Getting Settled

We have been very busy since we arrived back home.  It took us only 3 days to slowly  unload the truck..  Everything except one small porcelain cup made it through the journey undamaged, not bad.  The next 2 weeks were spent unpacking the many boxes of household items, books for Amazon and our Ebay inventory. 

We just completed unpacking the last bag of clothes this past weekend.  We now have too many summer clothes! We packed all of our clothes in contractor trash bags to use as "stuffing" on the truck.  This worked out well as the bags were able to fit into spaces to keep the boxes secure.


OMG, I just the news report about the bus crash in California last night.  We were on the same stretch of road coming back from our hike with San & Mike at Big Bear!  The road was really winding with switchback curves everywhere, but I think the accident was on the open stretch of road after you come down from the mountains.

We are keeping warm using the outdoor boiler and adjusting to life back in the New England winters. Good thing we had wood delivered when we were back here in the summer,  Its being put to good use keeping us warm.

Our Stuff Arrives!

It was below zero this morning, but by the time I got outside to take this picture, it had warmed up a little.

A little above zero degrees.  Maybe tomorrow it will be lower

 I was up early (7AM) just in case the ABF dispatcher called.  The ABF dispatcher called at 10:00 to inform me that the trailer is being hooked up in the yard and that the driver will be here in about 1/2 hour.  I had a little concern that he would have difficulty navigating our road in the snow. Once he got to our driveway, would he be able to figure out how to back the trailer down the drive way?  It's narrow and it is curvy.  Not great for a 28 foot trailer.  The truck arrived on time and I met him at the end of our driveway to explain the options.

Truck at the end of our driveway

He chose the option of driving head-in down the driveway and using my van parking space to turn around and position the trailer.

Using the van parking space to turn around

This option worked out great and he positioned the trailer so that the ramp goes right into the garage.

Trailer ready to unload

Now I was excited to see how our stuff survived the journey.  After taking down the bulkhead wall, all of our stuff was just as we had let it.  Nothing shifted or fell during transport,  The driver said that it was the best packing job he had seen.  We thought so too!

Everything just as we packed it in California

Now we will take our time to unload. The only big items that we might need help with are the washer, dryer and king size mechanical bed.

Bedtime temperature below zero. For all you California people, Cold hurts!.

Below zero at bedtime.  Good thing the outdoor boiler is running!

Firing up the Outdoor Boiler

First thing I needed to do, especially with the sub-zero weather coming on Thursday, was to fire up the outdoor boiler.  Its been drained and dormant for  1 1/2 years and needed to be restarted.  This morning I made a trip to the stove store to purchase some rust inhibitor before filling the water.

After pouring the rust inhibitor in, I proceeded to fill the boiler. The boiler is filled from inside the house by connecting the existing underground heating pipes to a water spigot in the basement.  While the boiler was filling, I tested the pump, oh no it doesn't work, oh well I'll use the spare.  That didn't work either.  Both were frozen from non-use.  Took one of the pumps apart, cleaned it, WD-40 and just like new.  Back in business!.

Once filled with water and loaded wtih wood, I used my propane torch to light the wood.  Bingo! Fire!

Boiler & torch with tractor in background.  Tractor started first shot!

Front of boiler, loading door closed

Fire in the boiler

Now I am  just waiting for the water to reach temp and the circulating pump to kick in via the aquastat.  Then we won't be using oil any more for the rest of the winter. Sweet!

Boiler Update:  Took about 3 hours to reach high temp.  Circulating pump kicked in, furnace cut-out.  Heating the whole house (and hot water heater) with wood now.  Just in time for the frigid weather.

On a different topic,  our truckload of furniture appears to be in Worcester (on Rte 20 in Shrewsbury really).

Just got a call from the ABF dispatcher to schedule delivery of the truck.  Trailer will be here Wednesday between 8 and noon.  Driver will call as he leaves the yard, 20 minutes away.  We will have until Monday to unload the trailer.  Two guys in California took two hours to load it. I am sure it will take us longer.  Anyone want to help this weekend? It will be interesting to see how our stuff survived the journey.  It's all our fault if anything is broken since we packed it. We will see how good of a job we did.

We're Baaaack!

Got back last night after an hour delay in Denver.  Had to change planes after all.  Ours was broken! Rest of the journey was uneventful.  Elly is really glad to be back home.

Looking out our backdoor

This is what we are leaving!

This is the weather we are leaving behind.

For this?

Auto Shipping! Check!

Tonight the auto shipping company came and picked up the car.  I had thought that the 10 car transporter would show up, but instead a single car came to take the car to the yard to meet the large transporter.  Its a good thing because the large transporter would not have made it down street!  Its a small cul-de-sac with no space to turn around.   The shipping company is from Walpole, MA, a long way from home!

This worked out really well for us because we did not have to leave and drive anywhere to meet the truck in a safe loading area.  When the car gets back home I am sure we will have to meet the transporter somewhere in Sterling or West Boylston. 

Now its our turn to head back east on Saturday.  Brrrrrrr!  It was 65 degrees here today and the natives were freezing!

Our car being loaded tonight.

All Packed & On The Road

This morning we went back to the condo to get the rest of our stuff and finish securing our load and putting up the "wall".  I called the trucking dispatch and they came and picked up the trailer.  Our stuff is on the way home before we are.

Our stuff on the truck

The Bulkhead wall halfway installed

The wall installed. Our stuff is behind the wall.

After the trailer was picked up, we finished getting our things, cleaned up a little, returned the keys to the landlord, turned in our auto transponder and said our goodbyes to our neighbors.  We then headed to Riverside.  The car should get picked up on Thursday, hopefully no drama there.

Me and Elly in our now empty condo