Well, it was a sprint to the finish and a trip filled with lots of bumps, but we made it out to San Diego in one piece – two tired parents, two extra tired kiddos, and one thoroughly displeased cat. Our first sign of trouble was when the moving company called two days before our date to let us know that they needed to come pick up half of our things a day early – this would have been nice information to have had when we booked the move, and perhaps not the day before. The next two days became a blur of packing and moving, with the kids pitching in to mark the fragile boxes and put address labels on every box. First crisis averted, we headed over to Lala’s house for a quick respite before our big travel day.
We successfully navigated the baggage check and through security (with a cat!) and settled into the lounge to await our flight. Delayed, delayed again, cancelled. Ut oh. Amid the mad dash to the ticket counter Henry and Eleanor were booked on the next direct flight, while Mom and Dad were booked on a different connecting flight. Thinking that wasn’t a great solution, we managed to secure an alternate flight to LA instead (just 2 hours away!) which seemed like an good trade (kids fly direct, Mom and Dad fly through Vegas and play the slots, then catch up with the kids in the airport?). Delayed, delayed again. Thankfully we finally took off and had a smooth flight into LA. Zapatita, in case you were curious, remained absolutely silent beginning the moment we put her into her carry case. She had refused to take her calming medication prior to the trip, but she turned out not to need it.
Arriving in LA it was time to split up – Dad get a rental car and Mom get the bags. Dad was successful, Mom was not. No bags to be found. Hungry and tired we decided to hit the road and hope the bags would be delivered later. With Zapatita in tow our only options were fast food, so we hit up McDonald’s for some cheeseburgers and Target for some new booster seats (see missing bags above…) and pointed the now unnecessarily large mini van south (again, see missing bags above…).
An hour into our drive we got some good news – our bags had somehow beaten us to San Diego and were waiting at the airport for us. We needed to swap out rental cars anyway, so that worked out great. It turned out that the connecting flight through Las Vegas was the quicker option. After a quick rental car swap, we picked up our bags and finally headed home. Unfortunately, it was dark when we arrived so the kids didn’t get the full experience, but we had a thoughtful welcome home sign and flowers from our local cousins.
Our first full day in San Diego began with a pancake breakfast at the earliest opening restaurant we could find nearby (time change!). Then, it was off to Target and Home Depot for some supplies. First up, mowing the now overgrown lawn. Henry was eager to help – lets see how long that lasts. We thought our luck was finally changing when the movers called letting us know our stuff would be arriving on the earlier side of the delivery window, but then it turned out it would only be some of our stuff….the rest would come much later. Oh well, some stuff is better than no stuff so we set to work cleaning the house and getting ready.
Moving day came and went without too many problems, but we did discover that the washing machine hookup was leaking – not being able to do laundry would put a hiccup in things. We also found out that renovations would be further delayed due to some unforeseen circumstances and the need for a new wall (to make sure the house doesn’t fall down).
We were sure that our luck was changing when we successfully obtained a new car and celebrated Mom’s birthday with a sushi dinner in Little Italy (turns out they have good sushi – who knew?). Little did we know a new surprise was lurking with bedtime showers – a leaking pipe! Time to install some new skylights in our basement ceiling and see what is going on.
The next day with a visit to the laundromat and a visit from a plumber and things seem to be back on track. The kiddos got some beach time, and we were treated to a fantastic sunset including an amazing double rainbow of which you could see both ends.
Taking a break from meeting plumbers and unpacking boxes, we decided to get out and run around a bit at a local park. We got some swinging and baseball in, along with a bit of just relaxing on the grass. Time to head home and wash off that sunscreen. The plumber had assured us that the shower was definitely not the source of the leak – so no problem. Except, it seems that the shower was indeed the problem. More water pouring out the ceiling. More buckets and mops required.
OK, now Dad needs a shower – we’ll be sure to use a different one. Whats that you hear – dripping water from the other side of the house? Surely not. Indeed it is, this time coming from the toilet (oh no…). Out of buckets and mops we turn to trash cans and old t-shirts. Time to empty a toilet via plastic cup and sponge. Once the water stops, it is time for another shower. Whats that you say, it’s leaking again??? It can’t be, the toilet is empty! One more round of cleanup – this time I’ll just wash my hands in the kitchen sink. More water comes pouring down of course. This time we decide to wave the white flags, wake up the kids and move in with our cousins down the street. They are out of town, but through the magic of smart locks we are able to crash in a clean, odorless and fully functioning house for the night. Plus, it even has furniture!
After four mops, countless buckets of bleach and Pine-sol and several visits from plumbers, I’m happy to report we are well on our way to getting everything fixed up. On the plus side – I now own a drywall saw, in case that comes in handy in the future. And, any future visitors staying with us will be able to marvel at the shiny new ceiling in their bathroom.
Here is looking to a great 4th of July and maybe a smile or two from lady luck.
