Zut Alors!

  What a fiasco Moving Day 2 was.  They started at 8:15 and they're still here, 10 hours later.  Mark and I could have another career as moving estimators.  We knew it would take more than two days to pack us, and here it is, the end of Day 2 and they're still not done.
  Why do moving companies employ people as estimators when the estimator has never spent a day actually packing?  They need to be sent into the trenches with the worker ants.  Then maybe they'll see the amount of time and the effort it takes to get a house packed up.
  It's not for lack of effort, I'll give them credit there.  They are efficient, polite, quick and thorough.    We are getting a first rate packing, we just need all hands on deck.
  Jonathan, the estimator, said this weekend and the next are the two busiest of their entire year.  That makes sense.  Memorial Day weekend many people move.  Which is also why they're short staffed.  A lot of moving jobs, not enough workers.   Hmm.  Maybe some adjustments need to be made?

  This fiasco isn't even THE fiasco of the day.  Three days ago we reserved a 6x12 foot trailer after it was evident that our own little trailer would not be able to transport all the stuff we want to go to Colorado.  We made a reservation three days ago.  Mark called U-Haul today and found out that they had a trailer for us.  But it was at a location half way between Tucson and Phoenix-at least a 30 minute drive one way.  Time is our most valuable commodity now.  We don't have a spare 30 minutes lying around to  make a 30 minute drive.  And the "manager" said he was short staffed and didn't have anyone to go pick up the trailer.
  Mark has a little vein on his forehead that is a good indicator of future behavior.  If that vein starts to throb, and Mark blinks 3 times, it's time to run to a bomb shelter.  He's a very patient man, but there's only so much Stupid that he's going to listen to.  I have never seen him lose his temper, but today it almost happened.  Why was it going to be left to us to get that trailer down here?  Why else do you rent in-town if not for the convenience of picking it up?
  Wisely, Mark said he'd call back.  Throb, throb, blink, blink,blink.  He called U-Haul back, asked what they did have in stock and what kind of price break would he be given for the inconvenience?  The result: we're getting a 14 foot long TRUCK for the same price he would've paid for a 6x12 TRAILER.  Now we don't have to worry about lack of space!  Bring everything to Colorado!  I can fill this truck with my art supplies, even the liquids and aerosols and paper!  This truck is large enough to put our little trailer in, but we're not going to do that.  We'll tow it behind the truck.
  As good as it is to get a truck, the reality is that it changes our entire plan to drive to Colorado.  IF we had gotten the trailer like we were supposed to, we'd store our little trailer and tow the rental behind our SUV and make it to Colorado in one long day.  Now we have two vehicles to get to Colorado.  And since we can't go as fast as the speed limit suggests  permits, the usual 13 hour drive-done-in-one-long-day has become a 2 day trip.  We plan to drive to Albuquerque on Saturday and stay the night.  Sunday we'll get up early and do the 6 hours more to Colorado Springs.
  Breaking the trip into two parts means we'll be staying at a very pet friendly hotel, first floor, so we can bring our 6 chihuahuas, 3 parrots and 2 turtles into our room.  (We hope our traveling zoo allows us to get some sleep Saturday night.)

  I really don't know how come I'm so calm during this big move when a lot has already happened.  It certainly helps that I'm married to an awesome problem solver/negotiator/planner type of guy.  Plus,we have made some allowance in time in case things like these happen. The reality may be that I'm wiser, older and much too fatigued to get nerved up about anything anymore.  I'm keeping my eyes on the prize.  It's going to be worth it all.