Our Last Week in Kansas, Part I

Wow.  Time sure flies when your family is moving from one state to another.  I've got a lot of catching up to do!  Let's start with our last week in Kansas.

Things were rolling right along with just 12 days to closing (and 8 days to moving truck arrival) when I last wrote.  Then it started to get hairy.

Jackson and I were packing our hearts out every evening and all weekend long when Mother Nature surprised us with another 6 inch snow storm in Lawrence.  Our packing came to a screeching halt as we dropped everything, found the lone remaining shovel in the garage (the awkward and heavy one of course) and dug ourselves out of the driveway yet again. 

I should have known it was a sign of what was to come.

The next setback was a message from our realtor with the inspection results.  Though there was nothing major, it was noted that the roof was "showing signs of age and had a limited remaining lifespan".  No surprise there - as it is original to the house.  However, the buyers wanted to do some additional research to make sure the roof was insurable.  Naturally, I feared the worst and started to panic.  Drew did his best to talk text me off the cliff.

24 hours later we got word that the roof was a non-issue.  But, there were 4 "minor repairs" that we were asked to make.  Under normal circumstances, this would have been no big deal.  But we were extremely clear, with our realtor and theirs, that due to the time constraints we were under (not to mention the concessions we made on the sale price) there was not time for post-inspection repairs.  In fact, we were to depart Lawrence just 3 days later - how on earth was I going to get a plumber and electrician to the house in three days?  All parties had agreed that we would not fuss with minor repairs and here they were going back on their word.  I was LIVID.  With the buyers for not honoring their word.  With our realtor for not putting up more of a fight.  With myself for not making sure the contract was written with zero wiggle room in this regard.  Of course, in the end, we weren't going to let a couple hundred dollars in repairs cause the deal to fall apart.  But not before I gave our realtor an ear full (there was cussing involved) and threw a total temper tantrum on the phone with Drew.

The very next day I met a plumber at the house to repair a small leak in the water heater.  I should have known things were going to go south when I took the plumber to our utility closet only to spot a pair of my underwear in plain sight in the middle of the room.  Apparently, Ruby had raided the laundry hamper.  I scooped up my panties and shoved them in my coat pocket praying that Heath from Action Plumbing didn't see what just happened.  Just a few moments later, Heath located the leak and I watched as the entire pipe crumbled in his hands from all of the oxidation at the site of the crack.  Our "minor repair" had just turned into a brand new water heater.  I'm pretty sure Heath thought I was going to burst into tears.  He sure was nice to me after that.  I was beginning to think we were jinxed and went upstairs to call our realtor and fill Drew in on the latest development.  After I hung up the phone I realized there were 2 voices coming from downstairs.  Heath's colleague had arrived with the new water heater much quicker than expected.  I headed downstairs and suddenly remembered that Ruby had been downstairs while I was on the phone.  And now she wasn't.  I asked if they had seen her and repair man #2 replied, "Oh yeah.  She ran out.  I think she was at the end of the block a minute ago."  I was speechless.  Heath was apologizing all over himself and I told them I'd have to leave them alone for a few minutes while I tracked her down.

Fortunately, Ruby wasn't far and no harm was done.  The new water heater was installed rather quickly and painlessly, and once again Drew talked texted me off a cliff.

I managed to keep  my sense of humor about the whole thing as I relayed the story to the girls at work.  Especially when I reached into my pocked and nearly pulled my underwear out (I had forgotten that I shoved them there in haste) and threw them on my desk!

Although stressful at times, the week wasn't all bad.  By some brilliant stroke of luck my best friend was in town the whole week.  Not only was Cortney a gigantic help as we boxed, loaded and prepared to leave, but we were also able to squeeze in one last girls night out in Lawrence.  Hard to believe it's been 18 years since we met in the bar at the Eldridge Hotel!  It was the most fun I've had in a really long time and, as always, my time with Cortney was absolutely therapeutic.

Jackson took special treats (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle decorated cookies) to the kids at Princeton on his last day and his good friend Ruby brought him a special going away present. 

He's sure going to miss her - and all of the kids and teachers at Princeton.  I had to fight off a tear as he hugged his dear friend goodbye.

Of course, the folks at my office put out quite a spread on my last day as well (more food showed up as the day went on). 

Even though I'm not really leaving GCSAA, it felt a bit strange to leave the building I've been walking in to for the last 13 years.

Fortunately, I will be heading back to Lawrence mid-April for some meetings and final wrap up at the office so it wasn't terribly emotional.  I'll also be able to use that visit for some other final goodbyes.  Besides, there was no time for that. 

By now, Drew was half way back to Kansas and it was time to get this show on the road!