Wren's Migration
Hi! Nice to see you! This is a timeline of my move from Maryland to Arizona. Pretty soon I'll have a photo album for you to view, too. Enjoy!
JULY 1999:
Started guitar lessons
JULY 2000:
Was so frustrated by trying to learn bar chords on a wide necked classical that
I considered quitting. Was saved by seeing a gorgeous Takamine acoustic-electric at the music store. Fell in love. Bought it!
AUGUST 2000:
Was so inspired by the Takamine that I started reading up on guitars, first via
the Web, and then started a library of guitar books. Became ENTHRALLED by guitars!
SEPTEMBER 2000:
Learned a little about luthiers and guitar techs and decided to find out how to
become a luthier, and then how to work as a guitar tech. Searched the Web for
a school or course for guitar making. Located a school in Phoenix that teaches
guitar making. Wrote for a brochure.
OCTOBER 2000:
Received brochure from guitar making school and was very impressed! Decided to
visit in the Spring.
NOVEMBER 2000:
Requested 10 vacation days from work.
Purchased plane tickets for an April trip to Phoenix. Also decided to go apartment hunting while there, so I started viewing apartment websites. Also
found the forum for Phoenix at About.com, which proved to be invaluable!! (Thanks, Judy and my Phellow Phoenicians and Phoenician Wannabes!)
MARCH 2001:
Narrowed down my apartment search to 4 complexes. Contacted a family friend who lived in Phoenix, who offered to drive me around to see the school and the apartments. Also made arrangements to spend a night with my cousin in Tucson.
Made other necessary travel plans that hadn't already been made.
APRIL 2001:
Boarded the plane to Phoenix, and enjoyed the 5 hour flight. At that point, the airline was still serving meals!! LOVED flying over Camelback mountain as we landed. Was struck by the beautiful mountains and palm trees and wide, clean streets. All stress instantly melted away. Had a very pleasant visit, and was very reluctant to leave. All the stress returned the instant I set foot on Maryland soil.
MAY 2001:
Sent a letter to my first choice apt complex, letting them know I'd be interested in an apt for Oct 1st. Started contacting movers and investigating
different options for the car (sell it and buy new in AZ? trade in? include in move? ship separately?). I opted to ship it. It was $700.00 cheaper than including it on the moving van! Also investigated how to move the cat (Betsy). Looked into shipping her through a pet travel agency ($600.00), then found out she could travel with me as carry on in the cabin of the plane for $75.00! Selected the second option!!
JUNE 2001:
Started collecting/buying boxes and trashing/keeping/giving away all stuff. My only regret is that I did not sort through my china, but I think I'll be able to sell it in a garage sale someday soon.
JULY 2001:
Contacted the movers, and the estimator came over (they do not look at a load more than 60 days in advance). The estimator also gave me the name and number of the car shipper. Submitted a lease application to my first choice apt complex (I had picked up an application in April) along with the cashier's checks they required. Started packing up non essentials, and numbered all boxes. I kept a master list with the contents of each box (sure helped with unpacking!!). Bought my plane tickets, with a stop at my brother's on Sept 27th, then on to AZ on Oct 1st. Celebrated my 40th birthday!
AUGUST 2001:
Gave notice to vacate my apt. Also gave notice at work. Packing became on-going and eternal.
SEPTEMBER 2001:
4th: Got my new apartment number. Had a great time on the computer making up new address labels!
5th: Got all my connect/disconnect phone calls made.
14th: Had my last day of work. My co-workers gave me a delicious meat platter for lunch, along with cards and well wishes.
15th: My family threw me a "good riddance" party!
18th: Was sorry to have my last guitar lesson. Promised my teacher I would build a guitar for him!
21st: Packers arrived 1 1/2 hrs late, and had the nerve to ask for a tip! Continued to pack and wait to find out exactly what day the car shipper and the movers would arrive to load up.
25th: Finally heard from the movers and shipper that they would BOTH be arriving the next day! My nails had long since been bitten down to the nub.
26th: Movers turned up around 11:00 a.m.. Actually, only the driver showed up. Later, the owner of the local moving company appeared. The 3 of us emptied the apartment and loaded up the truck. I was unable to leave the apartment because I was waiting for the car shipper to call back and tell me where to meet him to load up my car. My neighborhood street was too small for him to drive his truck on. The movers left at 5:00 p.m., and the car shipper called at 5:30. My parents arrived at 5:45, and on our way to dinner, we took their car and mine, met the car shipper, and watched him load my car onto the trailer. Had a nice final Maryland dinner at Bob Evan's, then went home, inflated my air mattress, turned on my clock radio, and dozed off.
27th (THE DAY): 10:00 a.m. eastern: Parents arrived and helped me throw out remaining trash, load their car with a couple of boxes, watch the apt while I walked to the office to turn in my keys, assist me with giving Betsy her sedative and put her in her cat carrier, and help me carry my bags to the cab.
Cab arrives at 11:45. Bid adieu to parents, and leave for the airport. We arrive at 12:15 p.m.. I take my bags (1 backpack, 1 fannypack, large suitcase on wheels, and Betsy in her carrier) and get in line at the ticket counter. Not at all a long wait! I check the big suitcase, get the seat assignment, and head for the gate. We get through security quickly, and sit at the gate and wait for the flight to board at 2:50 p.m.. Since there is no food service on the flight, I eat the snacks I brought.
The flight arrives on time in Columbus, and we head to the gate for our connecting flight to Chicago. We wait 1 1/2 hours for a flight attendant for our flight (small 50-seater plane). We finally leave, arriving in Chicago at approximately 7:30 p.m. central (8:30 eastern). We arrive at my brother's house around 8:15 p.m., and have some dinner and chat with my brother. I slept in their finished basement "suite", where Betsy made her home (they have other animals and thought it best that Betsy remain there for the duration). It was a really nice visit: fun to see my brother, sis-in-law, niece, and nephew! My nephew would rush down to the basement whenever he was sure I wasn't there and play with Betsy for hours on end. They're crazy about each other! He declared that Betsy should stay right there with him and not move to Phoenix with me! I took some cute pictures of them; I hope they came out well. They'll be in the photo album if they're good. It was SUPERB to get a break from boxes and empty apartments, air mattresses, and excruciatingly vague and annoying phone calls from car shippers and movers who can't get their stuff together enough to deliver the goods when promised and insist on chaining me to my phone for days on end!!!
OCTOBER 1st:
We leave for the airport at 7:15 a.m. to catch the 10:20 flight to Phoenix. All went well. The movie was "Evolution"; a VERRY strange movie, even for someone like me who loves Science Fiction! We land in Phoenix 20 minutes early, at 12:00 noon (3:00 eastern). I was planning on grabbing a bite at the Burger King in my terminal, where I ate in April, but my gate must have been further down the concourse, and I was too tired to hunt around for it. We headed directly to baggage claim. After about a half hour, our flight's bags hit the carousel, and I grabbed mine and walked and walked and walked to the taxi stand, getting my first taste of the Arizona air. It was about 90'. It had been 50' in Chicago. I had no room in my bag for my jacket, so I tied it around my waist. We waited about 20 minutes for our cab to come (I had thought they'd be all lined up, and I'd just climb into the one first in line, but they weren't. They were summoned by an airport employee), then set off for HOME!
It was close to 2:00 when we arrived home, I guess because of the waits at baggage claim and at the taxi stand. The women at the leasing office were happy to see us, and let me take Betsy to the apartment, then come back to sign the lease.
OCTOBER 2nd:
With Betsy in good shape, I relaxed. I called my online pal, K, and she offered to take me "anywhere", so I said, "the grocery store?" She said, "Sure!" and she meant it! The next night, we were laughing and giggling as we headed to the grocery store! I called to find out when the movers would come, and learned it would be October 3rd.
OCTOBER 3rd:
The car shipper called, lost again, but managed to make his way to me that evening, delivering the car right to my door, in fine shape!
A few minutes later, the mover called. I had been waiting, again, for his call all day. He said he had gotten to the office, but he thought the crew was TOO DRUNK to unload my things today, especially since it would be dark by the time they arrived, but he'd come in the early a.m..
OCTOBER 4th:
The mover really did arrive, and I hope my photos came out! So far, I have not found any breakage. I was even able to charge the move, but of course there was an extra fee for that. Couldn't help it. I had to charge it; the movers wouldn't give me an exact figure!
OCTOBER 14th (TODAY):
Here I sit in my new place, all dressed up, enjoying civilized living again, thinking civilized thoughts like: "got to register my car and job hunt", and "How's K doing?", and now and then, through the fatigue, I'll celebrate: I did it!!! 2400 miles, and I'm here, with Betsy, despite the terrorist attacks, lousy movers, flying transcontinental; all the things that could have gone SERIOUSLY wrong, but didn't! And now I can chase that dream!
Wren
Visit
Wren & Betsy In Chicago & Chandler:
My photo album of the journey!
Table of Contents
|