I'm sure everyone who reads this blog, all 7 of you, are on the edge of your seat waiting to read the next installment of the moving saga.
The truth is there isn't much else to say, we had one last meal with my parents and brother and took a car to the airport on a Tuesday afternoon with all 8 of our bags - that's 2 suitcase each, 2 carry-ons and 2 personal items... If you haven't figured it out yet - that's a lot of luggage! It all barely fit in the town car. After spending $300 on luggage fees (thanks delta amex) we got into the airport. The best part about flying on a Tuesday night in the international terminal is that we got through security in 10 min tops. After making a beeline to the delta lounge, where we each had one more much needed drink, we got called to our flight & boarded.
Steve would know exactly what plane we flew, but since I'm guessing non of you care, ill skip over the 9 hours flight (read couldn't sleep, watched a few OK movies and wished it would go by faster) we landed at Heathrow. Thankfully Steve had ordered a car service for us, so our 8 bags and ourselves got into a nice air conditioned mini van and drove the 35 min to Reading. We stayed at a hotel the first night because a) it was easier & b) we didn't get our apartment keys till later.
If all of this doesn't sound exhausting, both physically and mentally then I am not adequately conveying the stress this sort of move puts you through. Just before we left, sitting at my parents home in Atlanta, I just held onto my mom and cried and asked her if it was worth all the stress & second guessing & anxiety of the unknown. As she held me and reminded me of the grand adventure we were about to embark on, all I could do was cry. I don't mean a few tears, I mean a deep, heaving sobs - the kind of crying when your world has been turned on its side and all out can do is ride the wave & hope you survive. Yes - that might seem melodramatic to some of you, but I can tell you, unless you've done this, its very hard for you to even have an idea of how hard it is. Yes, we're around the corner from some of the greatest cities in the world. Yes, this is a once in a lifetime experience, but that's doesn't mean its not hard. Hard on your mind, body and soul.
That's enough soul pouring out for right now - trust me, there will be more. I haven't mentioned the washing machine or the oven yet, but there is also lots of good and funny to come as well - hot British men in my apartment carrying groceries. Need I say more?
Showing posts with label stress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stress. Show all posts
Friday, May 1, 2015
Friday, April 24, 2015
Moving Part 1
So in full disclosure style we are actually already here in Reading, but the last 2 weeks have been CRAZY so I haven't had much time for anything, let alone blog posts. So I figured I'll just go back in time and write each step of the moving process, and at the end Ill do a final moving post about advice and "20 20 hindsight" kinda thing! Who's ready to relive the craziness? Cause you know I am :)
Lets take a look at the real basics of moving - IT SUCKS! Its one of the most stressful things you will ever do in your life. So if you think moving down the road or to the next city is stressful, think about moving to the other side of the country? Ya, you pack up all your stuff, sell the small "extra stuff" and drive across country. Sounds scary huh? Ya that's what I used to think, then I agreed to move to another country. Holy Cow! Hello STRESS!!
We started by deciding that moving overseas was a great idea! Right before thanksgiving we told our folks Steve had taken a job in the UK and we were moving! It all sounded so exciting! Moving to another country, me leaving my job. Let the madness begin!
I worked until April 3, so my health insurance would carry over until we left - that was important for last minute doctors appointments etc. I took the weekend to relax and let it sink in that we were moving to another country later that month. Monday I started to sort through the stuff as we were having a huge 3 day yard sale! I need to interject major props and kudos to our house keeper Amanda who came and helped me sort, label, tag and price (reasonably). She was amazing and I owe her a bottle of wine (I left her a few in the house so I hope that covers that debt ;) ).
Tuesday mom thought it would be fun to go and look at potential wedding venues - The Fox, The Piedmont Room, Ansley Golf Club & Rhodes Hall.
More on the venues later - I will have lots of free time to blog about wedding planning or lack there of while we are here :)
So the yard sale - sounds simple enough right? Put all the stuff you want to sell out in your garage/ yard and wait for people to stop by. Not so much - I posted everywhere, 10+ Facebook groups, craigslist and we put signs up around the neighborhood advertising this huge yard sale, starting at 9am Friday. We opened the garage door at about 8.30 to start putting things out and low and behold we had customers wheeling and dealing at 8.40. Talk about being unprepared! We had maybe half the things out that we wanted to sell and people were bombarding us with questions.
Its a real eye opening experience - having things you spent years buying, on display in your garage with price tags for maybe 1/3 of what you paid for them - some even brand new. Its a lot harder then you would think, when someone takes a pair of shoes you remember wearing just a few times and tells you your $10 price is too high and offers you $2, when you know you spent $75+ on them. Or when someone offers you $5 on the dress you spent hour finding and picking out and haven't gotten a chance to wear because its too small and the price tag on it shows $45, its hard. It almost feels like a personal assault on you & your things. Thankfully I had my parent there to help as well as Steve & Amanda and Rachel. I know I couldn't have done it without them!
That concludes Part 1 of the Moving saga! Hopefully you enjoyed the read :)
Lets take a look at the real basics of moving - IT SUCKS! Its one of the most stressful things you will ever do in your life. So if you think moving down the road or to the next city is stressful, think about moving to the other side of the country? Ya, you pack up all your stuff, sell the small "extra stuff" and drive across country. Sounds scary huh? Ya that's what I used to think, then I agreed to move to another country. Holy Cow! Hello STRESS!!
We started by deciding that moving overseas was a great idea! Right before thanksgiving we told our folks Steve had taken a job in the UK and we were moving! It all sounded so exciting! Moving to another country, me leaving my job. Let the madness begin!
I worked until April 3, so my health insurance would carry over until we left - that was important for last minute doctors appointments etc. I took the weekend to relax and let it sink in that we were moving to another country later that month. Monday I started to sort through the stuff as we were having a huge 3 day yard sale! I need to interject major props and kudos to our house keeper Amanda who came and helped me sort, label, tag and price (reasonably). She was amazing and I owe her a bottle of wine (I left her a few in the house so I hope that covers that debt ;) ).
Tuesday mom thought it would be fun to go and look at potential wedding venues - The Fox, The Piedmont Room, Ansley Golf Club & Rhodes Hall.
More on the venues later - I will have lots of free time to blog about wedding planning or lack there of while we are here :)
So the yard sale - sounds simple enough right? Put all the stuff you want to sell out in your garage/ yard and wait for people to stop by. Not so much - I posted everywhere, 10+ Facebook groups, craigslist and we put signs up around the neighborhood advertising this huge yard sale, starting at 9am Friday. We opened the garage door at about 8.30 to start putting things out and low and behold we had customers wheeling and dealing at 8.40. Talk about being unprepared! We had maybe half the things out that we wanted to sell and people were bombarding us with questions.
Its a real eye opening experience - having things you spent years buying, on display in your garage with price tags for maybe 1/3 of what you paid for them - some even brand new. Its a lot harder then you would think, when someone takes a pair of shoes you remember wearing just a few times and tells you your $10 price is too high and offers you $2, when you know you spent $75+ on them. Or when someone offers you $5 on the dress you spent hour finding and picking out and haven't gotten a chance to wear because its too small and the price tag on it shows $45, its hard. It almost feels like a personal assault on you & your things. Thankfully I had my parent there to help as well as Steve & Amanda and Rachel. I know I couldn't have done it without them!
That concludes Part 1 of the Moving saga! Hopefully you enjoyed the read :)
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Super Bowl 49
Quick update here.
Watching the Super Bowl with Steve. Made some epic spicy chili. Boston is expected to get 18-24 inches of snow tomorrow so his flight were cancelled and he's home with me! Its really nice since next weekend we are flying to England for him to meet his new team and for us to find a house/apartment.
STRESS!
But at least he's home this week so that should help some stress levels- at least lets hope so.
This week I am focusing on me - that means wax (not bikini but everything else) mani & pedi. I wish a massage was in the budget but its not :( I'll post photos (of the mani pedi of course) when I get it down. Not sure of what colors to get, something fun but not too loud I think.
Diet update... ya.... Not going so well. I'm thinking of trying weight watchers because "no gluten no dairy" isn't working :( Does anyone have any thoughts on the matter?
Watching the Super Bowl with Steve. Made some epic spicy chili. Boston is expected to get 18-24 inches of snow tomorrow so his flight were cancelled and he's home with me! Its really nice since next weekend we are flying to England for him to meet his new team and for us to find a house/apartment.
STRESS!
But at least he's home this week so that should help some stress levels- at least lets hope so.
This week I am focusing on me - that means wax (not bikini but everything else) mani & pedi. I wish a massage was in the budget but its not :( I'll post photos (of the mani pedi of course) when I get it down. Not sure of what colors to get, something fun but not too loud I think.
Diet update... ya.... Not going so well. I'm thinking of trying weight watchers because "no gluten no dairy" isn't working :( Does anyone have any thoughts on the matter?
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