Pretty Doctor arrived in AZ on Monday, July 5th after a road trip with Pretty Nurse. I am grateful to Pretty Nurse for flying out to CT and driving with Pretty Doctor so I didn't have to. Actually, I was prepared to pay any amount of money to get someone to drive back with her. Yeah, that's right, I would have sold my soul not to make that drive again. It wasn't the company, it was that I didn't think I could sit in a car while the country passed before my eyes. Plus, there was no guarantee that we would see the armadillo in Oklahoma again.
On the 9th we ventured south, me driving a Uhaul and Pretty Doctor driving her over stuffed coche. Suggestion to Uhaul: Please install cruise control. I am apparently too lazy to try and maintain a steady speed. I had a cramp in my foot trying to do so.
We arrived around 7:30 a.m. We knew the Gas Man was showing up but we didn't know when, so we figured we would be there early, as we didn't want to miss him. I have never worked so hard in my life! We unloaded the U-Haul in about a half hour, seriously. I have never moved anyone with no other help. I was a little worried knowing that it would only be the two of us. We did it with only minimal sweat on all of her belongings.
Pretty Doctor immediately began to sand and paint an old dresser and 3 old coffee tables. They all turned out great. In the mean time I lined all the kitchen shelves and began to unpack her kitchen stuff. Then she and I built her Target dining table, IKEA chairs, some bathroom storage units and set up her bed.
Saturday we woke up so drained. Her desk was build and had the cable, internet and the washer and dryer installed (cable, internet, washer and dryer were installed by professionals, not us, so don't worry!). At this time we realized none of the outlets in the living room and dining room worked which was weird cuz they worked before. The cable guy (not like Jim Carey) tested the outlets. Some were live, some weren't but the live ones wouldn't power any lamp or other electronic device. Huh! So the TV and internet were powered by a big green extension cord from the kitchen. Classy! Pretty Girl and The Homeowner came down for a couple hours with a chair that Pretty Doctor couldn't fit in her car and we left before the store opened to it couldn't go into the U-Haul. The Homeowner installed the reverse osmosis. I threw a load of clothes in the wash and we carried on with the move in.
Suddenly, we realized the kitchen sink was backing up. I ran to the laundry room and it was flooded. We had no choice but to call a plumber. $200 later the laundry room was unflooded (I swept it out and it so freaking hot it dried up in record time), the kitchen sink drained and we were back in business. Then, Pretty Girl and I assembled the BBQ, got a propane tank, filled it, went to Fry's and then made everyone hamburgers. They were delicious!
Sunday we finally got around to installing the blinds and curtain panels. The previous two nights we taped up curtains in Pretty Doctor's room with blue painters tape (again, classy!). We installed 8 sets of blinds and four curtain rods. Each installation was different from the last. This cottage is made of cinder block and very difficult to penetrate. There were four trips to Home Depot Saturday, three trips Sunday and two trips on Friday. They know us by name now (as they should, we spend enough money there!). We were exhausted and began having trouble making decisions, like what time cocktail hour started.
Thankfully we got everything done. I look like I have been beaten from head to toe with a baseball bat but I bruise easily and haven't been questioned by any of the authorities. Plus, the bruises just prove that I didn't sit on my ass for a week. Here are some before and after pics for your viewing pleasure:
The Cottage before move in and after
The mosaic table top made from my old dishes and some tiles Pretty Doctor picked up in Mexico
The laundry room before and after
The folding table/laundry products holder I fashioned(that's right, fashioned!) from an old cabinet and an old door I cut to fit with my jig saw, then covered with contact paper
The living room/dining room before and after
That's Pretty Girl making sure the cable works correctly (And not helping. It's ok, she's pretty!)
The kitchen before and after
Pretty Doctor's bedroom before and after
The Study before and after (so far only Pretty Doctor's desk. The other roommates haven't arrived yet). Pretty Doctor will be upset with this picture. She hadn't organized her desk at this point.
That's about it. There are two other bedrooms but they're still empty. A neighbor stopped by one morning to give us some history of this house. Apparently, the house was a rental and had been Red Tagged (a designation by the police as a party house) and, when the house was vacated, it was used by transients. They broke the windows and would sleep there. That nugget of info explained the never ending supply of glass shards on the ground.
So, if you're ever down south stop in and say hello.
3 comments:
Great job to the two hard workers. Enjoy the new abode Pretty Doc. And to the author, Recuperate.
KS
You're right - the desk picture makes me anxious - and my room has improved...but the bottom line is that you are the BEST for helping me move! Thank you!!!
You're right - the desk picture makes me anxious. My room has improved, too. But the biggest deal is that you are the BEST for helping me move! Thank you so much!!!!!!
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