Well, after this past weekend, Chrispy is now a Pennsy resident. Mr. Bill, Ed Morandi, Annette's friend Jackie, and I helped the loving couple in their little moving adventure.

I'll have to let Chris tell you the story of the truck, since I wasn't there when it happened. All I know is that I arrived at the old place in Jamesburg and saw this big, yellow Penske truck parked in front.

Well, it started the night before. I didn't get to bed until late (open hockey at the local rink... 10:30 - midnite... and I was playing center) and as a result of the previous night's activities, got up late, too. So I called Annette at 8:30 to let her know I was on my way, but had to stop for gas before I moved much more than a mile or two. Annette tells me that Chrispy and Mr. Bill went to retrieve the engine from storage and haven't gotten back yet, and I should arrive at about the time they do.

So I got my gas, then met up with Annette. They're not back yet. Annette and I then start to load a few things into the truck... four bookshelves and two dressers. Now Chrispy and Mr. Bill return with the engine and transmission in the back of Mr. Bill's truck. Here comes the drizzle... of transmission fluid... all over the driveway and the back of the truck (gravity is such a wonderful thing). After getting a drip pan under the whole thing to keep it from running all around the driveway, we start working on the bigger and heavier items... like couches, the bed, etc. The couches (including a couple of sleeper sofas) weren't too much of a problem. The box spring, however, was an interesting adventure. Chrispy assured us it went up the stairs. OK... so we try to get it down the stairs. Nope... won't go. So we bring it back up and send it over the lip from the loft. Chrispy and Annette lower it down to Mr. Bill and me. Went very nicely, actually.

Most of the big furniture pieces and the refrigerator in the basement didn't present too much of a problem. Then there were boxes... and the boxes just kept on coming. Some required two people to move. Others, Mr. Bill and I kept asking Chrispy why he hadn't thrown the stuff out (boxes of "VMS Books").

Well, we finally fill the truck. Annette (mostly) and Chrispy loaded the van the night before, and we then put a few things into Annette's car and her friend's mini-van. So the car and the vans move out, leaving the two trucks behind, in the hopes that we'd get out there and have all these vehicles unloaded before the two trucks arrived.

Well, we get to the house to find Ed Morandi waiting for us there, and we managed to unload the van, get the car partly unloaded, and get the stuff from in the minivan out of it and on the ground before the trucks pulled up.

We got the smaller vehicles unloaded and out of the way, and now had to back the big Penske truck into the driveway. No damage to the truck. A few small branches on the trees around the driveway, however, and some spun tires (we're still not quite sure how Chrispy did that).... Well, it got in there without too much of a problem.

Unloading didn't take too long. After getting the big truck unloaded (no breaks were "allowed" until we got the refrigerator out and in place... the beer had to cool :-) ), Ed takes off (he also grimaced at the "VMS Books" boxes... Chrispy commented about it being kindling), leaving Mr. Bill, Chrispy, and me to unload the engine from the back of Mr. Bill's truck. Fortunately, this engine stand didn't crumple like tin foil.

Overall, the happy couple is now in their new home, unpacking, and cleaning up any last minute details in their old place. Visiting them is going to be more of a hassle (they're much further away) but loads of fun... Somehow, I think Chrispy was thinking of the need for twisty roads while shopping for his home... :-)

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