Camping out... AKA "Moving Day, Take 2!"

Our company-approved time in the hotel ends this week; all our stuff is still held up in Customs with no delivery day forthcoming. The kids start school in 7 days & Lindsey is about to have one of "those" weeks at work.  

Hmmmm.... What to do, what to do???

IF we wait until the last possible moment -- check-out day at the hotel -- then I have to move EVERYTHING from the hotel with only the kids help. (It's a work day at the office for Lindsey.) 

IF we move this weekend, Lindsey can help & we can settle into a routine before school hits, but there is no internet, no TV ... um, no furniture to speak of... for we-have-no-idea how long. 

These are the questions we pondered since Wednesday of last week. It's been a surprisingly difficult decision. The hotel offers security (staff are everywhere), sanity (kids have internet), & serenity (there's a coffee/tea bar 24/7). None of this is true at the apartment.... There's lots of big, empty, echo-inducing space... and an IKEA table. 

Never let it be said that I take the more pampered, quieter, sane road... Nope, not me. 

Looks like we'll be transitioning to the apartment sooner rather than later. 

So, after a terrible Birthday-day on Thursday... (nothing went as planned... right down to Lindsey's meeting running well over an hour late pushing my "chauffeur duties" out past 7 pm!) AND spending most of Friday hunting a microwave, TV, kettle, & crockpot with three kids who hate to appliance shop... I was already exhausted before we even packed (repacked) the first suitcase today! 

But it gets better!!! (Not in a good way....)

It takes 3 loads in the CRV to bring most of our stuff over. We had 65% humidity today. Lugging all those suitcases, bags, duffles, dress clothes that must be carried to prevent wrinkles, & backpacks (WHY did bring all this stuff?!) down to the hotel carpark... then up 8 stories from the apartment carpark... in such heat & humidity was almost the death of me (& Lindsey!)

After the first load, we put the kids in charge of their own rooms & stuff. But, remember... We have NO furniture. No dressers, no beds, no side tables, etc. I haven't looked, but they somehow managed. 

We did buy them these little pallets to sleep on tonight. It's pitiful, but at least the kids are looking at it as "camping". 

Lindsey & I have a bed because we couldn't ship our king size (it wouldn't fit in the bedroom here) so we bought something from IKEA.... That's a full size & it just about fills the room. 

But get this..... The A/C unit in our room appears to NOT be working. <Sigh> It's always something. 

Whatever.  We're in the apartment; we'll cook a home-made meal. 

Ahhhh... that would be true IF the Hob were working! There's no gas coming to the burners.... and the oven won't come up to temperature either. 

Of course not... 

... & I also notice I can't get hot water from the kitchen sink. 

Dear Lord, send me patience. Send it now...

I CAN get hot water in the bathroom sinks & showers (thank goodness for small favors!!!) We all agree that that's where I would've drawn the line: no hot shower, no spendie the nightie in the apartment. 

Period. 

So, We made 2 calls to the 24 hour emergency maintenance number, but nothing so far. 

We ate dinner out at Applebee's... where I managed to drop some kind of red sauce into my lap... on my very light tan pants. Grrrr... At least my washing machine works.

After a quick stop so I could change, we ended the night walking IKEA, dreaming about our own couches in Customs, & having an ice cream. 

Seriously, IKEA ice cream is the best deal in town. One Durham ($.36) per cone!  

In the end, no maintenance call back today... Guess we'll just lay on top of the duvet & sweat it out tonight, have cereal for breakfast in the AM, & boil our own water for dish washing.

Hey, it really is just like camping!