A moving experience, part one

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So lady lucky continues to swing my way as my other best friend, Clare, has bought a house in her hometown of Montevallo and is back in my vicinity. She enlisted her posse of wild women (and one wild almost woman) to help her move. I can't say I was looking forward to spending my Memorial Day packing and moving, but I knew we had a good posse with myself and the fierce tag-team mother/daughter duo of Carrie and Codi Jane McGrann. We've always had a knack for having a good time together no matter how rough the going, as history has shown.

In just about 35 hours, a full household was moved 212 miles. Clare was wise enough to hire José, her yard man, and two of his compadres to take on the major bulk of the back work -- couches, bookshelves, dressers and TVs and they did a very impressive job of filling a 26 foot long truck completely full with hardly an inch to spare. Carrie called it "Tetris" and she was dead on.

After the first truck was filled and still many more boxes and other smaller furniture items to move, Codi (bka "Codence") had the genius idea that our adult sleep-deprived brains could not muster, to rent another smaller truck that I would drive so this we did. I was concerned the 14 foot truck would be too big, but how wrong I was. Clare filled 40 U-Haul feet to the gills.

Looking back on this almost 20 year friendship, I am reminded of how many moves Clare and I have had, together and separately. We've helped her Mom move, we ourselves moved three times in college, Clare helped the McGrann's move to their new house. Clare's dad, Sid, helped me move to my apartment. I do think it's a true sign of friendship and well worth the backache to have my #1 partner in crime back in the area. How I won't miss the Atlanta traffic or the three-hour drive, but will always love the hideout that house provided me for many years, the excellent ethnic restaurants in Norcross and the DeKalb Co. Farmer's market.

35 hours in pictures:

A. You can only imagine how butch Clare looked driving this rig (aka The Large Barge)

B. We had the coolest U-Haul in the entire city. Can you imagine the calamari this monster could produce?

C. Codi finds a very stylish piece of macrame for a sassy hair piece.

D. Carrie if overwhelmed by shear amount of personal possession de Claro.

E - H. Watching these guys load the truck was like watching a magic trick. They left no amount of space unfilled and used heavy-duty twine with all sorts of cool knots to get this sucker loaded and ready to roll. As Clare negotiated prices with José (G.), I encouraged her to give them a good tip as they completely packed this massive truck in less than three hours.

I. The U-Haul I drove with Codence as my co-pilot (aka Baby Barge)

J. Clare's late grandmother's dog, Molly, better known as Butters, says goodbye to Norcross permanently as she goes to Shelby County to find a home on a farm. I know she's cute, but don't let the sad eyes fool you. This was definitely the right move for Butters and everyone who has ever dealt with her.

K. Carrie's sign language for "Let's get the f outa d" with Clare's full packed Civic.