Moving is stressful.  That’s about the understatement of a lifetime.  Moving with young children can test the patience of a saint.  I do not have the patience of a saint, so I’ll just leave it to you, dear reader, to imagine my emotional state during this move, now eleven years ago.  I do, however, have a sense of humor, thankfully.  I invite you to read the story of my family’s misadventures, and have a good laugh at my expense.  Merry Christmas!

 

‘Twas in the days before Halloween when Gretchen turned to her spouse,

looked with dismay at the boxes, and moaned “We won’t ever be done with this house!

“We’re not finished packing, it’s more than a race,

we’ve not allowed enough time, we’ve not allowed enough space!”

So we loaded up my Santa Fe at Midnight, one, and then two

And dumped stuff at Mom and Dad’s ‘til we thought we were through.

The next morning came fast, and the fish tank still wasn’t packed and gone

So I desperately turned to our kind neighbor, “Can we store some boxes on your lawn?”

…Our sleeping bags were spread on the air mattresses with care

we traveled like vagabonds, sleeping here and there.

When the girls were nestled snug in their “beds”

Visions of their new Cape Cod home danced in their heads.

While Kevin with his cell phone and I with the bunny

Packed our lives in two trucks, trying to keep our moods sunny.

When out on I84 from the truck’s engine came a clatter

Out poured blue smoke, we pulled over to see what was the matter.

Away to the engine Kevin flew like a flash

“We threw a rod—we need a tow… where is the cash??”

The girls and I left Kevin there by the side of the road

His parents would rescue him (Thank you!), keeping watch over our load.

The truck was hauled away in a manner quite rough

Our vacuum, our couch, our freezer full of food stuffs!

At Al’s, the mechanic’s, the truck sat for four days

He said, “I thought the Beverly Hillbillies had come for a stay!”

We stayed at my in-laws for a few days, we were supposing,

Then it finally arrived, the Day of The Closing.

With mounting excitement, most participants came

The realtors, sellers, the lawyers, I could call them by name.

For you see, while 8 of us arrived promptly at one

The bank delayed us over two hours, when we should’ve been done!

With new keys in our hand, we flew out of that meeting,

Too late for dinner, too late for trick-or-treating.

The next day we rested and tried to stay sane

While Kevin was coping with searing back pain.

But bless him, he trudged on, as only he knew he must

And rented a huge Ryder, “To Cape Cod or Bust!”

He retrieved all our stuff—he’s so efficient and quick

From Mass. To Connecticut and back, a trip to rival St. Nick.

It started out smoothly, as one could surely believe

Until the top of the truck collided with a rather large tree.

Nerves were frayed and phone calls were made

And luckily the insurance had already been paid.

It was not exactly the way we would’ve planned our week,

We were left tired and weary, humbled and meek.

As we make our house “home,” we’re grateful at last

To begin our new lives here in Cape Cod, Mass.

To our family and friends, those close and out of sight,

Happy Holidays to all, and to all a Good Night!