The first night in our new home. You guys knew it wouldn't go without glitches, right?
First, an introduction to the kids:
Breeze almost 16, has at minimum a sinus infection, deaf and arthritis. Only weighs about 10 lbs. Also totally adorable and cute and she KNOWS how to use that to her advantage. She has traveled extensively with me to overnight dog shows so new locations don't tend to upset her.
Shara 10 years, 7 months. She is the boss other than for Breeze. Always watching out the window, noticing people and barking. She traveled with me some as a young dog as I tend to do that when showing one, the next prospect in line gets to go to become accustomed to traveling, show noises, and hotels. She isn't crazy over riding in the van but she doesn't really mind new locations too much, she was well socialized as a puppy.
Tara almost 10, full sister to Shara, but very different personality. Much more laid back where Shara is very outgoing. But she loves attention. A bit shy but not bad as she also traveled with me a bit.
Shimmer 5 years, I got him 2 months after my horse died and one month after Sean, my first sheltie, and father of Breeze, Shara, & Tara died. So he came along at a time when I was very depressed. He is very loving, but very timid. I was no longer showing and he was out very little for any type of socializing. He freaks if someone comes in the house, even if he doesn't see them he goes around smelling where they were after he is back out in the house. Very much a mama's boy.
Frostbyte almost 3 years old. He is also a Tara son the same as Shimmer, but different father. He definitely has some of his father's traits. Likes to talk a lot, but very loving. He was part of my Christmas gift to David in 2001. His daddy gave him lots of individual attention and we did take him out as a puppy. He won first place at his first puppy match. But since then he has led a sheltered life same as the rest of them. He is a bit spoiled but not bad, just likes a lot of attention.
Pam
"We must be willing to let go of the life we had planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us"
Yesterday I really got a lot straightened up here, didn't take anything to the new house as just about have what I'm going to take for now and the rest of this stuff I think I'm going to go through before I move it.
I did take the drawers out of two small desks and carry them up the stairs and put them in the cargo trailer my dad left here. Plus shifted a lot of stuff around in this house. Last night and today my back is killing me.
One of G's friends called and didn't have anything going on so talked about coming to see new house and get a pizza. I called new neighbor M and left her message. Finally collect everything I think we need for overnight trip. You would be amazed and of course I forgot a clock!
Getting everyone loaded in the van is a job in itself as Shara doesn't like to get in and I lead her so she doesn't take off on me. Shimmer is afraid in the van but he gets in on his own. So finally we are off!
Get to house, pull van in garage and close door before letting shelties out. They go nuts barking at the door as they have never heard/seen one before. Everyone but Shimmer gets out and starts checking out the garage, he won't get out of the van. The rest of us go in the house and I carry our box and bag of overnight essentials. Then go back out to get Shimmer, had to pick him up and carry him in the house. He stuck to me like he was glued. At this point I figure strange people over is not a good idea. They are all checking the house out but Shimmer.
I call M and tell her the kids and I are there, she didn't get my vm so her dinner is on the grill. I say I think I am going to call T and ask if he minds if I give him a rain check on seeing the house. He said fine. I ache so bad and am so tired I finally made a lunch meat sandwich and that was dinner. Then just sat on the sofa while the kids kept checking out the house except Shimmer who was still glued to my side.
M comes over and says whats up with your sprinkler? I said it isn't on is it? She said yes but just barely any water coming out. So she went to turn my water up for me, then checked hose and it had a kink in it. She was getting sprayed trying to unkink it and not get wet and she had a dress on! I raised the front window and told her she was going to get soaked. I know, great observation. We were both laughing and she came in and sat down. It didn't take long for all the kids except Shimmer to make up to her.
We sat and chatted, watched the kids and played with them.
Suddenly there is a knock at the front door. Of course they all go off barking!!!
Pam
"We must be willing to let go of the life we had planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us"
Go to the door trying to make sure no shelties go zipping out the door! There is a kid there that I have no idea who is, but says we're here to fix your house. We just wanted you to know we were here.
I say ok and think the vehicle looks like the one the guy going to give me estimate on my fence drove the other day. So I go check out the back and he and his wife are out there, so I go out. The shelties, meanwhile, go nuts in the house barking and running around because I have went out without them.
He asked me some questions on the fence and said he will get back with me on estimate. His wife wanted to see the shelties so I let Shara out and they played with her. Then I did my really stupid stunt!!!!!!!!
I invited the wife in to see the house, not considering I have some rather unsettled dogs in the house. So her and the kid come in and first thing the kid does is let out a high pitched shriek. Then she runs around. The dogs are generally good with people but they don't know what the heck to make of all this going on.
She wants them to play fetch so threw two balls against the flat paint on my walls. This is my first experience with flat paint and everything seems to mark it.
Then she starts telling them sit pretty which they have no idea what means but they do know sit. So that is what they do, next she tells them stay and then calls them to her. None of them but Breeze has much training but they do know sit and stay. Her mom is just sitting and playing with the dogs and not managing the kid too much. Well, she was telling her things but the kid wasn't paying too much attention!
M starts talking about me helping with her mattress, she said later not to worry about it right now she just thought that might move them on. All this time Shimmer is plastered to me and shaking.
While trying to show them the master bedroom I flip the switch and the light doesn't come on, then I flip them again and the fan quits working. So no lights or fan in my bedroom.
Next we have another knock at the door and it is the dad finished with his measuring. I ask him if he will check my panel to see if I have a breaker tripped. I stepped into the garage to turn the lights on for him, leaving Shimmer in the hall and when I came back in he had wet all over the floor. Thank goodness it was on the vinyl. So the rest of the shelties are walking through it and I'm not wanting to leave Shimmer as don't want him to take off onto the carpet and go again.
M asks if have any napkins or anything there, she goes to kitchen to get paper towels and the dad comes back in almost stepping in the wet puddle. At this point I just wish they would go so I could clean my floor and settle my dogs!!!!!
They kept talking and I got the floor cleaned up, then they left and sat back down with M.
The girls settled right back down but both boys were a bit stressed. Finally Byte settles but poor Shimmer has his mind blown. About this time the darn ice maker dumps ice or something that resembles a knock so off they go on alert barking at the back door!!
Finally calm back down and M says she better get home as has a long work day tomorrow. She checks my sprinkler to make sure it has went off and it has!! WHOO HOO!!!! I had bought this timer deal and hadn't been getting it sit right but think I finally got it! It was on this morning when I left to come back to PK.
Pam
"We must be willing to let go of the life we had planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us"
After M left I started thinking bed sounded good, then realized the shelties probably needed walked.
So I have enough extenda leads for all the shelties except Breeze, who doesn't move too fast anyway.
That is my next silly stunt for the evening!!!! I take 5 dogs out at the same time, 4 of them on 26 foot extendable leads!!!!!!!!!! Any guesses how many times they wrapped me and each other up????
Shara finally potties and Frostbyte, I figure Shimmer doesn't need to go as much as I cleaned up in the hall and Tara nor Breeze went. Breeze didn't worry me but Tara seems to have a problem here lately and I certainly didn't need any more accidents in the new house!
Go back in and realize they had tracked onto the carpet as there are damp spots on it. Wipe it up then decide to get the Odo Ban and put some on damp paper towel and go over carpet just to try to make sure there is no scent left.
FINALLY Bed!!!!! Still no lights in there, and I had forgotten my nightgown and the night light even that goes in the bathroom. Soooooo I find something to wear and go in the bathroom to change where the light is and shut the door since I still have no blinds or curtains in any of the rooms. Of course all 5 shelties had to come in with me. I then close the bedroom door so they aren't wandering around all night.
Shimmer gets in bed right beside me and the others are wandering around just checking the room out. Not real conducive to sleep and my back is still aching something awful. Then the pigs start banging their feeders and the shelties are all wanting to try to see what the noise is they hear.
Finally everyone gets fairly settled and I did go to sleep for a bit. Have no idea what time it is so when the get restless later and wake me up figure it is time to get up as they are usually pretty accurate time keepers.
I get up get dressed and go to walk them, clock in kitchen says 1:00. Great I have been in bed for about 3 hours, no wonder I feel so tired still. I walk them two at a time this time, worked much better.
Go back to bed, and finally everyone settles again. Get woke up later when the train comes through. Frostbyte actually hangs his feet over the edge of the headboard to get closer to the windows trying to see what is out there.
I still have no idea on time and just decide to lay there till it starts getting light out, which I did. Then walked the shelties again, ate my bagel realized I had no cups to fix the stuff I had brought and then just lay down on the sofa for a bit thinking it was good for the kids to check the house out again in the daylight. Shimmer was looking around some this time. I think I actually fell asleep for just a bit as they woke me barking at the ice maker again.
I hadn't brought their food so we loaded up to come back to PK for them to have breakfast. They all seemed really pleased to be back home. I hope they get adjusted pretty soon to the other house!
BTW: I am sitting here writing and drinking coffee and they are all sleeping, maybe I should wake them so they will sleep tonight!!!!!!!!
Pam
"We must be willing to let go of the life we had planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us"
Slowly I thought the hard work was almost finished!!!
After I finish moving isn't the hard part over with?
I took 3 boxes over last night, cleaned some of the cabinets out, put my dishes away. So I got a little done at the new house. Plus unloaded the dishwasher at PK and vacuumed the den.
Oh yeah the kids get brushed every evening before they go over for the night.
We all slept better last night!!!!!!!!!!
Pam
"We must be willing to let go of the life we had planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us"
Sometimes it takes a while for getting used to a new place, esp for the kids. Slowly but surely you will begin to settle in and pretty soon it will feel like "home."
Starting to really feel overwhelmed dealing with my life.
I KNOW that I am actually very fortunate, but how I feel is totally stressed out, overwhelmed and helpless.
I'm now divorced, one income, house payment dependent upon my working, no health insurance, just very alone.
When I got back to work after being off for my week's vacation I found they had let two ladies here go and one of them had been here for 14 years. This was the office's contribution to the cutbacks that are supposed to be going to happen in the stores in order to keep the business afloat this winter. All of this is just a very bad feeling.
Everyone here is very stressed and doesn't know where the work that the two ladies were doing is going to be assigned. Makes for a lousy work situation.
Pam
"We must be willing to let go of the life we had planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us"
She has traveled extensively with me to overnight dog shows so new locations don't tend to upset her. 
