The Palmer Moving Saga

I thought that I'd update the world on our moving status. Seriously, a comedy of errors here.

One week ago today, we were blessed to have great friends & family help us clean up and move out of our house here in Camp Verde.

On Tuesday, Ryan left first thing in the morning to load up his trailer...not enough room. He spent the rest of the day moving in the renters & moving the remainder of our 'stuff' to his mom's house bit by bit. In light of the fact that we couldn't take our trailer, we took a family trip to the dump to unload Ryan's Dad's trailer, then we repacked our stuff onto that trailer.

Wednesday, while Ryan installed chicken wire on the fence so the renter's little poodle would not escape and arranged for someone to mow our lawn & irrigate, Megan, Josyan, and I got our hair cut at Simplicity. Megan got the whole treatment--style & all, very cute!  Josyan hasn't had his hair cut since he was one--I couldn't risk losing the blond curls!  As you can see, they are still there, albeit a little less crazy.  ;-)  And Megan & I got our nails done--pedicures are seriously amazingly relaxing. One last lunch at Sweet Grace, and we were ready to go.

Thursday morning, we woke up bright and early, packed up the kids, and got on the road. Right after the Prescott exit, Ryan's emergency blinkers came on and I followed him as he pulled to the side of I-17...deciding that was a tad dangerous, we made it to the next exit, yes, just 20 miles out of town, where we called a tow truck and made our way back to Ryan's parents' house.

Thursday and Friday...Ryan and Dusty valiantly work to save the truck while I grade papers and build courses.

Saturday, the kids and I drive to Flagstaff to get a $5 part that no one in the Verde Valley had. We left at noon--the dealership with the part closes at 1.  Playing WOW 2010 at full blast, I realize I'm going 80 in a 65 right as we pass a cop--by some miracle he either doesn't see me or decides not to bother.  Thankfully, my brother, Tim (who was shopping with his family & my Mom) came to the rescue by going to pick up the part at Tyrell Marxen before they closed at 1pm. Fed a homeless lady sitting under the tree at Wal-mart, watched a chain reaction of kindness, then brought the part home to Ryan. The truck starts, the truck breaks again. Thinking he's lost the starter, the rotor, and the motor, Ryan gives up.  We contemplate trading vehicles with Ryan's Mom (she has a '98 Expedition that could pull our trailer, I have a Toyota Corolla that CANNOT!) or buying a new vehicle.  Ryan is pretty much in despair. 

Sunday...It's a new day, so Ryan decides to have a little more hope and checks out the truck.  He realizes that it's only the starter that's blown up. Replaces the starter. Engine is still knocking, so he checks all the rods and in the process breaks a bolt off in the engine. The kids and I go to Target to get Ryan new clothes because he has ruined all the clothes he owns fixing the truck while he continues to work on the truck. 

Monday...I get to watch my husband in hill-billy mode working on the truck in his underwear because he was getting oil on his new shorts. A trip to Phoenix (Courtesy Chevrolet) for Ryan to get the bolt  & some part for the exhaust system that has disintegrated. The bolt is extracted and replaced...the engine still knocks. The exhaust thing doesn't fit, but then does. I spend the day reading the Pioneer Woman's love story, wondering if we will ever get out of Camp Verde.  Call Delbert, the traveling truck expert, and make an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. Could be a valve, could be a piston.   Lay down with Josyan, fall asleep, and wake up realizing that we've just stood up my Mom & Rod for dinner.

To quote Vanilla Ice, "Will it ever stop? I don't know." LOL  Hopefully we'll know tomorrow what we're doing!  In the meantime, our mail is piling up in New Braunfels general delivery.  At least I HOPE it is!