Movin' on Up...

So I didn't move on up to the east side, so a deluxe apartment in the sky... but I did move to Geneseo over the weekend.

This was the timetable... it was kind of crazy it all worked out.

Packed up my desk at University Avenue and headed home at noon on Thursday. Met the home inspector at 12:30 to have pre-listing inspection done on my house. Good news... nothing major. Later Thursday afternoon I went over Busey's tech group and picked up my computer and other various equipment for working from home. Thursday night I packed.

Friday morning I went to Urbana, dropped off my DVR at Comcast and went to Busey to close out my safe deposit box and tell Judy (my Bank Mom for lack of a better term) farewell. Stopped by Uhaul on the way home, and met Jeanne & Ted there so we could pick up my moving truck. Went home and had the new stove I bought for the Champaign house (the old brown one was not going to show well) delivered. The could not install it because my gas hook-up is so old it it out of code so I need to have a plumber come and install a new gas line... just what I needed. Eric and his Dad came down Friday evening, and then we went to dinner with Nikki.

Saturday I got up bright and early started the coffee and made a donut run, and did some final packing. The entire loading crew was there and pretty much ready to roll by 9:00. The were incredible and pretty much had me all packed up by noon. Jeanne was on the truck and used her mad packing skills to place everything, while her husband, Ted, my brother, Phil, and my former Illini football mentee Jake and Eric did the big lifting and hauling. Nikki, Eric's Dad, Mike and myself helped with box toting. Jake even ventured up to my attic to get my Christmas decorations down. My mom showed up later with sloppy joes for everyone to have for lunch, and to help me clean the house. We hit the road just after 2:30. Mike driving the Uhaul, Eric driving Mike's truck and me in my car. The trip went well except for some wicked winds along I-39 that had me trying to push back visions of everything I own scattered along the highway.

We got to Geneseo in under four hours... not bad for a Uhaul that didn't past 60 mph much. We unloaded the pick-up and my car, grabbed a bit to eat and then crashed hard at Eric's apartment. My brother and my nephew Jeremy came up Sunday to help unload, along with Eric's Mom, Dad and brother, Travis and my family friends that just so happen to live here... the Roome's. Dave was still in Denver, but Janice, Anthony and Megan were here. Like Jake loading... Anthony was my unloading "young muscle". The guys brought the boxes to the front door and the girls toted them from there... keeping the snow tracked into the house to a minimum. The unloading took less than and hour, then the guys went to Eric's to get his desk for my/our office and his washer and dryer. During the unloading Tom from next door brought over some brownies that his wife, Cheryl had made. They have lived next door for 34 years. Earlier in the week, Wayne who lives on the corner removed the snow from our driveway... twice. So... the neighbors seem great.

Unpacking today is going slow but steady. Our refrigerator and stove were delivered today, along with a new couch that we got on mega sale the day after Thanksgiving. Luckily the sellers left the house in very good shape so the cleaning has been minimal.

Eric got my computer set up and most of the programs I need are working... hopefully the rest can be resolved when I go back to work on Wednesday with a call to our tech group.

Oh, and today we had our first sledder! Eric's Dad, Mike, brought his niece, Katie over since she was out of school today for the MLK holiday. After her first run she hollered from the bottom of the hill... "That was awesome!" She trudged up the hill and did it again another 20 times or so before it was all over.

Anyway, that is all for now. A big huge thank you to all of my friends and family who made the move a big success... especially Eric, who kept me sane throught it all.

Happy Birthday Tralec!!

Today is a two for one birthday blog. Today's birthday boys include Eric's brother Travis, and Travis' son, Alec. Hence the "Tralec" in the post title. Not quite "Bennifer" or "Brangelina", but you get the idea. One of my favorite things about Eric is his family... they are pretty terrific and have really made me feel welcome.

Travis is turning 36 today, and as far as brothers go I think Eric would have to say... he's got it pretty good. I seems to be my calling in life to somehow through absolutely no skill of my own to somehow beat Travis in nearly every game we play. It has become the family joke, and I think Travis and I both relish the attention. I must say that over the past year Travis and I are developing a bit of a brother/sister relationship... we love to give each other lots of crap, but when it comes down to it... we would pretty much doing anything for the other. Travis is a firefighter and paramedic and I admire his service to the public but it something that I really hope we don't have to call on at the wedding as four couples on the guest list are due with their first babies in April :)

Travis is a great Dad, which segways into talking about the other birthday boy, Alec. Where do I start with Mr. Alec. He is still just a tiny bit shy around me but I can tell he is starting to warm up, and one thing I am looking forward to about moving is getting the hang with Alec a bit more. He really is a good boy, but he is ridiculously cute and given the opportunity he can flash that grin of his and wiggle his way out things. Alec is 5 and into superheroes and such... the first time I met him he was wearing a cape... gotta love that kind of adventurous spirit and wild imagination.

Happy Birthday boys... sorry to be missing your party... I am guessing the cake will consumed in just a few... save me a piece.

Our House...

... is a very very fine house!!!

Eric and I closed on our house on Friday, with smooth sailing. We celebrated with a nice dinner Friday night at "The Cellar" in Geneseo our new hometown, but Saturday we got to work after giving Eric's parents a tour of the place. Saturday and Sunday we worked our buts off and got the guest bedroom and my office for work painted... no more Pink! We are not reallyy all that skilled in painting, but we managed to do a pretty okay job and stay engaged!

I am moving up a week from this coming Saturday, and things are in pretty good order. Hopefully the refrigerator and stove will come in soon, and can be installed that Monday after I move in.

Here are some pictures of a cute little message Eric left me in paint, and then him looking completely sick of painting.

P.S. I am at home on my lunch hour... I enjoy the short commute to Champaign vs. Urbana... but alas time to return and get back at it. Stay tuned for a double birthday blog later today.