacuuming as much as possible. Geekboy did have the largest amount of fun by destroying the large dresser that was going to be too difficult to take down the stairs. Nuurdygirl just got to take the bits down to the trash. But with dressers moved, boxes stacked (and some shipped UPS), and counters wiped.....day two wrapped up pretty well.
Tomorrow will at least start off with much excitement. The apartment inspection is at 9am....and the place is no where near ready to be honest! An early morning with packing up the car, taking out trash, and a last mad dash for cleaning will certainly fill the first couple of hours. Once the inspection is done (and hopefully passed) we head off on the highway. Breakfast with the Bivins's should be a nice way to get going.....and then it's off to East Hazel Crest Illinois just south of Chicago. YAY FOR 800 MILES OF FUN!!
Nuurdygirl got a late start on the flight. However, prior to the flight leaving late and landing even later, she did get to have quite an interesting talk with her shuttle passenger-partner on the way to the airport. A very nice older gentleman was headed to Alaska on a cruise for the first time in his 80+ years, and his wife was headed to Estonia for a large music festival and to see family. His wife was a refugee from Estonia during the second World War, and they traveled back for the first time in 2000. This year, they spent 10 days together in Chicago where he grew up, and then parted ways....however they will be at the same latitude, just straight through the globe from each other. This is truly another testament to what Chickie Babe often says......separate vacations are vital in a happy marriage. :-)
Back to the late flight....it was late. Late boarding, late take off, holding pattern, late landing, no gate, late de-plane. Overall, nearly 2 hours late. Isn't that exciting and what everyone hopes for? There was not even turbulence to make in interesting!
Not much got done on night one. Burgers and fries for dinner....and then sacking out to try and get enough energy to face day two. Day two was much more engaging than the first. Trips to the trash, boxing up the kitchen, and vacuuming as much as possible. Geekboy did have the largest amount of fun by destroying the large dresser that was going to be too difficult to take down the stairs. Nuurdygirl just got to take the bits down to the trash. But with dressers moved, boxes stacked (and some shipped UPS), and counters wiped.....day two wrapped up pretty well.
Tomorrow will at least start off with much excitement. The apartment inspection is at 9am....and the place is no where near ready to be honest! An early morning with packing up the car, taking out trash, and a last mad dash for cleaning will certainly fill the first couple of hours. Once the inspection is done (and hopefully passed) we head off on the highway. Breakfast with the Bivins's should be a nice way to get going.....and then it's off to East Hazel Crest Illinois just south of Chicago. YAY FOR 800 MILES OF FUN!!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Cleaning Out
A great meal is all about the preparation. With a good meal goes a fine wine.
The MisAdventure (I'm thinking that we need to copyright that) begins with the preparation, sadly though there is no fine wine, instead there are boxes a plenty.
For some reason my pack rattery is extreme in it's strangeness. I keep boxes. Boxes for everything and anything I get. Boxes are one thing, but I keep the packing material as well. If you ever need styrofoam, packing cardboard or bubble wrap you know where to come. 
Actually, forget the bubble wrap, that's all popped and of no use to anyone, unless of course you just want a tattered plastic sheet (which incidentally is not red and does not have the words "Tension Sheet" emblazoned upon it in large white lettering)
Actually, forget the bubble wrap, that's all popped and of no use to anyone, unless of course you just want a tattered plastic sheet (which incidentally is not red and does not have the words "Tension Sheet" emblazoned upon it in large white lettering)I struggled and struggled with choosing which of these boxes I could keep and which could be thrown away. It was a major challenge. Amazingly, all of these fit in a single closet. I think that it was bigger on the inside than it was on the outside.
Luckily for me I has some assistance in the sorting of what to keep and what to throw. Decisions were well thought out and final choices were made. The boxes and various packing contents were put into piles for keeping or discarding during a sad lonely trek to the dumpster (skip) .
As you can see, the easily identifiable piles are clearly marked, the packing materials are nicely bagged and the boxes themselves either placed within another to provide the absolute fewest trips to the disposal receptacle
.
.Finally things were disposed of in the correct manner with just a couple of boxes kept aside to pack fragile and smaller items.
Another step forward.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Communication Plans.....DONE
OK.....I think we have reached all the communication points we can before actually hitting the road. Just to catch everyone up....below is all the info on how to follow us or see what we are up to!
Of course....you already have this blog: http://geekboyandnuurdygirl.blogspot.com/
Google Map of our route:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=108281692532045770365.00046a8b7b8d600c725d4&z=3
Twitter:
Nuurdygirl
Thanks for all of the great suggestions of scavenger items! Keep em coming!
While all of this contact and "follow us" info is being put up under the guise of keeping in touch and making it fun....I am going to let you in on a little secret: I am doing this so that if the car dies in the middle of nowhere....one of you will know where to send to tow truck. :-)
SMOOCHES!
Nuurdygirl
Of course....you already have this blog: http://geekboyandnuurdygirl.blogspot.com/
Google Map of our route:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=108281692532045770365.00046a8b7b8d600c725d4&z=3
Twitter:
Nuurdygirl
Thanks for all of the great suggestions of scavenger items! Keep em coming!
While all of this contact and "follow us" info is being put up under the guise of keeping in touch and making it fun....I am going to let you in on a little secret: I am doing this so that if the car dies in the middle of nowhere....one of you will know where to send to tow truck. :-)
SMOOCHES!
Nuurdygirl
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Counting Down The Days
We know how hard it can be to keep track of time. Everyone has a hectic schedule. I don't know what day of the week that it is most of the time.
Worry no more!
I have added a countdown clock on the top right of the blog. It's a nice easy way to find out just when those Geekboy and Nuurdygirl MisAdventures are going to begin.
~GB
Worry no more!
I have added a countdown clock on the top right of the blog. It's a nice easy way to find out just when those Geekboy and Nuurdygirl MisAdventures are going to begin.
~GB
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