Postponed!

Everything hurts. So much so that I don't want to move. And my soul is heavy. I want to weep tears that I am too exhausted to shed. And I am genuinely angry.

Karen and Nora carried on last night as if they were the only two people here, every light on, calling out loudly to each other from different rooms until 3:30 am. And while they were at it, they scattered the items from Karen's bedroom throughout the house. Every couch, every chair, every countertop, every shelf, a majority of the floor space, everything is covered in the debris from her packing. Then Nora went home, and Karen went to bed, leaving the mess behind her. It was evident in the chaos that she was nowhere near done packing. Apparently, this is some sort of dysfunctional tradition with them on the night before a move.

I tried to go to bed around 1:00 am. but that was impossible with the clamor going on. I did finally manage to get to sleep sometime after Nora left. But I was angry, and the workload of the last week had my back cramping in massive Charlie horses. Around 4:00 am, I finally got up to dig the potassium and magnesium out of the bag I'd packed them in and down a couple with a glass of hot salt water.

I set my alarm for 7:30 am, and did actually drag myself out of the bed when it went off. That was the highlight of my day. Ken was awake and watching YouTube when I got up. I went into his room and told him that I really needed to get him packed or all of his things would be left behind, and I didn't want that. I asked him to pick out a few outfits to take on the plane with him and I would pack the rest. I also asked him to show me where all his tools were stored. To my utter shock, he got up and started packing his things.

Karen got up a few minutes later and started her morning blaring Marvin Gaye music and dancing around kitchen where I was making myself a cup of tea. She said that I should sit down for a while and enjoy it before we got started. I told her that we didn't really have time for that and got to work carrying out the boxes and bags that she and Nora had managed to pack up the night before. 

By 11:30 Ken had most of his things packed and in the pod. He was helping me pack the large TV when Karen started losing it. She was yelling and cursing because she couldn't find any of the dozen or so rolls of packing tape that she had scattered among her chaos. I had enough of it. I told her that all my things were in the pod, and it was no skin off my nose if hers weren't. That because of her I was exhausted, and every muscle in my body was aching. I would still help her, but not if she chose to be abusive. She could just as well row her boat alone. About that time the lady from the pod company called to tell us that she was about 20 minutes away. Karen asked her if there was any way that we could have another hour or so. The lady said no, but that we could reschedule for the next available day, which is Monday. We were both relieved to hear this and agreed quickly. I went out to the pod and found Ken tying everything down so that it won't slip and slide around on its adventure across the country. I gave him the news. He seemed happier about it than either Karen or me. 

When I went back inside, I decided that she had invited everyone over for a party and then made the mess the house was in. I was exhausted and just over it. After taking a few more items to the pod and then closing and locking it, I went in and took a nap.

I woke up two and a half hours later to find Karen gone. She and Sandy had gone out to lunch. They hadn't cleaned a thing. The entire house was a disaster. The only clear place to sit was the toilet. I went to the grocery store to get things to make sandwiches for Ken and I and a few snacks for the party. 

After Karen and Sandy got back, Nora came over. But they made no real move to clear away any of the mess until after the girls and Carley got there. Then it was apparent that the mess was a problem. Karen stacked a pile of items to go to the pod in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen, the main traffic area of the house. I started taking them out to the pod. I wanted everything that was going out to the pod to be there before dark. The latch on the pod is difficult, and I didn't want to be messing with it at night. That was when Karen decided that she should start organizing her mess. It was a good time to start too, because the "guests" realizing that Karen didn't have dinner for them had gone out to eat. 

I really think this party tonight is a mistake. I can't wait for it to be over. I can't wait until they do come and get the pod, even though I am grateful for the extension. Even tonight, I have been spotting things here and there that I'd like to get into the pod before it leaves.

   

Then all we have to worry about is getting Nora, Ken and a dog and two cats to the airport. Of course, there will be the seven-day road trip that Karen and I will take to deal with. But having grown up as Army brats, we travel well together.

Still, I never want to move with these two again, ever!