Beast of Burden

May 10, 2010

I am sore.  I am tired.  I am hungry.  How did this happen?  Here's the recap. 

Roxy is moving to a new apartment.  Me being the nice guy I am, I am there to help.  Here's what's happened.

Day 1.  I wake up sick.  I feel hungry, but I can't eat anything.  I have extreme vertigo, and feel like I'm going to throw up.  I go on a 5 hour yard sale trek to pick up new items for Roxy's new apartment.  I find and move a dresser and table.  Get overheated, throw up, and then feel better.  Go to new apartment.  Re-arange things.  Sleep.  Eat a little bit.  Make list.

Day 2.  Eat protein.  Go get paint.  Load stuff, then donate it to Goodwill.  Load truck (2nd time.)  Move stuff to new apartment.  Unload truck at new apartment.  Eat stuff.  Load truck (3nd time) to new apartment.  Move stuff.  Unload truck.  Find an excellent Adrian chair, and move it in.  Load truck with dresser that needs to be refinished.  Buy stuff for apartment at the really nice dollar store.  Shower, eat, sleep.  Come home.

Day 3.  Get dresser out.  Get three sanders out.  Get assorted tools out.  Start sanding, and more sanding on dresser.  I sand out the tight spots.  I glue up the spots that need glueing. 

The hand rotary sander that was older than me died.  The ball bearings finally gave out.  It was a Sears-Craftsman that was made in the USA.  I hated to see it die.  They don't make them like that anymore.  No seriously.  They don't make them like that anymore.

I ended up sanding in the hot sun for over 4 and a half hours.  My heat exhaustion and veritgo return.  It was so hot.  I got a lot tanner.  Also, my allergies were killing me.  I ended up with a rash on both hands due to allergies.

Day 4.  I went over the dresser with wet rags to remove all dust and dirt.  Also to give it a clean painting surface.  I painted the drawers.  Then I would paint the dresser.  It was so hot the paint was drying in 15 minutes.  When I would finish one, the other would be ready.  I ended up putting four coats of paint on the dresser. 

I then put the dresser back together.  Made sure everything fit together.  That required some sanding and filing, but I got it working.  I then added the knobs back on, and put it in Dad's truck.

I also repaired a chair that needed glue in four places.  I clamped it, and let it set for three days.

Day 5.  Took the dresser, and other things over to Roxy's new apartment.  In total, I ended up making four trips between the apartments.  I took a lot of delicate stuff.  Art, art projects, and art supplies.  I took a lot of boxes filled with books.  I took furniture that was in the way.  I took the last of the things on the patio.  And I know how to pack a truck.  I made four trips that were loaded pretty heavy.  Came home, and was extremely tired.  I sat in my chair, and honestly passed out for three hours.  It wasn't like normal sleep.  I sat down, and didn't hear a thing around me. 

Day 6.  I took a day off.  I needed it.

Day 7.  When over to Roxy's place.  Got things in the last boxes.  Mostly all the kitchen tools, plates, glasses, and stuff.  I then made five trips to the dumpster to get rid of garbage.  And that trip to the dumpster was a good walk.   

Day 8.  Got up, and ate a little.  Helped the movers.  Got the furniture and boxes in the moving truck.  Again, it was hot.  I put a lot of the smaller, delicate stuff in mine and Roxy's cars.  A lot of books ended up in my car.  But I was able to really pack them in.

Then we go to the new apartment.  I help the movers unload.  I also help direct traffic to where things go.  Finally got the moving truck unloaded, and run for Wendy's.  Eat food, then start unpacking.  Get a good number of boxes unpacked, and then go back to the old apartment.

At the old apartment I put all the food in the freezer and refrigerator in three big boxes.  Grab more stuff, and pack the guniea pig, and her stuff up.  Bring everything to the new apartment.  I load up the fridge and freezer, Roxy puts Pumpkin the guniea pig's house together.  We unpack a little more.  Then it's shower, eat, watch a little TV, and sleep.

Day 9.  So tired.  Wake up.  Go to Ace Hardware for a speciality lightbulb and copies of keys to the apartment.  Eat Subway.  Go to the old apartment.  Get clothes and other things.  Go to new apartment.  Unload clothes.  Head to laudrymat to wash dirty clothes.  Go to Ace to return lightblub, as it is close but not the correct one for the lamp.  Back to laundrymat to move clothes from washer to dryer.  Drop clothes off at new apartment.  Go to old apartment, and get the last things out.  Drop things off at Goodwill.  Head to new apartment.  Unload car.  Rest.  Head home.  Get gasoline, food.  Eat, sleep, shower.

Here's the damages: 

Total hours of time donated to this:  I can't even begin to think how many.

Total gallons of gasoline burned:  At least 20.

Total injuries:  I'm not sure.  It depends on if rashes are counted.

Total number of times thrown up:  Once.

Total number of Adrian trips between apartments:  At least 20.

Total buying cost of dresser, table, and chair to Roxy:  $13.00

Total cost of milk paint to Roxy for the dresser:  $13.90.

Number of holes in wall at old apartment due to permanent tape:  Two.

Mirrors broken due to tape:  One.

Years bad luck due to broken mirror:  Seven.

Total number of boxes packed (including the ones that were re-packed):  Over 60.

Number of plant deaths:  One.

Number of broken wine glasses:  One.

Number of Aleeve taken:  Better not say.  Let's just say I need a new bottle.

Number of disagreements with Roxy's Mom over where the movers should park:  Two.

Total number of ice trays broken by Adrian's hands:  Two.

Total number of dents in the wall made by the dresser:  Three.