So, in the early part of the year, we finally were given a transfer date. Of course, it was under 60 days before we were to leave so we were pretty convinced that getting the exact dates we wanted the movers and all would be a giant pain in the ass. Nothing like waiting until the last minute, eh? ;)
We were able to get our first choice of dates for the movers though, so I guess we were worrying for nothing. lol
They came on May 24th and 25th and packed the house up (and until you have everything in boxes, I don't think you ever really realize just how much STUFF you have. Or at least I didn't . . . until they told us that we had a total of 191 boxes. Just boxes . . . that is nuts. Of course, 17 of those boxes were craft and scrapbook stuff . . . it's an addiction, I need help. LOL
On May 26th, the "big truck" came and took everything . . . in addition to the 191 boxes we had, they counted an additional 202 or so items. That included the couch, love seat, mattresses, headboards, dining chairs . . . table legs . . .
They took absolutely EVERYTHING apart. When they started taking apart the futon I thought "Oh crap. Well, good thing they are putting it together on the other end!" A pain in the ass . . . that is pretty much the best way to describe tat thing.
So anyhow . . . the truck left our house right around 3:30pm. Little did we know, as they drove off, that we wouldn't be seeing our stuff again for another TWO MONTHS! Crazy.
We did the house cleaning thing (oh how I HATE that part of moving!) and turned the keys over on May 28th . . . were told we'd get the whole security deposit back (though it took them 47 days to get it to us, at least they DID.) and pulled out of Virginia Beach FOR GOOD that afternoon.
We stopped a couple of hours away in Mechanicsville . . . which, for those not familiar with VA, is north of Richmond. ;) Next morning, we got up and drove and hour and a half to Charlottesville and visited Thomas Jefferson's Monticello . . . very interesting and another thing marked off of our Dead Presidents Tour. ;) While I can understand the reasoning, I just wish they allowed photography inside the house. They allowed it in the areas under the house (kitchen, beer and wine cellars) but none were allowed in the house itself. :(
So . . . after we finished up at Monticello, we loaded up and continued on to Louisville, Kentucky! We planned on going and ogling Churchill Downs but by the time we got settled then had dinner, it was already getting dark and it wouldn't have been worth it. :( A trip through Kentucky with NO race horse farm pictures. What is THAT about?!
May 30th saw our arrival to the St. Louis area where we'd be staying with Mike's parents for about a week . . . we went to the Memorial Day game at Busch Stadium (sat in Club seats, took the kids to the Build-A-Bear in the ballpark, FUN TIMES!), visited the Zoo, Transportation Museum and the Magic House (children's museum) and spent a day by the pool. OK, so more like IN the pool. It was 157 degrees outside with 9000% humidity. Sitting BY the pool was not an option. ;)
On June 6th, we headed out of St. Louis and off to "parts unknown". Neither Mike nor I had ever been to this part of the country, so the trip between St. Louis and at least the central part of Oregon was going to prove to be interesting. LOL We stopped for the night in Sioux Falls, South Dakota . . . it was a nice little city and YES there really are falls! They built a nice park around the falls and have a light show of some sort there every night during the summer. We didn't last past dinner, so the light show was not going to be happening for us. ;)
The next day, we drove through Mitchell, South Dakota to check out the Corn Palace (holy HOKINESS, Batman!) then on to Wall, SD . . . we went to the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site and the "famous" Wall Drug store that evening then got up the next morning, packed up again and drove through Badlands National Park.
The most received comment to some of my Badlands photos was "That just doesn't even look REAL." but I assure you it was. The first canyon type area we came to just amazed me . . . I know it's no Grand Canyon (on the bucket list to see, it is!) but I couldn't believe how awesome this place was! When you look at the terrain, it is just hard to imagine how it was actually formed (by erosion). I could have spent hours out in the fields with the prairie dogs, too . . . we got within 10 feet of one set of babies and their mom and they just never seemed to be spooked by us. Had we gotten closer, I can imagine we'd have had a National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation "SQUIRREL!" moment, though. LOL
So anyhow . . . from Badlands, we drove towards a small town called Keystone, SD . . . . . . . and that is where I will leave you for now. ;)
Here's the photos up to this point: http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=259525&id=696854061
Will be back with more "condensed moving story" later! :D
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