... it's about time

It took nearly 18 months, but it happened -- finally. The house sold and we’re moving to San Francisco. Now the real works begins and the clock is ticking. We’ve got less than a month to secure movers, pack, find temporary lodging on the other end (until the perfect home comes along), transfer our mailing address and all that comes with that, and, of course, say au revoir to family and friends that we hope to see again real soon.

Did I mention that this happens before Christmas. I said it was going to be an adventure and as it turns out, that’s an understatement.

Let’s start with the sale of the old homestead. Despite an economy that has been a bit less than healthy, people and their lives do go on. Situations change and we all adjust. Enough said.

Picking a moving company, as it turns out, is a bit easier than expected. With the consolidation of most of the biggies, a struggling economy and the movement of DIY movers with PODS, prices are relatively uniform. Since we had secured an entire garage worth of boxes and packing material from a friend of a friend, our price was significantly less. Let the packing begin and pass the Aleve.

On to the next challenge, finding temporary lodgings that come furnished and allow for cats. Not such an easy task as it turns out. First there are the renter laws in San Francisco that don’t allow for temporary lodgers to exceed 28 days. Okay we can manage that. Then there’s the cat issue ... 

All is well that ends well. Hooray there’s a place in the Marina District near the Palace of Fine Arts and uber trendy Chestnut Street shops. Okay it’s small. Really small. Really, really small -- tight quarters. And the noise level of Lombard Street is less than ideal, but it works -- for now.

Courtyard view from the bath and bedroom windows

Spaces appear tighter in real life

View of Lombard Street

Securing a temporary mailing address isn’t a ready, set, go either. Did you know you have to have a local address to rent a USPS post office box in another state? Nuts, right? Thanks UPS Store. We’re going to be BFFs.

Also on the list is tending to the cat issue. That’s the issue of getting the cats across the country. We determined that flying would most likely be the easiest on all of us. Better living through pharmaceuticals. A quick nap and presto we’re there -- sort of. A bottle a wine for me on the other end not so bad either.

More to come once the big move has happened.