Making 40 Hours with No Water and No Power Amazing

When we saw this coming, we knew we were in for a wet few days.  What we didn't realize was that it would be so wet, the wind would uproot soggy trees by their soaked roots and drop them on power lines within the first few hours of the rain starting.  Oh, and those same lines that brought us power, powered the well pump that gave us water. 

Night 1: Watch the storms, play Apples to Apples by candlelight.  We moved our bed into the living room where there were fewer unstable trees, and more unstable windows out of which to watch the lightning and wind. 

Day 1: Put the houseplants outside for the drink of their lives.  Within an hour, they had gained 5 lbs apiece in water weight.  Fatties. 

Night 2: Ate watermelon and played the Ungame by candlelight.  Moved bed back into room so we'd get a decent night's sleep without the antsy cats plopping around all day.  Mr. Mike brought his work laptop home with a full battery so we could watch Gabriel Iglesias and Oceans 12. 

Aww, but she's so patient sitting by the window, waiting for the rain to stop.  This is Bynx, the Duchess of the family.  Really, what made the entire time amazing wasn't our ingenuity, but our interaction.  Being family, sitting and talking to pass the time, cooperating to make the best of what we had on hand, playing with the cats, and enjoying time together. 

Moving

Moving is what bwings us togevah today. 

I am typing from my cozy temporary room, having called Windstream and my landlord today to make it official.  In fact, my responsibilities have diminished greatly in the past 24 hours, and I find myself with little or nothing requiring my immediate attention; and am therefore feeling resort overtones.  I even laid out in the back yard and soaked up some sun in preparation for my upcoming mission trip to Honduras.  The more tan I get beforehand, the less I'll have to worry about sunscreen while I'm on the dig site. 

So, last night we packed up the in-laws' Honda CRV and old Ford pickup for the dozenth time and unplugged the lamp and swept the floor and left our keys on the stove when we left.  We were only moving about 8 miles away from the apartment, so we opted to make the multiple trips instead of renting a moving van for the day.  We used what few boxes we had on hand, and simply piled on the rest of the stuff.  We're living out of a suitcase, but are blessed to have space to set up a nice dorm-esque area for the computer and a few items to suffice for the time being.

Every time we do something like this, I am tempted to throw away everything else, all the packed up stuff, all the furniture, all the everything, and just live like this.  Simple, un-chained from material things, and free to make each day new.  Of course, I'm technically bumming off the in-laws for their stuff, but hey, what fantasy was ever without its surrealism?  So I'll stress again, like I have been for so long and practicing not nearly enough: SIMPLIFY!  If you don't think you have a ton of crap, MOVE.  When you pick up that random doo-dad your aunt Flitchie gave you when you were 10 and have never used, throw/give it away.  Even if you don't plan on moving in the near future, your livable space will be much more livable with less junk. 

For anyone who is moving or planning on moving, learn from my recent experience:

1. Start early--pack and re-pack boxes to organize items and make the most of space.

2. Have give away zones, places where you put items to conveniently "lose during the move"

3. Collect boxes and plastic bags from the grocery store.  These are great for packing.  There is no such thing as too many boxes.  Well, maybe there is, but I have yet to see it. 

4. If you're moving more than 10 miles away, pay for the moving van.  It will save you in gas.

5. Even if you plan to do the change of address form online, pick up the kit from the post office.  It has coupons in it.  I can get 10% off of my next purchases at Best Buy or Lowe's now.  And use the paper kit instead of online, it's free and the online one charges you $1.00. 

As a note on #2, I've had a huge blessing out of giving stuff away.  Things I don't use or know someone who would love the item more than I would, I got to give away.  Not only did it lessen the load of stuff I have to carry, but I get to see friends enjoying things that were just stuff to me.  It gives them and you both an item connected to a memory of each other, which will long outlast the item alone.