So, Right Now This Is My Life

Goodbye old apartment

Goodbye friends and family who helped us on moving day. We had a little pizza party outside (OK, it was just lunch and the least we could do, but still fun) on moving day.

Hello giant 26-foot Penske, our home for three days (we thought it would be four).

Drive, drive, drive…

Arrive and unpack. My sister Autumn made the trek with us. After moving our stuff we went to put her stuff in storage in Vancouver, WA.

What about the police, you ask? Well, a 26-foot truck with a car dolly attached is HUGE, and our new apartment is on a fairly major intersection. We thought during morning rush hour we could parallel park the truck in the only spot available. Do you see where this is going? Surprise! That didn't happen, but what did happen is the car dolly jack knifed into the street and we could not move without hitting this one car that was parked illegally.

I tried desperately to find the owner of the car. There is tons of construction going on, and I knew it was a construction worker's car but going to several sites and apartment buildings, I could not locate the owner to pull his car back a bit.

So we could continue to block traffic, or we could hit this car, so I called the police. At that point I thought we were endangering people with the dolly, and I didn't want to cause anyone to get into an accident. The police were so nice and helpful even though it was totally mortifying. There was a squad car and a motorcycle. Jesus. A minor panic attack is a fantastic way to meet your new neighbors.

When they left, the police were laughing and laughing. Yeah, embarrassing. But no one was hurt. There was a teeny tiny mark on the car that the construction worker was totally cool with. He showed up about three minutes after the police left, and I have seen him everyday since.

And finally…

Hello new apartment.

We've gotten coffee, gone out to eat, gone to New Seasons, and a few other places. Today, IKEA. But really we've just been unpacking and unpacking and setting things up. After all, getting our business running is top priority. So, I am much more relaxed now that the computers are set up. We still have a loooong way to go, but I'm really enjoying it here so far. Truly. And I hope it's growing on Drew : )

The real star of the whole move? Isadora. She was so awesome in a cat carrier for three days. We followed the internet's and our vet's advice and kept her in her carrier with a pillow case over the top so she felt more secure. We fed her at night and left the cat box out from the moment we arrived at the motel until the moment we left, and she was accident free and not traumatized at all. I am so so so thankful we didn't have to drug her.

She kept packing herself : )

So, that's it for now. I hope to have more excitement to share soon now that THE MOVE is out of the way. I think the hardest part is the downsizing. This apartment is great (I think) but it's less than half the size of our old place. This is where we'll see just how creative we are.

Comments

[carla]

thanks for giving us the update on your travels. i hope you have a lovely stay in portland! welcome to your new home.

[Dawn]

Whew! Welcome to the Northwest! Isadora looks quite at home, my kitty Emmy Lou wants to come play in all the boxes. Good luck with everything!

[trina]

oh dear ones! I'm so glad that you had such a grand and memorable story to start out you next bit of life here in portland and that it wasn't too horrific. :) I think one must always have a good story to tell when major adventures and life changes are occuring. :) To me it always feels more real and like a beginning that way. Happy unpacking!

[april]

Panic attacks are just part of any move, if you ask me! Trina is right! Its a pretty great story!
Its funny how when you decide to move across a country it feels really hard to downsize and leave half of your stuff behind, but once you're there you realize that you don't need half of the stuff that you actually brought with you! You'll make it fit!

[Beth]

I'm glad you made it safe and sound, and thank you so much for the update on Isadora--I was actually wondering how she did during the move. I think moving can be very stressful for cats especially, but she looks like she is doing very well. You are guys are good kitty parents. Enjoy Ikea, and your new home.

[Sara]

Welcome! You couldn't have moved at a better time! It has been especially lovely. I have been here about 1 1/2 years and can not imagine leaving permanently. Hopefully I will see you around! Feel free to email me if you have questions or need help or anything!

[Tizzalicious]

How exciting!

I hope you'll enjoy the new place!

[wren]

welcome to oregon ashley! i'm glad everything is falling into place, and i know you'll love it here. portland is so much fun & there's a great crafty community.

[kassy]

You are sooo lucky to have a good travelling kitty, my cat gets carsick!!

Welcome to the Pacific Northwest Ashley, Drew, and Isadora!! I hope you will grow to love it here.

[andrea]

congrats on the move and good luck with the unpacking!

[Marisa and Creative Thursday]

happy move! so glad you all made it safe and sound are beginning to enjoy your new home.
And Ashley, I meant to tell you back on your IKEA post, that the Alex cabinet is a MUST for all artist studios ~ I LOVE mine. It's perfect for storing everything from shipping supplies to paintings to paper...living by an IKEA alone is so worth the move :)

[John W Golden]

Glad for your that the move is over, and totally feeling for you guys as you get the business up and running again :)

[ismoyo]

Congrats on making the move! What a way to introduce yourself to the neighbourhood. Hope your new house will be a perfect home!

[Marisa]

Good luck with the rest of your move! And I am hideously jealous. I am desperate to move to Portland... but instead we have to move to Abilene, TX next month for my husbands work. Enjoy it!!

[Jennifer]

Welcome to Portland!
I LOVE it here!!!
Hopefully you're adjusting to your new environment.

[Stilettoheights(jenn)]

Ashley!!! I was soooooo worried about Isadora making the trip, and I am so glad everything worked out for all of you!!!

sounds wonderful, exciting, terrifying, and tiring.

xoxoxoxo

[Lisa M]

Moving is such a pain! It is so stressful and crazy! I am so glad you made it safe and have gotten the hard part over with :)
Now it is just time to take it easy and unpack!
Have a sweet day!
♥Lisa

[Claire]

I'm excited to see that you are successfully in Portland! My boyfriend and I are both illustrators, and we've begun to seriously consider Portland as our place to settle down and start a Design Studio... I might have to ask you for advice later down the road...
But meanwhile, I love reading your blog and missed it while you were moving. I'm looking forward to future posts!

[Kristina Maria]

Welcome indeed! Hope you and your man enjoy this town as much as I do. A whim brought me to Portland and I've loved every minute of it. Give a girl a holler if you ever need anything.

[Natasha Wescoat]

haha! I like the bullshit box.

I think my studio looks like your house..but year round. ;P

[gaia]

Oh goodness! I'm moving in the fall, with cats as well and so am looking forward to all of this. But you all seem to be holding up well (and are a good example for me.) Good for you and happy new place to live!

[marjorie]

ahhh...moving...you've brought it all back to me. I loathe those rental trucks...and the feeling of having everything you own all bunched up into once (large, moving) place. ;) And moving with cats is hard,too!

Glad to see your getting settled in! :)

[Addis]

Kudos to Isadora for behaving so well and exhibiting such fine feline manners while crossing several state lines! =^.^=

[ambika]

Welcome to the northwest! It sounds like it actually went off pretty smoothly given this was a cross country move. The picture of the labelled box makes me think of how I felt about my last move and the bit about the kitty is just too sweet.

[shona~ LALA dex press]

Damn...I am without internet in my house for 2 months + you friggin' move cross country. I hope Drew stocked up on Cardinals shirts before you left (Tom's brother sends him a new one at the begining of each season).
Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy your new city.