| . | Diary of an Address Change |
 30-Day
NoticeFirst writing in a month and not because of nothing new going on. quite the contrary. There was, of course, the annual "March Madness" where Rubio clan comes together to celebrate many birthdays. The biggest thing that happened had nothing to do with me. Then again, it prompted me to do something I had not anticipated doing again in this life. I am moving. After years of mismanagement by the company that owns the Delta Pines Apartments I now live in, the recent firing of yet another manager tells me it's time to live elsewhere. So for the last four weeks I've been doing the prep work and hoop jumping necessary to plan a move within HUD. As April begins, I thought I would document the day-to-day events until my first posting from my new residence. As of today I have 30 days to get out of this apartment. turned in the last of my paperwork to the housing office and can now focus solely on packing things up. My bookshelves are very nearly empty. The cupboards are next task list and with Molly's help, these should be done by the weekend. the biggest chunk of the process is complete and I'm finally at ease that the move is actually going to happen. There is still a little stress that won't go away until I'm holding the keys to the new apartment, but things are coming together wonderfully. April 3, 2008 |
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29-Day Notice - Today was planned as a rest day spent going fishing but ended up with neither fishing nor rest. My bus was so late I would've had time to say "hi" to the water and then turn back around for the bus ride home. So I never left the bus and spent over 90 minutes sight seeing complete with all the discomfort and pain sitting still does to me. So in the evening, I made sure to get something done with packing. Today it was the "extra" cups and glasses and some more ceramic items. April 4, 2008 |
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28-Day Notice - Empty Drawers Today I emptied out various drawers around the place. My desk drawers are empty and the kitchen is missing most of the utensils I cook with. I also packed all the extra dishes from another cupboard in the kitchen. Slowly, but surely, the job is getting done. April 5, 2008 |
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27,
26-Day Notice - Less Room, More Living Well, it didn't take long for me to miss a day of posting. But I swear I did some packing yesterday as well. Today, it was into the closet and collecting all the hamster caging I have throughout the apartment. Had a visit from long-time friend Ray Llewellyn this afternoon so the boxes on the left were done in the morning. It was wonderful seeing my old friend and we spent a few hours catching up. Late today I received a call from the Housing Authority letting me know that the inspection of my new place will be on Wednesday at 1pm. This will truly be the last hurdle before my worries are gone about this move. If I understand correctly, I will be signing a lease on the spot if the move is approved. April 7, 2008 |
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 25-Day Notice -
OOPSFinally, something broken that wasn't my body! I've got the closet so empty now that I can use the shelves to hold boxes. Unfortunately, while putting one of the boxes in, I fumbled a bit and knocked the hammer off the wall which proceeded to hit one of the lights and send glass and powder onto the floor. I've packed a few more boxes and am stopping for now. Tomorrow is the day the lease gets approved and signed or I panic to find somewhere to live in the next 3 weeks. Of course, I'm not thinking of anything other than a positive outcome tomorrow and coming home to start taking the "comfort" things off the walls and finish packing in preparation for the real fun of moving these boxes 1/4 mile down the road. April 8, 2008 |
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A few shots of the new place.
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24-Day Notice -
ITS OFFICIAL!
 Well,
this thing called moving just made it through the final hoop one must jump
through when dealing with HUD! And its a good thing as my living space is
getting crowded with boxes ready to go somewhere.I was REALLY nervous about this one. But felt confident that this inspection was just a formality to finalize paperwork. And things continue to go smoothly as I can begin moving in as soon as my deposit is paid with no prorate for April! This is HUGE in terms of not burdening any one person to get everything done in a couple a days. Now the packing takes on a more inclusive meaning. Those things I've left out to help me cope, can now be packed to prepare for their new home. Whew! Emotionally drained but excited. April 9, 2008 |
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23-Day Notice -
A Day of Rest
Today was a quiet day in the packing area. I put together 3 boxes of stuff but mostly just relaxed to refuel myself for the days ahead. Not that today wasn't a busy one. I needed to go to the grocery store and make dinner, but I had help with those chores and mostly just rested. Much of what is left won't be getting boxed until just before the final days so I will have a few more days of rest before next weekend when the moving of boxes to the new place begins. I was also able to clear much of the living room floors to make getting around easier for me. April 10, 2008 |
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22-Day Notice -
This is getting old...
but I'm determined to do my best to write out a line or two each day until my first night in the new place. Today I really did give myself a rest. My shoulder is in dire need of a break from, well, moving at all. So I kept myself busy with other things to take away any temptation to put another box together. Of course, I did finish up one box which help bring some of the floor space back. I figure this will get more interesting once I begin taking things over to Riverstone. That should be by late next week and then Chris will be coming down the 19th or the 20th to go buy the new bed and set up delivery so I will not only sleep in a new place, my first night will be on a wonderful new bed set. April 11, 2008 |
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20-Day Notice -
A weekend come and gone Sunday night now and I don't know where the weekend went. We packed a couple boxes but mostly discussed how exciting (and busy) the next 3 weeks are gonna be. Perhaps then, these updates will become interesting. April 13, 2008 |
| 19-Day Notice -
"No pic" Monday Nothing going on much this week in terms of packing. Most things that can be packed at this point, have been. The walls are empty now as are the bookshelves with the exception of the music. But this week will still be busy in other ways. I need to call the various organizations that help me out to inform them of the address change. And this week I do all those other address change things like utilities and bills. And by this weekend there will be some of my things at the new apartment rather than in my living room. So onward and forward that this way and that..... April 14, 2008 |
Lots and lots of paper. |
18 - 17 - 16-Day Notice -
Date Correction
Score at Lowe's! I went over
there to pick up some masking tape and while exiting through the garden
department I saw a guy putting up some new rose plants. Never thought
about it before, but plants come "wrapped" in butcher paper. By the time I
left, I had 2 20-gallon bags full of paper that's perfect for packing
things! April 15,2008 |
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15-Day Notice -
Time is a strange creature.
What seemed to take forever somehow becomes
things happening too fast. Today truly was the official day. I paid
the balance of my deposit and got the keys to the new place. We did
the "walk-thru" and found little problems with doors and windows, but
tomorrow all that should be fixed. Tomorrow I'll go over and take some
final measurements and then Saturday Chris and Geoff will be coming out to
take a couple loads over. April 16, 2008 |
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14-Day Notice -
7 days until I stay there
Another day of not much packing. I'm actually cleaning up and double
checking the boxes to be ready for Saturday's move. Also looked into where
my "George Bush Money" is gonna go and found a few items from none other
than SEARS®.
Hinges that give my doorways an extra 2 inches of room for my
wheelchair, a
mini-ramp for my front door, and
a hand-held shower head The hinges are definite. The others...perhaps. April 17, 2008 |
 13,
12-Day Notice -
The Move Pt.1
Last night I reached the exhaustion point and didn't write anything. Oh,
well. Today Chris and Geoff arrived at 11am and what took me 2 weeks to
pack was gone in 2 loads x 2 vehicles. And yet, they appeared again in
another apartment just minutes later. It was as if they were transported
ala
Star Trek. Thanks Chris and Geoff for your help today. April 19, 2008 |
11,
10, 9, 8...-Day Notice -
Ah, Who Am I Kidding?
Okay, so there is still the photo page to come when this is finally over. And I am way ahead of schedule thanks to help of family, friends, and a complex that actually wants me to be a part of. Tomorrow my new bed arrives and what a story that is for another day (when I have more energy). Thursday the younger generation comes to do the major lifting and moving of my bookshelves and desk, television and stereo, BBQ and furniture. By Friday when my phone transfers over to the new address, I'll be living there and returning to pick up the leftovers. April 22, 2008 |
I came.
I saw.
I moved. And finally,,, here is the final post of the move. Yeah, its been nearly 2 months since the last post. And sure; I'm still unpacking the last boxes and hanging pictures. But for the most part, the move is done and my new place is great. I still have to finish compiling the photos and finish a video so the completeness of this journey is in the past. So even though this is it, I can now move on to my usual pointless dribble that has become "What was I thinking?" June19, 2008 |
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And for something extra, check out photos of the move and finished product HERE! |
