1. Why yes, we DO still have a lot of books! And no, Mr. Site Survey man, we aren't going to throw them away after reading them! And no, this isn't even close to all of them!
2. Marie drove over today to help with assorted packing day tasks and hang out a little bit, since it will be a while before we get to see each other again. Sniff sniff. While talking to Katherine on the phone this afternoon, we had a short (good-natured) disagreement about the color of packing tape they were using (brown vs. clear) (I was right, it is brown) (of course big sisters have to point this type of info out). Matt was in the other room; he later said that it was strange listening to the two of us, because it was like one crazy person arguing with herself—our voices are that similar. He wants to set up a blind listening test for our children to see if they can match the voice to the correct mama.
3. It took four trips to the library to get all the borrowed books back. I thought I caught the last batch yesterday, but today two more turned up; I double-checked our account online and it said I had a third book, Eloise Takes a Bawth, checked out. As I was convinced that I had already turned it in, I proceeded to head over and check the shelves for it. Sure enough, I found it; I am not proud of what happened next. I presented it to the library man who has been nothing but polite and kind over the past two years, explained the situation, got confirmation that it was in fact the book they didn't properly discharge, and then it slipped out: "BUSTED!" I said, a little too smugly. He didn't really deserve that. But, it was a case of "vindication is mine, saith the librarian's daughter." I couldn't help myself.
4. You mean I still have to drive all the way to Wyoming after the packing part is done?
5. My head almost exploded yesterday while setting up our electric/gas over the phone. The man repeated back my information (address, name, date to begin service, etc.) more than 8 times over the course of the phone call. At first I applauded his attention to detail. By the end of the fifteen minute phone call, I was ready to clunk him over the head with my phone. Incidentally, there is a $15 one-time customer service fee to set up a new account. A dollar a minute for the installation phone call, I guess. HMPH.
6. By way of contrast, it took me less than two minutes to set up our water account over the phone. And, no customer service fee.
7. Here is one of many of our active to-do lists:
Two observations: Both Matt and I are guilty of adding tasks we've already long completed to the list, just for the satisfaction of crossing them out. Also, I can't figure out why I scribbled on the list. Perhaps to represent my slowly unraveling brain capacity?
8. The oven caught fire briefly today while I had the self-cleaner running and freaked Marie out terribly. It burned itself out quickly. No burned-down house, no foul.
9. We pulled my doors down from the high storage shelf in the garage this afternoon. I need to decide what fun thing to do with them in Cheyenne. I'm ready for a new refinishing project!
10. Part Two of our four-part harebrained moving logistics scheme begins tomorrow when I say goodbye to Arlington and head back to Camp Grandma and Grandpa for a few days. Oh, how I am going to miss Arlington and metro D.C. I'm ready to be reunited with the wild monkeys, though.
Point 3 - it is a well known fact that patrons who have had a book out on loan waaaaaaaaaaaay past the return date and then claim they returned it, will proceed to sneak said book back onto the shelf, then and only then go find a hard working/ underpaid staff member and innocently check the shelf thereby "finding" the item and smugly scoring a point against the hardworking / underpaid library worker and avoiding paying the overdue fee.
I'm not saying this is what you would do...
LOL
(and the longest run on sentence EVER!!)
I can't believe that you are about to leave DC, it just won't be DC without you!
Posted by: Jody | July 10, 2009 at 03:10 AM
Your to-do list looks impressively crossed out.
I also write items on lists that I can't make out later. There was one on my grocery list last week that stumped me. Upon returning home, I realized it was salmon (when I reviewed what the moaklers were eating for supper that week), and resulted in dinner out.
Posted by: tanya | July 10, 2009 at 04:13 AM
As a long time library user plus being a professional librarian, I believe in "checking in" with the circulation desk showing my bookless hands to state that I have come in to look for a disputed item. This has happened to me three times in three or so decades at the local public library. Hopefully, I won't have any problems with the dozens of books we checked out before Mama D left for Arlington.
Posted by: Beverly | July 10, 2009 at 04:49 AM
hahahahahahahaha-i do the same thing with my to do lists :)
Posted by: marie | July 10, 2009 at 05:27 AM
Thinking of you all!
Posted by: Missy | July 10, 2009 at 05:56 AM
I love the fact that under valuables is your scrapbooks. Not that I would ever think they wouldn't be, it was just fun to see them there. Happy moving!
Posted by: Sarah | July 10, 2009 at 07:07 AM
Point 4 stood out to me...yes unfortunately after all this is over you still have to drive to Wyoming. I don't envy you the drive, it seemed like we would never get to New York when we moved last year. I remember driving through Cheyenne last year, since we'd been stationed there for two years we couldn't help but remember as we went through.
Posted by: Mercedes | July 10, 2009 at 07:10 AM
As I hear it, there's plenty of room in Wyoming which must be a relief to you with all those books. What really impresses me is that you have so much crossed out on your list, and yet still find blog time! Enjoyed your moving post.
Posted by: Kathleen S. | July 10, 2009 at 07:30 AM
Take a few days to rest at Camp Grandma and Grandpa before the trip to Wyoming. You deserve it. Safe travels for all of you!
Sue
Posted by: Sue | July 10, 2009 at 07:56 AM
Is one of the items on the list sending your new Wyoming address and phone via email to your friends who don't want to wait for a change of address card to appear? Just wondering.
Hope you have a safe drive today!
Posted by: jill | July 10, 2009 at 09:30 AM
Safe travels! Happy Moving! :) I had to go to the story about the doors as I missed that...LOVED the images you painted! The doors are beautiful!
Posted by: Angie F | July 10, 2009 at 09:43 AM
whew, your post is making me tired, Elizabeth. Excited to see what this next phase in your family adventures will be like, though.
Posted by: aud | July 10, 2009 at 11:04 AM
i can't believe it is already time for this!!! and I can't believe i never made it up there!
ah, *there* is your list!! :) makes me feel a little better about mine (haha!)
Posted by: Renee | July 10, 2009 at 04:06 PM
We did go the same DinoRock show! Shucks-I would have loved to have met you and your girls-we were the group in the very last row looking for bugs and totally ignoring the show:) I love Wyoming. I used to live in CO and we'd go up there..beautiful and so untouched.
Posted by: Beth Fuller | July 12, 2009 at 06:07 AM
I love your list. More importantly, I love your handwriting! More impressively, You have so much done!!! Well done E!
I too noticed the scrapbooks on your valuable list! :º)
Posted by: Helen Hassel | July 12, 2009 at 11:20 PM
You will be missed. :) Safe travels to your family!
Posted by: melanie | July 13, 2009 at 08:33 PM
We know you have a lot of stuff to do but could you settle an argument for Bax and I? I say the picture of your books is in color. Bax says it is in black and white. The argument came up over the color of the packing tape. In the picture the tape looks clear to me.
Posted by: Andrea Hobson | July 13, 2009 at 09:11 PM
Hope the move is going well, E.
Posted by: Jenny L. | July 14, 2009 at 01:12 PM