Success!

The yard sale is over!! HOORAY!!!!

And I think it was quite successful! We sold quite a lot and what didn't sell went straight to goodwill. I am very proud of the amount of clothes that I sold or gave away. Everything I've been keeping for 3-5 years thinking I would one day fit into again I just got rid of. Downsizing was the goal and we certainly did that. There are fewer things in the house to box up and I am glad for that!

It would not have been so successful had it not been for the help of our good friends who donated quite a lot to the sale to help us gain funds for the move. It is so wonderful to know that we have friends out there that want to help! I will certainly miss being close to them when I'm up in Pennsylvania. I know we will make new friends, but it will be weird to not have them just down the street for a shopping trip or a movie.

So now it's time to continue packing. I'm going to start boxing up clothes today and try to leave only what I will need for Vegas and the work week out. Tonight is my last night of work at the hotel (thank goodness) and I will be home every evening packing away! I've made a list of what needs to be done- changing address (done), canceling utilities, canceling the internet, reserve the moving truck (done), and re-connecting everything at the new place. There's more on the list and I am sure the list will keep growing. For now it's one step at a time!!

Overwhelming

There is so much to do and so little time!! I'm not even sure where to start! I've reserved our Penske truck for the move and I've tagged most of the yard sale stuff. I am hoping that after the sale on Saturday I'll be able to get a better grasp on what needs to be boxed up for the move! I'm also in the process of trying to get my cats more comfortable with the idea of being in the car. Cleo actually went for a ride the other day and did pretty well. She was vocal, but she was ok. Rosco however is scared to even go outside much less get in the car! We have an appointment with the vet next week to get them some calming meds for the trip. I hate to drug them but I would hate even more for them to be completely miserable!

It's weird because we leave on Sept. 1st so it seems like I have some time to get things done but when I looked at my calendar I actually only have about 3 days. I'm going to Vegas with friends next weekend and I am working full time all the way through Thursday, not to mention my part time job at the Fairfield Inn (there go my evenings!)...

So, I am feeling like I don't know how to get it all done. I need a checklist and more hours in the day would be great! The hubby has been working late for the last couple of weeks but he'll have a bit more time now to help which will also be a big help. It's easier to stay motivated when you have someone to keep you going!!

The good news is that we found a really cute townhouse in Pennsylvania!! It's 2 bedrooms and the kitchen looks REALLY nice!! So now it's time to get us there and get settled! Wish us luck!! The adventure continues!

I wanted an adventure...

And it looks like I'm getting one!

In three weeks my husband and I will be on our way to Pennsylvania with a Budget Truck and two very unhappy kitties. The husband got a WONDERFUL new job at Penn State! We are so excited but that means LOTS to do in just three weeks!

First step is to de-clutter!

Moving that far means cleaning out stuff that is unnecessary and having a yard sale. There's enough to move with just the necessities so I'm going to try VERY hard to not be a pack rat. Anyone who knows me knows I save a lot of junk. I can't help it that I want to save every party cup I ever painted in college!!

Step 2- Find an apartment IN PENNSYLVANIA!!

Not an easy task when you're in Tennessee and don't actually know anyone where you're moving! And it's a college town which means every apartment complex I've found is already fully rented for the year. Ugh. The good news is that I got in touch with a realtor today and they are going to see how they can help us find a place. Fingers crossed!

Next I figure out the best way to get my two sweet kitty cats to Pennsylvania without scarring them for life.

I am not above drugging them a little if it will make 14 hours in the car easier on their sensitive tummies and moods! I'm hoping to start taking them for little car rides here and there this week to help them adjust a little. Wish me luck!

And of course, find a job for me!

I'm hoping that my working part time at a hotel here will transfer nicely to a hotel there. That will at least give me something until I find my true calling!!

So here we go! I'm collecting boxes and I've already started packing things up for the big move. Everyone keeps warning me about the snow and I'm not sure how to prepare for a winter like I've never known but hopefully I'll have some time to ease into it. I'm excited about fall in Pennsylvania. Surely the leaves change there and I will really experience autumn like I never have before. This is all very exciting for us! And get this, it's illegal to NOT recycle there!! I kind of love that!! We're excited about moving somewhere that really cares about their town and the area. It will definitely be a change from Memphis!!

So stay tuned to see how this Southern girl survives up north!!

Yard Sales

I'm planning one. I've never had a yard sale that was just my stuff. I've put things into other yard sales, but this one is all our stuff that we need to get rid of. The thing is, I'm not sure how successful I'll be. I don't have a whole lot of high demand items like toys and kids clothing and furniture. I do have a ton of clothes that I'm getting rid of and other random household things. I'm not trying to make a whole lot of money, just trying to shed some of the stuff I've gathered over the years that I really just don't need. Wish me luck and come check it out if you're in Memphis, Saturday, Aug. 22. Whatever I don't sell I'll send to the good will.

Taking Flight

I don't get to travel much. Until June of this year I have flown a total of 3 times, in my entire life! Between June and the end of this month I will have doubled the number of flights I've taken.

In June I flew to California for my cousin Kimmy's funeral. It was a horrible reason to fly anywhere and the worst reason to finally get back to see my family there. However, it was a beautiful celebration of her life and it actually turned out to be a pretty decent trip in the long run. I got to spend more time with my aunts, uncles and cousins than I have in a very long time. And I even got to go to my first major league baseball game with a friend from Memphis that is now living in Long Beach. The best part of the trip however was getting to spend some real time with my cousins. I'm the youngest of all the cousins and despite the fact that we are all grown adults now, I always felt a little bit like the kid in the room. This trip sort of changed that in a lot of ways though. My two female cousins and I became a bit inseparable while we were there. We had so much fun and laughed and told stories about Kimmy and just really bonded. We decided that the three of us need to find a time and place to go on a trip together. I know it would be a blast and I really hope we find a way to make it happen.

In July, I was flown to Amherst, MA for a job interview. This was interesting because I was traveling alone to a place where I had no friends or family. Usually I hate going out to eat alone and not having someone to share an experience with, but this was totally different. It was a quick trip but very empowering in a way. I won't talk about the interview here because I don't think a blog is the proper place for such things. I will talk about how great it was to be somewhere completely unknown and in a part of the country I've never visited. The town was adorable and everyone was very friendly.I think what I liked the most though was that I was completely alone, but felt totally safe and comfortable walking around on my own, even at night. I ate in adorable restaurants (Had the BEST pizza ever at Antonio's) and looked in adorable shops in Amherst Center. Who knows, maybe this is where my next adventure in life will unfold!!

Next up, I'm going to Las Vegas at the end of the month! This is purely a fun trip with two friends from college. I've been to Vegas once before, on my super awesome honeymoon, and am looking forward to going back. It will be a ton of fun with friends and hopefully we will all leave with some money and unmarried for them, still married for me! Ha! I'll keep you posted on how the trip goes, even if What Happens in Vegas is supposed to stay there!

Change

I'm ready for something new and exciting and big. My hubby and I have been thinking about leaving Memphis for a while now and we are so ready to start a new adventure. We're aren't sure what adventure that is yet, but we are on the lookout. I'm hoping this blog that I created (and promptly forgot about) will become a place where I can document what comes next for us. For now, I'll try to go back to the title and describe some recent shopping adventures.

And I have my first follower! Hopefully now that I have a bit of a direction, maybe some interesting posts will follow! Here's to Adventures and Shopping!!