23 May – morning. Thought I would get this all caught up before I began my day. NO! I am not all unpacked and settled in although it is getting there – slowly. But a quick catchup for the rest of last week.

On Wednesday I spent the day waiting for the Goodwill truck to come and get the furniture and some other things I did not move from the apartment. I had actually intended it go to the women’s shelter, but they could not get a truck out in time. That is ok – mixed among all the things I told the packers to NOT pack are plenty of things for the shelter – the ladies will have all sorts of good things to use to start their new homes.

Wednesday afternoon was just unpacking more stuff. Having the garage arranged helps a lot. At least it is no longer so overwhelming and I can see that it will get unpacked – this year even.
Thursday and Friday unpacked and got some pictures on the wall. Today (Monday) I am going to concentrate on that rather than unpacking – once they are up off the floor, it will be easier to get around and put stuff away. Tomorrow is arrange the den/office so I can actually use it as a den/office instead of junk/storage for pictures.

These movers – they packed so many unnecessary things – but they did not take the files from my filing cabinet – the one I had asked Dana to pack a few days before. I do not even know how they lifted it and carried it downstairs – it is solid wood and with all that paper – WOW. They placed it so far back on the wall I have had to run an extension cord so I can plug in my shredder and my printer.

Remember, I told you how the movers assured me they were good packers – obviously their British English does not define good the way we do.

I opened one box – oh my gosh – I almost cried at what I saw. My mom had an antique, crystal bowl with flowers and now I have it – the flowers of course are not antique and not real! It was sitting on a bookcase in the second bedroom – the bedroom Rob, my boarder, uses. There were no books left in the bookcases, because we had packed all those. The movers threw some heavy stuff in the bottom of a big box, took the flowers out of the bowl for some reason known only to them – I will never guess what it is – if any of you figure it out please let me know – they threw the flowers into the box – then threw more HEAVY stuff on top of them. Before closing the box they threw – ok, I will give them the benefit of the doubt, they put the crystal bowl on top. How it did not break I do not know – a higher power than I was protecting it. It probably has no real monetary value, but it was my Mom’s!

When I opened the box and saw the empty crystal bowl with not so much as a piece of paper around it, I was upset enough. Then as I waded down through the jumble of stuff – some of which was trash by the time it got to my house, I saw the flowers, squashed to about an inch thick. I cried! I got them out and fluffed them up and they are coming back – although there are some holes in the back which I will have to keep hidden. Most of the rest of the stuff in that particular box had been left unpacked because it was going to the shelter. So it is repacked, in much better packing shape, waiting for me to finish unpacking so I can call the truck to come and get it.

Then I opened another box, marked kitchen. It was mostly empty – except along the bottom, neatly lined up, was all the glassware from the top shelf of my glass cupboard – and no – nothing, even my missing crystal wine glass, was wrapped. Not so much as a shred of paper. I have pictures, but I forgot to check the settings on the camera and they did not come out well enough to post.

I sent an email to the movers – they refused it. I sent another one, with no pictures. They refused it again. So next I will mail a letter to the BBB and send them a copy. The pictures are good enough for that.

Then came Friday. Nothing exciting during the day – just more unpacking and getting settled in. Still have not found the rest of my clothes – I am not sure where they packed them. That goodness, I had already carried my hanging stuff over here – well actually Joe and Rob carried it over while I tried – notice I said – tried to keep track of the movers. Obviously I did not do a very good job.

My grandson came over as he does on the weekends when his dad is here – he said he did not feel well, felt like he might vomit. I told him to go to the bathroom. His dad told him to go to the bathroom. He said again, he might vomit and again we told him to go to the bathroom. About that time, vomit he did – RED Gatorade mixed with whatever he has been eating. All over my light tan carpet!

Once Dylan was settled into the shower, Joe did his best to get it out – but red does not come out. I called Stanley Steamer and they came out on Sat, but they just shook their head – they cleaned it, and some of it faded, but it is still pinkish – not even a pretty pinkish. I have one more idea and if that does not work, I guess it is an area rug until I can afford to replace it. Down the line I planned on replacing most of the carpet with wood anyway, but not at this time!
Now it is Monday and I think I am recovered from the 48 hour bug I had all weekend – fever even, which is not usual for me. I did not even make it to church yesterday – another unusual – but I ached in places I did not even know I had. I still am not sure I really have them, or that someone else’s body was trying to take over mine. The fever broke a little after midnight, and although I am pretty weak feeling, (maybe lack of food for the better part of two days has something to do with that) I am up and ready to get started on my day. Well – maybe I will just take a little nap first! See you all later.