Second, let me say that this past weekend of moving was absolutely exhausting. After packing all day Friday, we got up early Saturday morning to pick up the UHaul and load up. Everything took a little longer than planned, so we didn't get up to Sussex County until around 4pm. Then we had about 1 hour to unload it all and dump it in the house so BearFace could go get the used furniture we purchased from one of his coworkers. My parents and Ruby were nice enough to meet us at the new house to help us unpack and also to transport some of the things I had in storage in their basement over the past year and a half (I know my Dad was thrilled to get rid of it all)!
I did try to prep them with the fact that the house we are renting is literally on top of a mountain. I guess this did not really sink in, because I was greeted with this statement as soon as their car doors opened:
Dad: WHY ARE YOU LIVING ON TOP OF A MOUNTAIN?!?!
Michelle: Uhhh, well we just found this place online and liked it...
Mom (in the background): Blah blah blahblah blah
Dad: But why did it have to be on top of a mountain?!?!?
Michelle: Well why not? It's beautiful here!
Mom: MICHELLE!! Can't you see the smoke that is billowing out of the van?!?!?
Michelle: Oh. Yep, now I see it. Well, I guess it's time to get rid of the van. Don't blame it on the mountain.
Once the van stopped smoking, they helped me organize and unpack for a couple of hours while we waited for BearFace to return with the furniture. During which time it began to snow. It was a light, slow snow, so we didn't think too much of it as we headed down the mountain to dinner at The Vernon Inn. Our first foray into dining in Sussex County was quite a hit! We ordered the Buffalo Chicken Dip as an appetizer, and I had a pulled pork sandwich for dinner (Sussex County: 2, Salem County: 0). The best part about this restaurant is that Tuesday night is WING NIGHT! BearFace and I sorely miss Rocks and Wings at the Bidwell Tavern near UConn...perhaps this will be a replacement!
As if we had not had enough adventures for one day, there was one more in store for us as we piled into the van after dinner to head back up the mountain. There was only about an inch or so of icy snow covering the ground, so I really thought we would be ok on the way up. Not so...as soon as we hit the first steep uphill (pull out your geometry books and look up an 85% angle, then imagine driving up it), things got a little tricky.
Dad (driving): S%&*! We're not going to make it! My tires are sliding! We're going down!
Michelle: Dad! You can't take your foot off the gas! We're going to get stuck!
Mom: OMG WE'RE GOING TO DIE! I KNEW WE WOULDN'T MAKE IT! I CAN'T LOOK!
Michelle: MOM you're being ridiculous! This is not helping!
Drew: You're doing great, just keep going. Slow and steady.
Clearly BearFace is not from the Santoro family, as 'calm under pressure' is not one of our best traits. After coming to a complete stop and sliding backwards until my dad was able to turn into a driveway, we went back down to the bottom and stopped at Burger King to regroup (also I was about to pee in my pants) and form a plan. My mom was adamant that we should NOT attempt another trip up, and should instead go to the fire department and ask them to drive us up. My dad thought we should wait for a bit until a plow would hopefully go up before us and clear the road. I voted for Drew to drive, as he is a pretty experienced snow driver and definitely the calmest of the bunch. And Drew, always the optimist, kept quiet and let us squabble it out while offering encouraging words.
We finally convinced my mom to get back in the van and make another run for it. I was really hopeful, I was! But we failed once again, in the exact same spot. After sliding back down once again, we seemed pretty much out of options until a plow went by! My dad flagged him down and asked very politely if he would be willing to drive Drew and I back up to our house and then bring Ruby down with him. He kindly agreed, but clearly thought we were nuts. It was certainly an interesting first night!
Sunday was spent shopping for apartment necessities, and was equally exhausting. We were able to see more of the area, however, and it is absolutely picturesque.
About 10 minutes drive from our house.
Sunset from the kitchen. Morning in our backyard.
With the moving, unpacking, organizing, and deep-cleaning complete, all that's left is a little more decorating. It feels so great to finally be in our own place, free of roommates, mounted deer heads, and 70's kitchens!
And how does Murphleson feel about all of this?
Murphy: Dad, you're going to have
to step it up a little. Mom, keep up the hard work!
Murphy: Wait, I thought this was a game...why are you unloading
everything on top of this mountain?
Murphy: Guys? Guys? Why does no one ever
tell me when we're moving!
The pictures pretty much say it all...at first he thought it was just another adventure, and Murphy is always up for an adventure! But by Sunday night, the reality was starting to sink in and he was feeling a little unsure. Coupled with the lack of attention from Mom and Dad while we unpacked and cleaned, the little guy seemed pretty blue. Luckily, a hike with Mom cured his puppy depression.
Murphy: Alright, there's hiking here. We can stay.
I have two recipes to leave you with before I wrap things up here:
Not especially healthy, but sometimes you need something rib-sticking and comforting! It took me about 10 minutes to throw all of the ingredients in the crockpot yesterday, which allowed me to keep scrubbing my shower and still have a warm dinner waiting for BearFace when he got home from work.
I also made a batch of:
Homemade Flavored Water yesterday, after trying my mom's over the weekend.
2 quarts water
1 medium lemon, sliced thin
1/2 cucumber, sliced thin with skin left on
2 tsp grated or shaved ginger
10-12 fresh mint leaves
- Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and let sit for several hours before drinking.
Sounds like a weird combination, but I loved it! It is very refreshing, and for someone who avoids sugary juices and sodas, it is a great alternative when you feel like a beverage with some flavor. (I considered taking a picture, but pretty much it looks like water with stuff floating in it.)
We're off to the Vernon Inn when BearFace gets home for Tuesday Wing Night, and then it's a full day of job hunting for me tomorrow. Hopefully it won't be long until I am employed again...I'm already getting bored!
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