The Great Moving Adventure....Day Two

Day Two dawned early.  The motel didn't have a proper breakfast so we packed and left.  This day was to have it's own obstacles like Day One.

We left Marion VA headed toward Tuscaloosa Alabama.  But first a pitstop at Mickey D's for breakfast on the run before we hit the interstate.

We headed southwest down I-81 into Tennessee.  Hubs dreaded traveling through Knoxville but I wasn't looking forward to going through Chattanooga.  Too much traffic in both but at least it wasn't tourist season.  We got through TN and passed into the Northwest corner of Georgia briefly.   We got off the road for gas and to hit Mickey's for lunch, to take to the first rest stop in Alabama ahead to eat and let the dogs potty and walkabout.  Hubs was so sleep deprived and rattled he paid for his meal and then drove right past the pick-up window without picking up his food.  I'm sure the employees there had a few laughs over their ditzy customer.  Luckily I had gotten 2 sandwiches(BOGO 1¢ Deal on my app)so once we got to the Alabama welcome center I shared with Hubs.

Then it was back on the road toward Gadsden and then Birmingham.  Oh Birmingham.  A word of advice about driving around B'ham....be very defensive!  Evidently not all Birmingham residents are aware that cars now come with blinkers(aka turn signals).  And driving at 80 MPH is the norm and weaving in and out(and on the shoulders too)at high rates of speed are everyday practices.  Somebody needs to tell Governor Meemaw a PSA is needed. *snort*  Just craziness on the Interstate there.

So we got clear of B'ham headed for Tuscaloosa and made good time.  Got to the motel and Hubs went inside to check-in.  And I waited......and waited....and waited in the car.  So I went to the lobby window and Hubs was on his phone and I gave him the "WTF?!?" look.  He gives me a "wait" signal so I wait some more.  Hubs comes outside a bit later to tell me what was going on.

Seems Priceline, whom we booked through, took our money and made our reservation but neglected to inform the motel we had a reservation!  So it was an hour of having to get in touch with them and luckily the motel manager was still there even though it was after 5pm.  We couldn't hand the phone over to the manager but Priceline had to contact the manager through their system to give the confirmation code and the motel's system timed out since they were taking so long to respond. ugh.

We finally got the room keys and hauled the dogs and their and our stuff into the room.  Again, no dinner for us but thankful to be out of the car after 9 hours and in the bed.

Day Three coming up.

Sluggy

The Great Moving Adventure.....Well Maybe Not So Great? Day One

 So when last we saw our intrepid travelers they were packing up their lives and stowing it in a POD and the overflow into 1.5 storage units.  FYI-those PODS don't hold as much as they say/you think.  And doing all this on very little sleep in the span of two days after sleeping on air mattresses or aa mattress on the floor before stuffing two cars full of more crap and two dogs.

On Monday they headed out but not at the butt crack of dawn(after carrying the single mattress into the POD and shoving the air mattress into the trunk of one of the cars).  The plan was to leave at 9ish am but when Sluggy went to start her car it was dead.  So they wanted on the towing place to send a guy to jump the battery.  In reality they left the house at 11am along with a $55 bill they weren't expecting. rah.

Making stops for food was tricky since they had two dogs(one in each car).  They had to time food procurement with rest areas so the dogs could potty and/or eat too with their humans as dogs can't be left in a car while they dined in style inside a restaurant(fast food or dive).  This took a lot of planning timing it all.

Not my car but you get the gist of what it all was like.

They stopped for gas outside of Hershey PA and then hit a rest stop with an enclosed dog park for the pooches.  Dog Parks with trucks whizzing by are not conducive to doggies doing their business is all I'm going to say.  They then stopped outside of Harrisonburg VA for gas and Subway late lunch/dinner.  The subs were carried to the next rest stop along I-81.  They ate and fed and potty-ed the pups and then continued on their way.  The driving alone, without stops, to the motel in Marion VA was 7.5 hours long.  Having left so late due to Sluggy's car issue meant they got in after dark which was not optimal as your slug doesn't see well driving in the dark anymore.  Plus slug had to drive the lead car in the little convoy.   Slug noticed once at the motel that her cell phone was down to 5% charge.  For some reason though the phone was plugged into her car, it wasn't recharging.  This became a worry they didn't need.

Finally got into the motel around 10pm, brought in what was needed for the night for the weary travelers and the dogs and hit the beds for some shut eye.  Slugs' eyes closed before her head hit the pillow.

Day Two to come.

Sluggy

We're Here

 

Well 1,341+ miles and we are here!  This trip was one of the circles of hell but it's done and we are still alive....for now.

I'm so tired.  My hands are cramped up like I am still gripping a steering wheel.

More later,

Sluggy

It's Almost Done....

 One last post before my computer is put away and we finish and hit the road.

It's drizzling and we have to figure out how to get the mattress in the POD without it getting wet.

Hmmm.

The POD is full after the mattresses and we have more to throw into storage now.

I  won't be posting from the road but if you want to leave comments I can read and approve them from my phone.  I'd like to hear about your experiences moving house.

Til Later,

Sluggy

Frugal Friday....the September 9th Edition

* I've had this decal of Queen Elizabeth on my car for a few years now.

Just last week a Rite-Aid customer saw her and wanted to know how I got a photo of his grandmother on my car! lolz  

So sorry to hear of Elizabeth II's passing away yesterday.  With her being a very distant cousin it saddens me greatly to loose another leaf on my extended family tree.  She seems to have been the heart and soul of the UK and her constant graceful and dignified presence will be missed by the whole world. Godspeed to you mum and long live King Charles III.

Here's what went on this past week at Chez Sluggy........

*  Another 3 loads went to Salvation Army this week.

*  I used all my Bonus Cash up.  I even bought one of the employees some stuff to use the BC up since I didn't want to bring 1 more thing home to pack and move. Plus he's a good kid(21 so not a kid!)and hard to gift anything to so potato chips it was. lol

*  Another HUGE load went to the food bank this morning(as well as one the previous week).

*  I gave away another bunch of stuff to my friends at Rite-Aid this week.

*  Been packing up what we are taking with us in this move.  Dear Lord, so much packing!!

*  Went to my last dermatology appointment in Hershey.  The closest dr. who treats HS will be 3 hours away in Dallas once we move.  Ugh!

*  I found money this past week!                  

 I found two pennies at Rite-Aid on one of my trips in to say goodbye to everyone.  One penny by the feminine products aisle and the other in the foyer on my way out.

My kids had a massive tub of Legos they left here when they grew up/moved out.  I had to sift through it all to remove crap mixed in with the Legos before I could donate it all to Salvation Army.  Bits of crayon, pencil, pens, paper clips, little plastic army men, candy wrappers, dog hair, etc. were weeded out before I got tired of that chore and just threw out 1/3 of the Legos.  I did find these two pennies in my sifting-one US and one Canadian(which they don't make anymore).

Then I found a nickel in my car on Wednesday when I was cleaning it out getting ready to pack it.  No clue who left it there.

Total Found in last Week.... .09¢
Total Found This Year.....$15.19

*  The large dumpster got carted off yesterday late morning.  It was totally full!

Goodbye old friend.  Now we await the massive packing POD this afternoon and the boys arrive on Saturday to move everything into it.

It had better be massive as we still have tons of shit to move(and still some packing needs doing).

*  We've been eating up leftovers and random stuff in the pantry which has made for some strange meals.  Wednesday we stopped at Bob Evans for an early dinner on the way back from my last dr. appointment at Hershey.  Last night, tiring of leftovers, we got Chinese takeout.  Tonight will be leftover Chinese and Saturday will be Domino's pizza and salad for the crew, using gift cards.  Sunday night will probably Subway using a gift card.  I haven't been to the grocery store since last week when I spent a whole $1.99.

That's about all I've got for this past week.  

Any frugal wins in your neck of the woods?  Let's hear all about them!

This is my last post for the foreseeable future.  I'll be MIA until whenever I get down to Louisiana and set up(and rested).  Wish us luck on the actual move journey!

Sluggy