It's 9:30 am and around 38 degrees out trying to hold my thermos mug in one hand while unlocking the door to the shop building with the other. It's an 80 yard walk down the narrow access drive off the main house and it's going to be a busy day today. I assume Ned found Jill's house without any trouble. Jill did send a text about an hour ago to let me know they had everything ready to go.
Entering the shop area I flip on the lights inside this 30 x 60 building. A wall separates it in 2 equal 30 x 30 spaces. This side is the workshop, the other side I use to stage and store excess job materials. Hopefully Ned can manage backing that trailer down the long drive without going off, it's soft and a little muddy as I didn't spend a lot of time getting a good stand of grass like I did around the house.
I open an interior door to the storage area, flip on the lights and look around to see what I need to rearrange to make space for Jills furniture, There is excess lumber, a half pallet of roofing shingles, a small stack of plywood and dozens of various sized boxes full of nails, vents and any number of random supplies.
I'm thinking I should make an area large enough to park my 2012 Miata in here so Jill can use the 2nd garage bay at the house. I drive my pickup everyday and rarely drive the little two seater anymore since I stopped chasing skirts. It is fun to drive the little convertible during the summer months, so I've hung on to it.
Damn! This is gonna be a bigger chore than I anticipated!
I get a text alert, and immediately check my phone, thinking it's likely Jill or Ned.
It's from Bobby, "call me when you can".... Just what I need! I guess I should be thankful I went undisturbed yesterday. I call Bob and he needs me on the job site to lay out the baths and kitchen on a new project to get the plumbing roughed in, but I manage to put it off till tomorrow. This will be my second day away, so I'll have a lot of running and catching up to do tomorrow.
Focusing back on the job at hand, I decide to clear maybe a ten foot space down the end of the building to stack Jill's stuff in the back and leave the front for the Miata at the overhead door. I have a pallet jack, so that helps, but lots of boxes...
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It took a while, and another "need to do tomorrow '' call came that I'll need to address, but I'm satisfied with the space I cleared. Walking back to the house to empty the remaining boxes in the bedrooms. It feels about 10 degrees warmer than this morning and another text alert, maybe the 10th or so of the morning.
It's Ned "We are loaded up, about to leave, gonna grab a burger first and be there in an hour"
"Sounds good brother! I replied
I checked the time, 12:25. "Damn Ned, that was pretty fast, must not be too much stuff" I thought to myself.
I immediately get another text from Jill "The guys are done. Stopping at the grocery. Grab stuff to make dinner tonight. see you soon".
"Be careful," I replied.
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The bedrooms are cleared and I've placed some clean towels in the bath for the girls. Ned has arrived and backed the trailer as close to the front door as possible. He's opening the trailer doors as I walk out to meet him, Tony and Dave, a couple strapping young guys about 25 are doing the heavy lifting.
(Ned) "We packed the bedroom stuff last to come out first. The boys here broke the beds down, so I thought we get the stuff in the bedrooms first and they can reassemble the beds while we start unloading what's left in the shop. You guys come down and help once you're done here."
(me) "I'm not sure what goes where" Just as Jill and Ashley pull down the drive. "Ah, good they are here."
Jill and Ashley walk up, both in old jeans with a few rips in the knees and tennis shoes for doing the move. Ashley must have warmed up some or maybe it's a fashion statement, her flannel shirt tied up with some sort of thick black shirt under, her thick wavy hair pulled back with a scrunchy in a ponytail. Jill in a loose sweatshirt, her shorter hair pulled up into a small knot on top of her head with narrow bands of wavy hair not long enough to reach the knot hanging down each side of her face.
Jill comes up to the open trailer door, gives some brief direction on which bedroom furniture goes to what room, then walks back to her car to help Ashley get the groceries inside. Tony and Dave are fixated on Ashley, trying not to get caught looking as she bends over into the back seat grabbing grocery bags, her ass up in the air, hanging out the door". I chuckle watching them ogle over her.. But that pose does look mighty fine!.
While the younger guys are carrying the first load inside, Ned and I are inside the trailer and he wastes no time, shoulder bumps me and says "Andy, my man, what the fuck dude? You didn't tell me I was moving a woman in with you today, hell buddy, you never mentioned you had a girlfriend!"
(me) "Nah, it's not like that Ned, she works at the realty office and I've known her for years. She just went through divorce and needs a place for her and her daughter to hang a hat for a month or so till an apartment opens up in Ashleys school district," It was the first thing that came to mind to satisfy his curiosity and as much as he needs to know.
(Ned) "Man, take it from an old married guy, that is some fine eye candy dude! Lucky you, that Jill is a real looker and her daughter is like Wow!... I had a hard time keeping those boys focused" he chuckled a bit.
I laugh it off "Yea, I noticed that. It's gonna be different, but I'll survive."as the boys get back to make another trip with furniture.
Jill comes out to the trailer "The guys said they stopped and got lunch, I grabbed some sliced ham, can I make you a sandwich Andy?"
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It's around 5:30 standing in the drive. The move is done and Ned and the guys are ready to leave.
(me) "Ned, you sure I can't pay you something?"
(Ned) "Hell no! You've been supplying beer and snacks every Sunday since you moved in. No worries buddy, anytime!"
