We were staying at our second La Quinta, one that turned out to be right down the road from our apartment. We got up, had our last complimentary breakfast, and headed to our new home. I was immediately intrigued by all the palm trees lining the road. I knew there would be cacti (yet there weren't as much of those as I thought there would be), but I never thought palm trees! I love them almost as much as cacti.
We filled out the lease and paid the manager, and got our keys for the apartment, mailbox, and pool. Now came the fun part (yeah, right?): Unloading the truck. Our feet were already swollen and hurting from driving all that way. Walking around with added weight bearing down on them did not feel good at all. I think that was the main reason why unloading was harder than loading. To boot, we had to go down a flight of steps for each load. The apartment is a downstairs one, which would normally be ground level. However, we're slightly below ground level, by about five feet.
We moved almost everything in on the first day. That evening, while I was getting a few last minute boxes, I saw what looked to be a cat. It was pretty curious as to what was inside the truck. I looked again. No, it's bigger... is that a raccoon? It saw me and sauntered away, moving like a cat would. I had gotten to the truck by this time, and peeked around the far side of it. It was a bobcat! I was amazed. The manager said we also get visits by roadrunner, coyotes and other such animals. Seeing it was believing.
On our second day in Tucson, we took it a bit more easy. We only brought in a few heavier things (all that was left, as I had taken all the boxes and bags in already), and unpacked some boxes. We had two things that we couldn't possibly move by ourselves. Our entertainment center (good, solid wood) and our computer desk (ditto, but a bit lighter). We saved it for another day. We took nap breaks and showers. Recuperating. My body wanted me to sleep, sleep, sleep.
On the third day, we got a call from the manager, warning us that she's about to tow the rental truck. There was really nowhere to park that big thing. We called up a friend of Nikki's father. He came by and helped us move the computer desk in. We were heading back for the entertainment center, when he spotted a bunch of latino men, who were moving in themselves. He got them to carry the entertainment center in for us! There was nowhere to lend a helping hand (not that we minded that much, hehe), so Nikki and I just followed behind. They were such a lifesaver.
At some point, our white's treefrog died. We had him back in his tank, with his crickets hopping all over, but he died. Maybe it was the shock of moving. Maybe it was the dry climate. Either way, all our frogs are gone now (we had three), so we need to get some more, as soon as our budget allows.
Other than that, there's not much to tell. We've unpacked almost all the boxes. Almost, because we had to leave our bookcase and cd racks behind. Not everything fit inside the truck. We know where all the local stores are: Walmart, Safeway, Staples, Petco, etc. We've been doing lots of laundry. I took that for granted for so many years in New York... being able to do laundry AT HOME... whenever we want! Skylar is in her own room now, thus unable to destroy her sisters' things or bother them while they try to go to sleep. We need a few things, like a couch, lawn furniture, and the aforementioned bookcase and cd racks. But we love our new home.
Here are a few pics of how it looked before we unloaded the truck. Thanks for reading. :)
Our living room. Those blinds cover a sliding door, which we blocked with the entertainment center. It was too easy for Skylar to open.
A view of the kitchen, with the breakfast nook in front. Yes, the stove/oven is electric. Yes, we have a dishwasher. ;)
And yes, we have a washer and dryer! YAY!!!
The kids' bathroom. There is now a froggie shower curtain hung there.
This is Skylar's room. Sarah and Savannah share a room, that is a bit bigger, with a double closet.
The master bedroom. The blinds cover another sliding door, this one leading to a small yard, covered with brownish/reddish rocks. I would love to sit out there and read, as there is an outside light. We just need patio furniture first.
The master bathroom. The sink is off-camera to the left.
The master walk-in closet. The sink is off-camera to the right, and you can see the edge of the counter here.
This is the small yard, looking out from the master bedroom. I hang out there sometimes.
This is a shared patio (with one other apartment), looking out of the front door. Those steps are a lot easier to navigate without carrying boxes and furniture!
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