Sep 8, 2018

Dallas: The First Week: Does Mike Want a Divorce?

Sunday: Drove in (Mike) at the end of the day and moved into Apartment #1. Don't remember much as I was taking Ativan to cope with everything (only when I travel).

Monday and Tuesday: Looked at houses. Bought a little food just to get by. Nightmares from my childhood.

Wednesday: Signed a contract to buy a house. I wanted this house; Mike another. Compromised by me winning this round.

Dreamt Mike wanted a divorce.

Thursday: Went grocery shopping and filled the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry with enough food and drink for a couple of weeks.

Dreamt Mike wanted a divorce.

Friday:  Woke up covered with bugs biting me (not Mike). Ran around like crazy, jumped in the shower, got dressed and packed, leaving behind anything that was anywhere near the bed. Packed up all our food and clothes and (Mike) hauled it to the car. Drove like a bat out of hell to Apt #2.

Lugged (Mike) all our stuff, including food (beer is heavy), and 4 suitcases up a flight of stairs to Apt #2. Unpacked everything (me). Cried at the scary apartment. dump we were living in. Felt guilty for not appreciating the apartment.

Went to lunch. Came back and packed up everything, including the frozen tater tots we bought to celebrate buying a house (cheap date), and drove like hell out of that really scary garage.

Went to hotel. Kept some stuff in trunk of car, but brought in all food and about 1/2 our stuff.

Dreamt Mike wanted a divorce.

Saturday:  it's only 1:00 -- give it time! 

MOOD WHEN DONE:  I want my life back.


17 comments:

Diane McVey said...

Oh, no! Bless your heart!! I’m so sorry this is happening. It will pass. Find a decent residence inn and stay there til your house closes. Well worth the cost. Take care, you are going to make it!!!

Starla said...

Hang in there!! In a few weeks you will most likely be able to chuckle about the moving “adventures”.

Susan Raihala said...

Ohmygosh! That's horrifying...about the bugs, especially. It will get better, Mike won't divorce you, and you'll have all your own stuff in your own place soon. Hugs, not bugs!

~amy~ said...

Oh no! Sending you lots of good thoughts.

Hannelie said...

♥♥♥

Leslie Miller said...

Good grief! Real bugs? I'd welcome the hotel as long as it doesn't have bugs. Last time we bought a house (28 yrs ago) it took 2 months to close. Will it take that long? Stay cool, Joan. Dream of your beautiful new house, not of Mike divorcing you. The house is real and Mike isn't going anywhere. Sending bug-free hugs!

Joan B said...

yes real bugs. i have the bite marks to prove it and mike saw them crawling over the bed. the airbnb host said "it's texas. we get fire ants when it rains." so we are paying for a month of an apartment that they refused to cancel AND a hotel -- where, after a great deal of rain I see no bugs. Luckily we are supposed to close on the house in 2.5 weeks. I have to admit this was exhausting but we had a good laugh about it after I wrote this post!

Kimberly E. said...

What a whirlwind you guys are on! I’m glad it was fire ants and not bed bugs, because bed bugs usually go with you and are near impossible to get rid of. Hurry up 2.5 weeks, we need Joan settled and creating! Hang in there and keep us posted.

cheryl l. said...

OMG! What a horrible week! I'm just glad you can laugh at it now! And hope time flies and you're in your house FAST! Take care, and keep your eyes peeled for creepy crawlies!

vdoyle8 said...

O M G The bugs would push me over the edge. My next place would have been the psych ward. Thank God you were blessed with your sterling sense of humor!

Diana K said...

OMG! I would have moved in with my son, no matter what the living arrangements would have been! And no matter the inconvenience to him! �� Stories like this make me appreciate living in The Freezing Cold Far Great North that is Canada.

Cheryl Robertson said...

So sorry! Hope things get better and you get in your new home soon. And no, Mike is not going to divorce you! ❤️

Susan Raihala said...

You laughed about fire ants? If indeed those were fire ants. You'll survive Texas just fine.

I'm glad you're closing quickly. Hope all goes smoothly from here on out!

Mary said...

Aww, tough times. I say go farther north, maybe Plano or beyond for temporary quarters. I lived north of Dallas for 25 years. Coming from San Francisco it was a culture shock but I adapted. Take a field trip to Fort Worth. The museums are wonderful. Go to Uncle Julio’s for Mexican food. Lots to do there and the shopping and restaurants are great. You will have good medical care also.

Karen @ Misplaced Mojo said...

OMG, that first apartment would have wished all they had was ants if it had been me. But ants and a PO'd me would have been way more than they bargained for! What if you had an allergic reaction?!? So before I forget in my disgust at their incompetence and lack of customer service, if there is any truth to that area being prone to fire ants when it rains, I have a suggestion for your new house. After a nightmare at a house rental in GA, and several visits by a reputable pest control service that seemed unable to control the problem, a tech felt bad for us and gave us a tip I'm sure his manager didn't want him to share. Borax, you know... the old fashioned laundry detergent? Its a wonder at killing ants, roaches, beetles, pretty much anything. He suggested we put a line around the perimeter of the exterior of the house, as well as under sinks (lift the metal ring around the pipe that goes into the base of your vanity or cabinet), and pull out the dishwasher and pour some under there. Anywhere pests would go for a water source. We don't often open our windows so I also laid a small line in the base of each window frame as that was the source of entry for ants in a previous home. We have been here 12 years now and have not had any of the issues we experienced in other homes or rentals. Good luck!!!

Anonymous said...

Chin up girlfriend. We crafters are a hearty lot. I hated living in Atlanta when I moved here thirty years ago. The natives were mean to “Yankees”. The dirt is red. There are too many pine trees. I’d never seen so many bugs. I was taking drugs to keep from throwing up on a daily basis because I was so nervous. I got lost almost every day because there is no such thing as a straight road around here and almost every street, road or Avenue begins with Peachtree. It gets better. Now I wouldn’t leave for the world.

I wish you the same joy of discovery and adventure and a lifetime of happiness in your new home. And I can’t wait until you are back in your craft room and posting pictures! Maryn

Anonymous said...

Great post!