MOVING DAY – PART 2

Well, Saturday morning found us at the old house, packing the car and hoping Brad would arrange something for toting the rest to Halifax. It was a trying day to say the least with arrangements falling through here and there, but by 1:30pm, Amber and I had arrived in Halifax and promptly called the landlord to let us in and we unloaded the car. It was so hot in the stairwell, we thought we were going to expire – turns out the boiler is right beneath it…pant, pant…

After we unpacked what came in the car with us, we headed out to shop. We finally heard from Brad again who was FINALLY under way with his uncle in a truck with most of their things. Wal-Mart was an experience. We get there, its crowded, but not so much we can’t get around. Pick out a mop and broom, then head off to the vacuum cleaner department and after 20 minutes, pick one out…as we are picking one out, there is an alarm sounding…sounds like a fire alarm but no one is moving so we ignore it. We are about ready to checkout when Wal-Mart staff goes aisle by aisle and directs everyone to leave the store immediately…so we did and went grocery shopping instead. After the grocery shopping excursion, we went back to Wal-Mart, got what we needed again and managed to get in the WRONG checkout line. We just got up to being next and the checkout gal left the stall…just LEFT. She was gone about 20 minutes or more. I don’t know where the heck she went. She finally came back, no explanation and cheerily checked us out. Whatever. So then we finally get the heck out of Wal-Mart only to be stopped by the evil Wal-Mart greeter to check our stuff – WTF? We didn’t even make the buzzer go off. So we handed her the receipt and she let us pass. Let’s get HOME!

We aren’t home long before Brad shows up with his truckload. Amber called her dad up to help, who couldn’t leave the house without CB, but whatever…if she can carry anything, its less I have to drag up the stairs. Brad is in a FINE mood by then, surly as I have ever seen him – but Amber and I are no fools…best approach, give him some space and he will get back to us when he is ready to interact civilly. It didn’t take long…his uncle left, then Al and CB left, so I puttered around, made up the bed and they headed out to the balcony for some private chat. By the time he came back in, he was in much better form and tackled the tasks at hand with cheer. Brad put together the new furniture and Amber organized his CD collection while I washed the remaining dishes and put them away.

Then came the time to leave. I had planned on staying there tonight but the couch didn’t make it in the first load, so I was heading out to my niece’s to sleep…and darn near got out the door until this lovely child of mine demanded tears from me…I had managed to construct a nice wall around them until now, denial was working well for me…then she spoke and proceeded to inform me of why I should be crying…it was too much. I broke. Sob, sob, sob…I finally left after about 20 hugs and kisses and reassurances from Brad that he will be good to her and cried all the way to my niece’s house. I finally settled down shortly after arriving there and managed to hold it together for the rest of the evening.

Then I had to drive home in the morning. I cried the whole way. Just when I would stop and clear my head and eyes, I would start again. And not just easy tears falling – HUGE GASPING SOBS. My wall had come down. The car is a nice place to cry…no one is watching, but my vision blurred many times, lol. I found myself at my friend’s house in East Havre Boucher and stopped there for a hug – GAWD I needed one by that point. And she did, and we cried together. Then I finally got in control again, and sat and chatted with her for a couple of hours before heading home. What an exhausting day.