even more accomplished

Christmas was nice... not too crazy but nice. Traffic getting to my parents house was nice, only about 45 minutes. Yesterday I did nothing... not even a shower. I was in pj's on the sofa all day and took a nap too. Needed that.

Today mom and dad drove down. I already had my car filled up, and when they called to say they were close, I started taking more boxes outside so they could throw them in their car. Then we all drove down to the new place. We cleaned for hours! Dad took the fridge apart, pulled out all the shelves and everything and scrubbed the inside of it. I washed all the shelves and drawers before he put it all back together. I cleaned the top of the stove (still need to do the self cleaning oven) Mom cleaned the entire bathroom and lined all the shelves for me in the closet. I unpacked most of the bathroom stuff. SO one room is almost done!

After we left, I went home for a while then went to Walmart ($108 later!) and went back to the new place with more boxes in my car. I was a little disappointed to find out that the dishwasher is STILL not hooked up. I have close to a dozen boxes in the kitchen that I need to unpack with dishes and glasses. Last weekend, mom packed them all up on newspaper, so I need to wash everything before I put it away. But with no dishwasher yet, I can't unpack it! Frustrating. But at least the bathroom is almost done.

Christmas Eve I asked 2 of my uncles if they could help me move next weekend. They will, I just have to call them to set it up. My cousin Jenn said she's help too. Her boyfriend has a pick up truck and she has a Ford Escape. I have to drive up to her house (about 45 miles), I'll leave my car there, and I'll take her car and she'll drive her boyfriend's truck. One of my uncle's has a pickup and the other has a Volvo wagon. So with all of those, plus my parents car, I think we can do everything in 2 trips. I'm going to have them do some of the boxes, if we have room, but I'm more concerned with the big stuff. This time next weekend, I'll be in my new place!!

I need to call a bunch of places. I need to change my address with the post office, and my insurance company and banks. I am waiting until New Years day to change it with the registry.. I don't want to pay excise tax in 2 towns. I have to call the electric company to take this place out of my name as of 1/31 and put the new place in my name starting 1/1. And I need to call Comcast. I brought my laptop over today to see if I could pickup the internet there. I can't. I have cable already (brought over a tv today), but no internet. SO I am going to have to call comcast to use my computer... no way I can't. That kind of sucks.

I'm going to see if someone can come next Wednesday after I have my doctor's appointment. I should be home by 3, so if they can come after that, it would work! Just SO much to do!! I'm trying to stay on track with everything, but it is overwhelming. I have so much more packing to do.

I'm glad that I have new years day off... I'll do SO much packing and organizing that day. I want to put most of my furniture between 2 rooms so it is easier to move it all out. But I still have so much that needs to be packed up between now and then. Hopefully each night this week I can make some progress.

Sadly, I have been fighting a cold for the past week. I can feel it in my sinuses and in my chest. I have that dry cough right now. Not fun! I'm just too run down with the holidays and with this whole moving thing.

so overwhelmed

I paid the rest of my January rent on the new place yesterday and got my new keys. When I went inside to look around, I realized that it was cleaned by the previous tenant who moved out for August 1st. I need to clean. A lot. I started a little today but could only do so much before it started to get to me.

I did more packing up of the place I'm leaving over this past weekend. I can't believe how much I got accomplished and I can't believe how much I have left. I haven't started my living room or bathroom and I have SO much left in my kitchen. Not to mention 3 different shelving units!

Work is crazy. Tomorrow working 8:30-12, then going to the company luncheon at the country club. We have to bring a yankee swap gift, $15-20. Haven't bought one yet. Then the rest of our company is off until Monday. Me and someone who works for me have to work... our department needs to be open. So I'm working Christmas Eve 8:30-2. I have a TON of work to get done in the next 2 of our half days.

I am giving gifts to my department... 3 of them. I have some little nail kit thing for each of them, then wanted to make the 3 of them each a scarf. I got 3 different colors of popcorn fun fur. JUST finished the 3rd one about 30 minutes ago.

I still have some Christmas gifts left. I need to buy a bottle of scotch for Grandpa and then a gift certificate for my parents, but I can't get that until Christmas Eve once I drive up to mom and dad's house.

Last year when I left work on Christmas Eve, the 30 mile ride to my parents house through Boston (live and work south of the city, mom and dad live just north of the city) took about 2 hours. I wanted to kill someone and that is no exageration. I was CRAZED!! I guess a good thing is that I am expecting it this year.

Work... crazy, training someone and waiting on my review.
Xmas, still have shopping left with 2 days to go.
Moving, packing and need to clean the new place with that going on.
Back is still super sore. Between the Saturday morning Abs class, followed by 3 hours of packing and moving boxes, then Sunday had to dig out my car and shoveled my stairs twice, plus the full super long front walkway... yup, back is KILLING me. Yesterday took a Vicodin at around noon. Last night hit the Pub for dinner around 6:30 and had 2 beers. Didn't think the Vicodin was still in my system. I was wrong. I was passed out in bed at 9pm!

Merry Christmas and I hope my life relaxes a little bit soon. Just need to make it to February, just need to make it to February, just need to make it to February, just need to make it to February......

I was awake at 4am! Why? No idea. I tried to get back to sleep but gave up around 5:40. I checked my email, went on facebook, then I did some packing in the spare room. I took everything off that bed, packed up the comforter (sheets will be washed), and flipped the mattresses up against the wall to get more space in that room. Then I went through my small 3 drawer dresser to clear it out. Now I am up to 6 bags/boxes for the Veteran's Association. They are coming by tomorrow morning to pick everything up. After work today, I want to get through my other 6 drawer dresser to see if I can find more clothes to donate. I'm making baby steps.

Then Friday is trash day, so Thursday night I need to clear out a bunch of stuff. I really want to get the mattress in the spare room outside, but I'm not 100% sure how I can get that outside on my one. I might ask Angela if she'll come over to help me get that and a dresser out from my bedroom. The more I can do this week the better.

I have Friday off again. I need to clean my kitchen, and do more packing up in the spare room, plus go through my basement, and I want to empty out the shelves in the dining room. Mom is coming over of Saturday afternoon. I want her to help me pack up my curio cabinet and the dining room closet. If we have time, I hope she'll help me pack up the kitchen cabinets too.

Last night I talked to one of my uncles and told him I was moving. He offered to help. I told him that I'd let him know on Christmas. I'm hoping he and another uncle will help me move the big stuff with a couple of trips Christmas weekend. If I can get that done then, that would be HUGE!! I'd take any help I can get!! :)

Last night I went to another exercise class. I'm dying now!!! It was a fun class, but I am sore. I know I am going to be more sore as the day goes on, but that's ok. Its a good hurt! :) Tonight I am taking a dance lesson. And I want to hit the gym tomorrow after work. I'm still trying to lose those 3 pounds so I can hit 20 pounds for the year. That's my only goal right now! I don't care about the skinny bitch club, I just want to hit 20 pounds!

Ok, so that's a lie. I want to win the skinny bitch club! I'm at 10 pounds as of last week, and we weigh in today. The class last night was my last chance workout! I did great. I just hope it was enough. I want to lose at least 1 pound for today. Then if I kick butt this week, and with all the moving and packing stuff, it could work. Plus, I'm dancing tonight, I'm taking an abs class on Saturday morning and I'm going for a hike for a couple of hours on Sunday morning, and next Tuesday I'm taking that class again. I'd like to hit the gym in there and do some eliptical too, and the stair climber (doctor said I could).

ahh... ok, so I guess I should start to get up out of bed. Already 7:15 now. I need to be in the shower in the next 15 minutes and have my clothes out before that. Fingers crossed today is a good weigh in (need to find light weight clothes for work today, so they don't add much when I weigh in!)

This was a great weekend! Friday night Michelle came over for about 2 hours and helped me pack up the spare room... well not all of it but MAN what progress! I'm impressed! I need to organize more of what's in there now to keep going. I didn't really do a whole lot since, but Friday was amazing! It just gets so overwhelming to do all at once.

Saturday morning I went to a bootcamp exercise class. I'm STILL dying! I sneezed earlier and each sneeze hurt my abs! And my legs are killing me... more my bum than anything else. Standing up HURTS! Guess it was a good workout. But it was free too! I can't wait to take more classes. I'm going for another one on Tuesday and one more Saturday morning. I want to keep up with exercise classes and working out and doing physical activity. Makes me feel good and feel like I'm doing something good for me.

Last night I went to another meetup group. They had a game night. It was a blast. I was there for about 4 1/2 hours and we played a few different games. I like meetup and love the idea of meeting different people this way. All different ages and backgrounds.

Today I was at mom and dad's for dinner. Mom made eggplant and chicken parm. SO yummy! I hope I have a good weigh-in this week even though I ate that for dinner and I'll have it for lunch over the next 2 days.

I have lots going on this week too. Tomorrow night I have a walk scheduled for meetup, but only one other person signed up. I think I'll still go, cuz if I don't then most likely I'd just skip the gym too! BAD. So this way I'll get something in. Tuesday night I have another exercise class, for legs, butt and abs. Wednesday night I'm taking a dance class... can't wait! Hmm.. Thursday night? I have nothing that night! :) SO I can do some cleaning and clearing out of the spare room and take out all the trash too.

I have Friday off again and hopefully I can make some progress in the house. I have some new boxes that I can fill up too. Mom is going to come over late morning on Saturday to help me do some packing and she'll take some stuff home with her as well... stuff I don't want but I don't want to just get rid of. She can go through it and make the decision about what she wants to do with stuff.

This whole moving thing is really scary. I have so much stuff to do and it keeps overwhelming me. The starting part is the hardest part. Once I start, I can go for hours, but I can't start it! I just look around my house and start to freak out. I know I need to take it in little parts. Having people come over and help is SO big. Angela and Michelle coming over last week made such a difference. I can't believe all that we did. I wouldn't have done all of that on my own. I hope when mom comes over, it will be the same way. And I hope on Friday I can accomplish a lot too.

I have my doctor appointment this Tuesday again with the neurosurgeon. I'm nervous, but I hope I get good news. I know I worked to hard with packing stuff and with the exercise class I took. My shoulder is killing me. I hope I get good news and I hope they tell me I can start doing more exercise and running and stair climbing and weights. I miss doing things. I just need to remember to take it easy and go slow.

Yesterday was more progress. After last weekend, I had so many trash bags and recycling boxes that needed to go out but my trash day isn't until Friday. I kept everything in my apartment and last night my friend Angela came ove and helped me bring everything outside. I did at least 3 trips before she got here and we had to have done at least 8 trips together. I had to have had at least 25 recycling boxes not including the kitty litter boxes! WOW! Plus all of the trash I put out. Made some progress with that.
And now, with a day off and tons to do, I'm laying on my sofa typing away. I was up around 8, watched some news and then I went out to pay for an oil delivery (nice $260! I hope I don't need to get oil anymore! Last year I went 6 weeks over xmas with 150 gallons and I just got 100! Dec 2nd to Jan 16th was 150. I'm in trouble!)
I want to start to do a few things in the spare room and do some cleaning in general today. Michelle will be here around 6pm to help, and I know just having someone with me will make a huge difference. And I know once I start today, I'll get on a huge role, but it is the starting that's the problem!
I need to keep thinking of things in smaller parts because the idea of the whole thing is SO overwhelming! Freaks me out! $$, work, cleaning, packing, moving, finding movers, bills, Christmas. Damn! Too much going on all at once!

Productive Day!

Today was a VERY productive day. My parents were coming down to drop off my Christmas Tree, so I was up early doing a little picking up, getting the tree stand out and moving around some of the furniture to fit the tree.

Mom and Dad got here around 11ish. It was around 3:30 by the time I finished decorating the tree. I really like it and it looks cool. I put out a few decorations, but not anywhere near what I usually do. I was able to pack up a bag of trash just going through my Christmas decorations. I have one box for mom, if she wants it and another big rubbermaid container I'm not putting out this year but I still want to save.

I took a little break in the afternoon, ordered a pizza and watched a show on demand. Then I started in on the dining room closet. That thing has A LOT in it! Five very deep and very large shelves! I managed 2 bags of trash out of that closet! I packed up 2 boxes that can just get moved into my new linen closet in the new place. I didn't pack up most of the stuff like glasses and platers for a couple of reasons. First, at the time I didn't have extra boxes, second, nothing to wrap stuff in, and third, no where to really store the boxes. But once I get extra newspaper, then I'll wrap up the glasses and just store the box on that shelf in the closet.

After I finished that, I started on the spare room!! WOW! That was a BIG deal. I have 10 bags of trash out of that room, a bag for people at work, a box for a friend and 4 boxes from my mom. I made a nice dent. Funny, after I started clearing through the spare room... found out that I saved LOTS of boxes! This will work out well I think! :)

I know that this Thursday night is going to be a VERY long night and I'll be pretty sore. My trash comes by 7am on Friday mornings. I will need to bring out SO much stuff Thursday night. I haven't brought out any of the trash from the spare room because it is snowing and I'm not going outside right now. But Thursday will be it! Then on Friday I can get lots more done in the spare room, since I'll have LOTS more space to work in.

Now that I have my plan, it is going well. I know I struggle with big changes in my life. Fist I need to digest the idea of the change, then accept it and be ok with it. Digesting it is the hardest part for me. After I accept it, pretty quickly I start making a plan of action and start moving forward. I have my plan and now I'm working towards it! :)

OH! AND I did my Christmas cards! Didn't even know I had cards, but I had 5 unopened boxes in the spare room! So I did the cards, just need a couple of addresses I don't have.

I like having productive days like today. And I still have all day tomorrow.

My shot went better this time than last time. I'm tight but I feel ok. I'm hoping this one actually works. But for 2 days after the shot, I am really happy with how well it is doing and I'm feeling pretty optomistic about it all.

On other news.... The apartment I looked at the other day, I took it! I'm going tomorrow to drop off a deposit and I'll be moving in the next month. I'm scared and I'm overwhelmed but excited at the same time. Now I need to downsize and get rid of stuff.

I'm going to be working on a few things on my list with this move... first, moving out of the ghetto. 2nd, I'll have to clean out the spare room (since I won't be living here anymore!) :) And 3rd, I know I will donate at least 2 bags of clothes by moving... plus donating a lot more stuff too! And I want to sell some of my precious moments stuff... so I will sell something on ebay too. Maybe I can knock off a few things off of my list.

I'm just REALLY scared about this move. Change is really hard. I've started to digest it a little more than I was yesterday and I know in a few days I'll be good with it, but I need to get over the idea of it. That and then the overwhelming idea of cleaning out 7 years of CRAP I have stored in this place! I have SO much stuff to get rid of and I know that moving is a really good thing, but it is SO scary.

I realized that I had done one thing outside of my comfort zone for November, and then yesterday I did something else. SO I did it ONE more month! Now I need to start working on December so I'm not rushing the end of the month again.

I'm not sure if I am really going to continue this next year. Maybe a version of it, but not the stress of 2 things per month. That was tough this year. And because of doing this, my comfort zone has grown SO much over the past 11 months. I can't believe the things I have accomplished and tried. WOW! Very exciting. I'm looking to the future to see what else is possible. Doing this opened up so many doors for me. I am a different person than I was a year ago. I like how far I have come.

I'm a little loopy right now. Already took my first pill and have another one to take in 15 minutes. Then I'll have my shot an hour after that. Nervous about it. But these pills sure do take the edge off! It is so weird when you are aware that you are out of it! And yup, I'm SO out of it. I was standing in my kitchen after I went there looking for something. I don't know what I was looking for. Then I just stood there... no thoughts, just standing in my kitchen looking around. That was when I realized I was officially loopy lou! :)

I really hope this shot works. I don't know what else I'll do after this. My appointment tomorrow is with the neurosurgeon for a follow up. We'll see what they say after that appointment too. I'm just sick of all of this. I just want my back to be ok and I want to be able to do things I want to do and not worry about if I can turn my head or not later because the muscles in my neck and shoulders may or may not be inflamed to a crazy point. Just so frustrating.

My dad already called, stuck in traffic with an accident trying to get to my house. He's taking me to the hospital today. I'm not allowed to drive after the injection because it tenses up all the muscles in my neck... not safe to drive like that.

Hmm... what else is new. I have an appointment to look at an apartment tomorrow just after my doctors appointment. It is a 2 family house, right near the hospital, 2nd floor and the owners are downstairs. They are older, retired, and seem really nice. The price is right, but I want to check out the place. Only BIG draw back is no washer/dryer. I'm going to see what I think when I look at the place. If I have access to the basement, then maybe they would consider a hookup there. Heats included in the rent, but hot water is electric. She said the electric bill would be about $50-60/month. That's not too bad. I'm already paying $35 without hw.

Ok, dad just called... he's at the Quincy Split, almost here. Time to get my sneakers on and go! Hopefully this goes well!!
Ciao!! :)