The Big Move
As many of you know in December Charlie and I decided to move from Colorado to Arkansas. Leaving this weather was hard.
As an attempt to make a very long story short, we traveled 3 times to Arkansas, got a 6 week flu/pneumonia, got outbid on 3 houses, settled for a fixer upper with potential and got our house under contract in February 2013. Our buyer wanted a 30 day closing so I had to pack up a 4,000 sq ft house by myself (Charlie travels in the US for work), pack up my business, still work and finish orders, and take care of my two boarded horses. Then the closing was delayed another 30 days due to a finance issue so I had to sell my Jeep and all the stuff that we figured wouldn't fit in the new house. Then we had to delay another 30 days because our buyer still couldn't get financed but the first offer we got ended up coming back and we were under contract for an April 22nd closing. By then all my stuff was on a truck because we were moved out for buyer one already.
I spent 30 days in an empty 4000 sq foot house alone on an air mattress. Then I had a kidney stone attack and hurt my back sliding off the stairs which ruined several models I was shipping out.
But wait it's better. Three weeks before the actual move my colt hits my like a freight train, fracturing my lower leg and giving me a cracked rib with a concussion. Sorry I know this is yucky.
The moving truck came but all the furniture wouldn't fit. So I had to get a U-Haul to fit the rest, pack the rest of the things, purchase a horse trailer, get health certs for the animals, a brand inspection for the horses, traded the Mustang GT for a truck and had to patch the walls/clean the house for the very picky new buyers.
But alas in spite of all that and a broken leg swollen like a tree trunk, I did it with the help of Charlie, my daughter, her friend Jess and Teresa Fedak. Teresa did try to teach him to clean his own stall...
The day of closing however, a massive snow melt-off and a gutter kicked into the window well almost ended the deal. But the realtor, Pete Thrasher (Nextage Realty, Colorado) saved the deal convincing the buyers it wasn't flooding because of anything other than the gutter misplacement.
So off to Arkansas. Sundance nearly busted down the trailer but he and Butch rode like champs along with the rest of the pets. We nearly drove straight thru with a 3 hour hotel nap. Charlie had a tow behind U-Haul trailer. NEVER, I REPEAT, NEVER rent one of those to go behind your vehicle. They are horrible. Over 60mph and it would fish tail so hard it looked like it would flip the Grand Cherokee. Awful thing. Other than slow going we had a decent ride to Arkansas.
When we got to our home in Arkansas the fun began. The moving truck showed up late. The labor we hired were idiots along with those who packed the truck. All our furniture fell off the back of the truck. Every piece of it was scratched, rubbed or broken. Thank goodness I packed my own boxes since those were perfect except a couple things that got smashed when the furniture fell out. They didn't put anything in the right rooms so all had to be moved around as we unpacked. My oldest daughter flew out to help (thank Heaven's). I nearly killed myself painting the bottom half of the house while Charlie did the ladder work (yep I still have a broken leg). The place was empty for nearly a year and NO cleaning was done prior to them moving out. It was the dirtiest home I have moved into in 30 years. Once we peeled the fridge off the floor and cleaned out the mystery spooge from everywhere it started to shine. Then the Exorcist pea soup green colored kitchen, chocolate living room, mocha brown and orange bedroom 2, robin's egg blue bedroom with mocha bath, Pepto pink bedroom 3 and gun metal gray bedroom 4 was painted, the house didn't make your eyes bleed.
There was no fence or horse shelter on the property for horses.
So I purchased corral panels to keep them in. Butch was gelded right away since he was going nuts for the mares in the neighbors pasture. While he recovered I ordered fencing and a loafing shed. A month later that was done.
I got two ticks and poison oak. My leg is still broken and swollen since I don't rest it enough but we're getting there. Charlie and I had some moments but we're fine. One of my cats went to live with my daughter (the other cats decided he needed to) and I got a new Border Collie pup.
Hummingbirds are finally going to the feeder and I realized I can afford to live here if I ever get to working again.
Now that we are in June, my 6 month long move has come to an end. We have the studio set up and the casting room will be done this weekend. For many of you this is a bit of a repeat but I feel this is a great way to catch you up!
I have some really exciting things in the works and I decided to start using my Blog again. Hold onto your seat. After all this I am not scared of anything about my art. I am going to do what I wanted to for years. But I'm not telling just yet!
Stay tuned and THANKS for sticking with me with such patience :)
