You don’t even know the half of our moving day adventure. We glossed over it because we knew you deserved empty shots of our old place and pics of the new house’s interior – but we couldn’t let this story go untold. So take a moment to pantomime the buckling of your seatbelt and get ready to enjoy the ride. As we mentioned earlier, the day started off with an unexpected surprise: a snowstorm. And even though it wasn’t a Friday, the thirteenth of this month (aka Monday) surely lived up to its less than lucky reputation. Which is so not a good thing when it’s closing/moving day.
Sure the snow was pretty, but it definitely had its hand in a few unlucky events that day. Like knocking out power at our attorney’s office, making it a bit more difficult to stay updated on what was happening and get transfers and files through in order to complete our closing on time (which is partially why it was delayed until Tuesday). But that was nothing compared to this, um, predicament:
Yep, that’s our 26 ft U-Haul truck in a ditch, blocking two lanes of traffic. And it’s not just any ditch. It’s the ditch at the end of our driveway- er well, the driveway that we had just sold. So technically, it was someone else’s ditch that was holding my truck captive about an hour before they’d be returning with the keys. Not to mention it was someone else’s mailbox that the truck was precariously leaning against. Sigh.
Here’s how it went down (pun intended). Sherry was already at my sister’s house with Clara and Burger playing the waiting game until we could move into the new house. I had been dropped off at our old house to meet the buyers and their agent so they could do one last walk-through of our old casa before closing (apparently to make sure it was vacant and everything was still intact… can you taste the irony already?). The walk-through went fine and I was leaving right behind them in the giant truck packed full of all our worldly possessions when this happened (though they were already too far up the road to see it). I blame it on some combination of paying too close attention to keeping the front end of the truck from ending up in the ditch across the street, snow that was hiding the edge of the driveway, and general inexperience when it comes to driving a big ol’ truck.
At least that’s how I like to tell the story. Sherry prefers this phone conversation play-by-play:
JOHN: Hey Sherry. Walk-through went fine. They’re off to go close and I’m headed to the new house.
SHERRY: Okay, be very careful. It’s snowy out there so drive as slow as you need, even if people are honking at you. Just take your time.
JOHN: I will. Don’t worry.
SHERRY: Great. I just don’t want you ending up in a ditch or anything.
[HANG UP, SHERRY GOES TO PUT HER PHONE DOWN BUT IT IMMEDIATELY RINGS AGAIN.]
JOHN: Crap, the truck is in a ditch and I think I knocked over the mailbox.
SHERRY: You’re kidding right?
[END SCENE, FADE TO BLACK]
We can laugh about it now, but let’s just say it was definitely a disastrous moment in our heads at the time. We had visions of everything in the truck shattering and having to wait hours to be towed out (which would definitely have pissed off the new owners who would be back with the keys in about an hour after their closing). Fortunately none of that happened. Heck, the mailbox didn’t even fall over.
Once I got the truck towed out of the ditch (within about half an hour- which was truly miraculous in that storm with all the other car-riddled ditches to be attended to) I drove it about one mile an hour over to our new house. Then I called our house’s new owners’ agent and agreed to replace the mailbox post (which had cracked in the process). Between that and the tow truck charge to un-ditch the truck, the whole ordeal ended up costing us $185. Sucky? Yes. But it could have been so much worse (so far not one thing that we’ve unpacked has been broken- which is a total Christmas miracle because the back of the truck crashed down at least 18″ when it slipped off the driveway). We’re just happy it didn’t result in a cracked flatscreen TV, a delayed closing, an injury, or any other number of things that could have gone wrong. And it somehow made making it into our house later that day that much sweeter. Like we’d battled all sorts of insane and unexpected adversity, only to end up where we belonged by day’s end.
Plus, later that night I redeemed myself by surprising Sherry with this:
I snagged it on lunaCielo’s Etsy shop a few weeks ago (after hearing Sherry admire Courtney Cox’s small gold turtle necklace during Cougar Town). I though it made a great house-warming gift because it came with this note about the turtle’s symbolism: “The turtle’s whole life is one of steadfastness, effort, and patience. There is a saying, “Home is where the heart is” — the turtle is always at home within itself.” As we switch from one house to another, it’s a good reminder that our sense of home stays with us wherever we are.
And perhaps on this unlucky day, it was a good sign that even our ditch-bound truck itself was emblazoned with a giant turtle. Coincidence? You be the judge.
So that’s the story of Monday the 13th. Don’t say I didn’t warn you about what can happen when a case of the Mondays merges with that unlucky number…
carolinaheartstrings says
That is a great moving adenture story, to be told of course after the fact. The necklace is perfect and I think there is a connection with all the turtles in your life.
betty in munich says
Well the side of the truck does say “Gentle Ride Van” and you can attest to that! The turtle necklace was very sweet…
Kelli says
It may be my pregnancy hormones run amok, but the turtle story got me all choked up! How sweet! Moving day wouldn’t be legit without some kind of hiccup. Now that you’re in the new house, it’ll be smooth sailing.
Cara says
Glad everything came out ok in the end! Although I have to say all of these moving horror stories in the comments aren’t making me feel great…I’m moving to a new place in just over a week, lol!
Corinne says
Oh, moving day problems…I agree with a lot of other people, they are more amusing in hindsight! A couple years ago I moved out of my parents’ house to an apartment three hours away. I was supposed to have two guy friends coming down to help me move, but they drank too much the night before and couldn’t get out of bed on moving day! I hired two guys from my parents’ neighborhood to help pack the truck, then unloaded it mostly by myself when I got to the other end. I was lucky to not have any problems with my most recent move!
That necklace is BEAUTIFUL! Good job!
Monica F says
I’ve never heard of a closing day ever running 100% smoothly. My fiance works for U-Haul as a mobile repair mechanic and we have seen much worse on his runs, like people backing into their house and destroying their garage or one person that backed into their house knocking their mobile home off the foundation. So you guys got off easy for the tow bill and mailbox. hehe =)
Emily P. says
Congrats on surviving the move! We had ours last Friday. Not the most enjoyable process in the world, but so worth it when it’s all said and done!
Christi says
Turtle-Turtle
I love turtles! :)
Rebecca says
Love John’s last-ditch effort to get ‘er done!
Stacey says
So glad nothing was broken! How sweet of John to get you a housewarming present. And coincidence…I think not!!!
Congrats on the move and getting settled in!
Tiffany says
Haha! Funny, but not nearly as terrifying as my husband’s encounter with a U-haul. We were helping a friend move, and he had a car trailer attached to the truck. He tried to go over a curb to get out of the storage unit parking lot because it was so unbelievably narrow. The trailer tongue bottomed out, so my husband set himself to the task of unhooking it from the U-haul. Well, it broke free MUCH sooner than he expected and the truck fell on his foot. Yes, the U-haul fell on his foot. Thank God for his quick reflexes and the fact that the truck on grass and not the concrete when it fell. What could have resulted in a shattered foot ended up with just two cracked metatarsals, and a very scary ordeal for everyone involved. Enjoy your new home!!
Irene says
This is why we’ll be hiring people next time. We moved during a snow storm so unloading was very wet and slippery. Moving companies have insurance and they have experience driving large trucks, much less hassle. Will you consider it next time? I think you might, especially since you’ll probably have more kids!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Irene,
Honestly, we’re not sure. We have to admit that doing things like gutting bathrooms and knocking down walls makes hiring someone to carry furniture and drive a truck seem kind of “fancy.” You know, since we’re all about sweat equity we might still move ourselves from here on out. We only spent around $200 to rent the U-Haul for multiple days, so even with the $85 towing fee it was still a much cheaper ordeal than hiring movers (we got two quotes just out of curiosity which came in at over 1K each for pro movers). Who knows though! Our minds might be changed over time with the acquisition of more stuff…
xo,
s
laxsupermom says
Congrats on surviving the move! Your move reminded me of ours 2 moves ago. It involved ice, a ditch, a tow truck and my underwear strewn across the front lawn. We can laugh about it now.
Stephanie says
I love Cougar town, and I’ve always loved all her necklaces!!! Yes, that is what I got out of your whole story :) JK! Hilarious story, love that it wasn’t me it was happening to! I would be TICKED OFF! Glad it went well and it’s over with.
Carla says
The first thing I thought of when I saw that necklace is “Sherry is going to want to take that turtle off its chain and spray paint it white.” LOL
What an ordeal! Sorry to hear about your misadventures – hopefully you are settling in now. :) Love your blog!
Julie Bradley says
What a thoughtful gift….I love the necklace and the message. Glad that everything worked out fine.
bungalowbliss says
Great story…it’s always an adventure with you guys! So glad that no damage was done (save the poor mailbox) and that it was just a minor glitch in the day.
Way to go on the necklace, John. Very thoughtful. And I cracked up when I realized the truck was decorated with a turtle. Too funny!
K says
This is totally something that would happen to us.
Big props on the turtle necklace! I’m impressed.
Lorrie says
Oh no, we close on a Monday too and yes we are renting a UHAUL! Let’s pray for no snow.
LOVED the turtle necklace idea. My 15 year old daughter loves turtles. I might have to steal your idea John and gift her with a little something to make the move a little more rememorable. You guys always have the best ideas!
Happy snuggling in your new house….hope Burger and Baby P are adjusting well.
Kate says
Awww! Love the turtle and how thoughtful it was! I’d be happy as a clam if my bf bought me a little silver owl necklace :)
Jennifer says
Nice touch with the necklace, John. What a sweet memento!!
Kaitlyn says
I love moving day stories, the crazier the better! So glad everything worked out, and it makes your new home that much sweeter.
Teresa@Where In the World? says
As they say, all’s well that ends well. Nothing makes moving more fun than a good dose of irony, a beautiful housewarming gift and a healthy scoop of man, that really could have been worse…but was stressful enough in the moment.
Congratulations on having that part of the journey behind you and thanks for sharing John, your retelling made me feel as if I were along for the ride.
Melissa G says
LOVE how the turtle brings the story full circle! Glad you can laugh about the ditch now; I know I enjoyed some chuckles, hee hee :)
Jamie M says
Great Story. I was browsing esty yesterday and came across this necklace, and made me think of you.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/56943180/the-remodeling-necklace-ladder-and-saw
PS. looking forward to pictures of you unpacking the new house!
YoungHouseLove says
Oooh that’s really cute Jamie!
xo,
s
Oona says
Sherry – What a lucky girl you are!
Can’t wait to hear more about the move and the new house!
Torey says
Love the turtle on the moving van, but too funny that it says South Dakota, and then has a picture of a turtle. I used to live in SD, and I’m pretty sure you won’t find a sea turtle anywhere in the state. :)
Dana @ House*Tweaking says
Funny and sentimental at the same time. Love it. And how true is it that home is just wherever you are together?!… no matter what that place may look like. Sorry for your mishap. I bet turtles get stuck in ditches all the time. ;)
Liz says
How fitting that your UHaul truck also had a turle on it!
Jennifer S. says
Oh man!! We live in Bon Air, too, and we’ve had our share of being stuck in ditches. It totally stinks! Glad you got out in one piece. And now you have a good story to tell about your move! Hee hee!
Allison says
Did you notice that there is also a turtle on the U-haul!!!!The symbolism is just tooooo much. Anyway, glad you made it to the new house. Can’t wait for the updates. Love the positive attitude.
Sheena says
Ugh.. of course something has to go wrong! haha It seems every time I’ve moved it’s been the only rainy day in souther CA. Ridiculous.. but it makes you feel soo accomplished when you’re all settled in! Way to redeem yourself with the ADOREABLE turtle necklace- reminds me of snorkling in Hawaii! :)
Karen O says
About the time you were stuck in the ditch, my first grandbaby was being born! Happy endings all around!
Amy in PA says
Seems like everyone needs a good U-Haul moving story. Long story short on my recent move, Dad got the U-Haul and, since there was 3 of us helping with my 80 mile move, needed a bench seat in the truck. Must have asked the guy 4 times if the truck has a bench seat – each time with a “Yes, these only come with bench seats.” Well, guess what he sees when he opens the door – two bucket seats! Since he was already an hour late due to other U-Haul related misunderstandings, he took it. And I rode the 80 miles sitting on an Ikea ottoman stuffed in between the two bucket seats!!
Rachel says
I love how you guys manage to put a positive spin on any situation. I guess part of blogging about events like this is giving yourself an opportunity to reflect on them and put things in perspective. Thanks for setting such a good example for us all!
mribaro says
This was your old house saying “Please don’t go!” like in those 60’s movies, wrapping her hands around your ankles ;) while you try to move away :) I LOVE the story about the turtle though!
L.Overstreet says
I am so impressed with your ever-positive outlook. Something tells me your knack for seeing the bright side isn’t limited to this blog. You guys are so cool!
Erin says
What a coincidence and I love it! Such a great quote and so true… thanks for sharing :)
Eileen says
The night before we moved into our current house there was a huge snowstorm and our moving day was a mess! Our new house wasn’t dug out when we got there, so “we” thought it’d be a good idea to just drive the U-Haul over the snow right up to the front door. Unloading was super quick cause there wasn’t too much distance from the truck to the house (super props for the husband). BUT!! We didn’t think about the fact that once the truck was emptied it was going to be a whole lot lighter and now we were the new neighbors with a giant U-Haul stuck on the side of our house. With a lot of muscle we were able to push the U-Haul back out to the street, but not before nearly taking down our entire garage (the garage did wind up with a small crack in the siding, which we’ve kept to remember our move in day!).
Good luck in your new house! We’re planning on moving in a few years are are super excited to read about the adventures in your new place.
Carmel @ our fifth house says
Awwww, the turtle necklace got me all teary-eyed. So sweet! I totally agree that the sense of home goes with you!
Happy unpacking! Love how you threw in – good thing the TV was ok – that would be the hubs first concern!
Jen K says
Great story! Thanks for sharing. It was like reading a little suspense novel.
Christa M says
Don’t lie John, that trunk did not “slip” into the ditch…you’re just used to driving the Nissan! ;) The story made me crack up when I was visualizing the whole Sherry not even putting the phone down yet and you called to tell her you were stuck in a ditch.
Glad that everything is ok so far. I hired professional movers and they managed to break the base to my dining room table and the weather was not snowy or rainy….so you guys did good despite the elements.
Happy Unpacking and organizing!
Lauren says
Possibly your best post ever.
Michelle says
All’s well that ends well! Love the necklace (What a sweet husband you’ve got there, Sherry!) from Cougar Town. I am obsessed with the EAT sign in that kitchen!
Kari says
Reminds me of when we moved from our house in Louisville (on our way to Eugene, OR). The hubster had pulled the truck into the back parking (we lived next door to a large apartment building and were using a couple of their spaces) very well and the truck was loaded. As he went to pull out, the truck got stuck on a 30 inch retaining wall and was teetering and ready to fall over. Luckily, the guy next door was truck driver and was able to maneuver it out with no tipping. I had to leave during the 20 minutes that took–all I could see was the truck tipping and everything we owned in smithereens.
That was the same trip we almost lost a cat first in a motel mattress and then in the hills of eastern Oregon when his cage door popped open. Ah, the joys of moving!
Glad you are now in and settling, safe and sound!
Paige says
Whew! At least nothing’s broken so far.
When I was in 7th grade, we moved into the house my parents still live in. There’s literally a 90 degree turn on a one-lane road to get to their house (totally weird, we can’t figure out why the city did that)and for a while nobody was sure if the giant moving truck would make the turn. It eventually did, but it took about half an hour of maneuvering. It was pretty intense.
Denise says
One word…
Hilarious!
nicole says
I love this post! And the turtles – so cute!
Jen says
Is that a turtle on your U-Haul truck as well?! How fitting!!! I love the turtle story!
Margie M says
The turtle necklace is so sweet. But how did you get them to give you the truck with a sea turtle on it?
YoungHouseLove says
That was a total coincidence! So funny right?!
xo,
s