The Joys of Moving House - part 1 of ...

Since returning to UK from US last week ... has it only been a week? ... my focus has been on all the chores involved in getting us moved to Houston. I'm already wringing my hands in dispair.

Not much had gone on while we were away, despite the fact that I'd accepted the job before we left for US in late June. When I got back on seat, I started calling people to see where we stood.

I started with UK relocation firm. The analyst I'd been dealing with had left the company while we were gone and so I was working with someone new -- nice guy. Happy to take my call. Yes, he had the requisite paperwork, he thought, from my company to get things kicked off. I asked what sort of schedule he was putting together so we could be in Houston on August 1. He said, "Oh, August 1. OK." With that illustrious start in a few minutes of conversation we backed into a schedule that said:

4 Aug - Report to work in Houston
3-2 Aug - House hunt in Houston
1 Aug - Fly to Houston
31 July - Have final inspection with UK Landlord
30 July - Have UK apartment professionally cleaned
29 July - Movers load UK household
28 July - Movers pack UK household

Sounded right to me. RelocGuy would call MovingGuy and get things started. MovingGuy tuned out to be MovingGal. Nice person. Happy to call me. Probably can't do house on 29 July. She'll send surveyor to check out our place and let us know.

I let my new Houston boss know that I'll be on seat Aug 4. RelocGuy lets Landlord know he can inspect on 31 July.

SurveyGuy shows up 15 minutes AHEAD of schedule at house yesterday. Nice guy. Happy to talk with us. Gave us booklet that included customs forms. Said we can't take food or alcohol into US. "No food?" says I. "No food," says he. "Could contain anthrax."

OK, I guess, we will be eating lots of canned food for the next few days. And plenty of various cocktails drinking up a cabinet full of booze we've got. And three bottles of 1998 and earlier vintage California Napa wines. I hope they're not vinegar.

MovingGal calls later that afternoon. They can't get to us until 5 August -- a week and a day later than I'd tentatively planned. Teeth grinding from my end of phone, but what can you do?

I write to god and everyone giving new dates -- all the dates a week and a day later than those listed above except for start date which is just a week later - 11 Aug.

Then MovingGal calls back saying they can start on 4 August. I don't know whether to grind teeth or not. It is, after all, an improvement. I let Landlord know we'll move inspection up a day, but sort of hold a secret from everyone else.

Current schedule, but don't tell anyone, is

Pack and Load: 4-5 Aug
Clean and Inspect: 6-7 Aug
Fly to US: 8 Aug
House hunt: 9-10 Aug
Report to work: 11 Aug

While all this is going on, the US HR person calls. Nice person. Happy to call me. USHRGal says she can't kick things off in US because she's not officially received word that I've actually been transferred.

"OK," says I, "who do you need to hear from?"

She says, "Your new boss."

I say, "Can I just forward her offer letter and my acceptance?"

"[Pause]Hmm. [Longer pause] OK."

So I get on the stick and do that.

Next major item: sell the car. Anyone want to buy a 2001 (Y-reg -- that's British thing) Jaguar X-Type 3.0Litre Sport in red with full-leather ivory interior? Only 46,000 miles. Of course, Internet is the way to do it, but that means pictures and pictures mean a clean car. So, last night I'm home from work and out doing the clean and polish job. Jeez, that car looks great when you clean and wax it. Especially if I do it myself. I just haven't had a chance because all it seems to do is rain here. Last night, though, was a window of opportunity. I got it washed. I put some wax on. I did a Grade-B job of cleaning the interior. ( I didn't have any leather cleaner.) Then out came the camera and just before the sun went down, I got some publicity pictures.


I started to write ad today. (Wish my father were here.) Chickened out when it got to part about giving email address. It gets published to the world and I want one I can shut off after the dust clears 'cause you KNOW how much spam THAT'S going to attract.

So, we'll save that for tonight.

And then there's all the work stuff to get done ...

I'm never moving again.