July

July 1 - More patchwork around outlets, caulking, and painting done
July 2 - Remaining lights installed, range delivered and installed.  Final walkthrough tomorrow (but lots of things still not fixed)
July 3 - Lawn delivered (six pallets of bermuda grass) and installed, final walkthrough completed.  Should be moving in next week.
July 5 - Some of the discrepancies noted on final walkthrough repaired.   Closing time set for 9:00 July 9
July 8 - Went through house at noon and not much progress made.  Told title company I was unsure about closing this week due to outstanding discrepancies.  Builder calls me and assures that all discrepancies will be completed by the new closing time of 1:00 July 9.  Last final walkthrough set for 12:00, July 9.
July 9 - All discrepancies fixed, closed on house and am now officially "broke".  Installed most of the blinds and tried to figure out how much of the grass to move away from the house to make room for landscaping.
July 10 - Got the keys, installed all blinds that have been delivered, started moving (of course the stereo was first), completed all network and telephone connections to the Structured Media Center.  Discovered that the grass has already taken root and am deciding whether to just poison it or, try to move it.  Should've tried to move it when it was delivered....
July 11 - Picked up the refrigerator, moved it in and installed it thanks to the able help of Terry and his wife.  I owe 'em a dinner!  Moved the dinette furniture in.
July 12 - Moved a couple of loads of junk, some furniture, the grille and had grilled chicken for the first time in almost 3 years, took some of the grass away from the foundation and replanted it.  I'm thinking now that poisoning what's left is a lot easier but, who knows?  Shower in the master bedroom ops checks good.  Looks like I'll have to fog the house again.  Should've known that using half as much as I was supposed to wouldn't do the job - it just pissed the bugs off and they apparently invited their friends.
July 13 - Moved yet even more stuff, bought a "garden tractor" (more like a riding lawn mower with a huge engine), moved more grass away from the concrete and even started watering where I moved it.  "Bug bombed" the house again only with six cans instead of three.  If that doesn't do the trick, I guess I'll clean all the dead ones and let the cats play with the rest of 'em.
July 14 - Lots of dead bugs.  Moved yet even more stuff so, my apartment is now looking like a "normal" apartment.  I had forgotten how big the garage was before I moved all the stuff in it that I'm now moving out.  With the able help of my brother Daniel, got some of the bulky stuff moved.  He also gave me a really good deal on a new garage door opener he had.  Hopefully I'll install it tomorrow night.  We both cursed the grass that's around the house and it didn't help but on the good side, he's offered to help me move it to keep me from poisoning it.
July 15 - Moved the washer and dryer and of course, the plug on the dryer is the wrong type.  Moved yet even more boxes of books.  I had forgotten how many computer-related books that I have but, I doubt that anyone still programs in IBM 370 assembly, FORTRAN, etc.  Mowed part of the lawn to get the "new" off the mower.  I can tell already that after I get the big stuff knocked down and the rocks and dirt piles leveled, it won't take long at all.  In the meantime, I think I'll leave the mulch cover on the discharge chute to keep from knocking any windows out.  I'm also glad I got the 25 horsepower model as it bogs down a bit in the heavy stuff.  Definitely looking forward to using the cup holder but wish it was big enough to hold a large bottle of tequila.
July 16 - Moved yet even more stuff.  The apartment garage is almost empty - except for my car and I've moved most of the food and my clothes.  Still got a few heavy items to move that I'll need help with but, it looks like I'll be out of the apartment by week's end.  Also finished mowing the lot and according to the tractor's time indicator, it took a total of one and a half hour.  It seemed like a lot less time than that and it will definitely take less time after I get all the rocks and branches out of the way.  There's plenty of mesquite laying around that I'll probably use to smoke some turkey, chicken, ribs, brisket, pot roast, etc.  Hmmm.... I think I'll buy a smoker!  Oh yeah!  The cup holder works great and I'm sure glad I got the 25 horsepower motor.  It takes a lot to bog down the engine - like trying to mulch really thick grass and hitting a mesquite log (at least I know that's one way to do it).
July 17 - Not really much to report.  Went to Home Depot to buy a new plug for the dryer and ran into my good friend, Donnie.  While we were talking, we noticed that outdoor patio furniture was 60% off (at that store only) so, we both bought a glass table, four chairs, and umbrella for less than $200.  Since I had my truck, I offered to carry his set to his house, ended up getting a really good home-cooked meal from his wife Sharon and had a wonderful time chatting with their four-year-old daughter, Rachel.  I guess my inner child is still fighting to get back in or something... Anyhow, then I took my furniture to the house and dropped it off, assembled most of the garage door opener, and checked the wiring to the phones.  There was an open wire between the outside wall and the structured media center so, my transmitter/receiver system for wiring came in handy yet again.  Now that the phones are installed and the security system is armed, I'll be staying at the house starting Friday night.  I just wonder if I'll be able to sleep with no noise - except the rumble of the trains every half hour.  Shouldn't be a problem since the apartment is next to the Union Pacific switchyard and I got used to it.
July 18 - Moved the "office furniture" (desk, computer, printers, etc.) and some of the audio/video stuff for the multimedia room.  Mounted the rear speakers of the surround sound system and, they look okay but, I'm not sure if I really like speakers sticking out of the wall.  At least they're mounted seven feet off the ground so, it should be difficult to bang into 'em.
July 19 - Waited for the guys to come install my satellite dish until 4:30, called to find out what the holdup was and was told they couldn't find the house.  Must be really difficult since there's TWO completed houses to pick from...  Anyhow, while I was waiting, I installed the garage door opener and the alarm system guy came by and activated it.  Later, I moved more miscellaneous stuff and the bed.  Remembered when I went to wash the sheets that I hadn't installed the new cord on the dryer.  I didn't shock myself working on it and, the sheets dried okay so, it must be installed right.  Spent the night for the first time in the house and, while I felt I could sleep well, the cats were confused and kept yowling as they wandered thru the house.  Geez.... if they'd just jump on the bed and lay down like they usually do....
July 20 - Thought I'd take a day off from moving and ended up picking up my guitars and amps and bringing them over to the house, then, with the help of my friend Terry, got the TV moved to the house.  If I had a satellite hookup, I could watch something but I guess tapes will do until the rescheduled date.  Oh, and I finally sprung for a microwave.  Now I suppose I should buy some food....  Only big items left to move are the dresser and couch - oh, and my car.
July 21 - With the able help of my brother Daniel, moved the jukebox that I bought from he and his wife to the house along with a bunch of .45's, a dinette set that they gave me to put in the empty dining room, and the couch.  I noticed that I have a lot of "little stuff" left to move from the apartment - like the few pots and pans that I have, clothes, and some food.  Hopefully I'll get most of it tomorrow and start cleaning.  Still have to get the dresser, headboard, footboard, mirror, and some pictures from the bedroom.  I've decided to rent a car carrier to move my Mustang since I haven't driven it in almost two years.  Knowing my luck, it'd break down just as I got in the middle of nowhere.  I figure that I can "test drive" it around here until I'm comfortable with taking it out on the road.  I guess that's one of the nice things about living in a residential area with large lots - plenty of streets within walking distance of the house.
July 22 - Moved the last of the food, most of the clothes, and a couple of odds and ends.  Got a light to replace one of the burned out bulbs in the jukebox, took the front off, cleaned it a little, and worked on it some.  It'll really look good after I find a 15 watt, 30 inch fluorescent bulb for the remaining burned out one.  Sounds pretty good but, it definitely needs new needles.  If I remember, I'll try to take pictures and add the roll to the ones I still haven't got developed.
July 23 - Alarm system completely installed with an extra keypad, extra panic buttons, etc.  I wonder what I wasn't told about the neighborhood.....  The satellite dish guys came by and planned on mounting the dish to the roof and using the cable connection to run it inside.  When I mentioned it was a new house and I planned on using the cable for a cable modem, they asked "Where do YOU want it....?"  I replied "On the south side of the chimney, then run the wires down the inside to the structured media center." (don't worry, it's a zero-clearance fireplace and is very well insulated).  They had to check with their manager who said OK but I'd have to pay an extra $60.  I figured sure, what the heck then one of 'em asked "Why do you want it on the chimney?"  I said "So it can be at the highest point with no obstructions, can't be seen from the front of the house, is out of the way, and no wires running all over."  The other guy says "We'll still need to run the ground wire over the roof, then down the side."  I reminded them it was a new house so, forget that, and that there was a grounding block INSIDE the garage that they could get to from the attic.  No, has to have it's own rod and wire running across the roof.  I said "Forget it.  Just leave the dish and I'll do it myself..."  Of course they couldn't just LEAVE the dish so, I called Dish Network to mail me a new dish, like they did last time.  Nope, can't do that anymore for some odd reason so, I'll be taking the dish from my apartment, installing it where I want it, and running the wires where they would logically go.  I get the feeling that people just don't give a damn about how their work looks nowadays...
July 24 - Moved more stuff but nothing noteworthy.
July 25 - Moved another load of stuff and figured out how to get into the top part of the jukebox.  I now have all the lights working as well as the keypad, and turned the bass and treble up all the way.  NOW it sounds like the jukeboxes I remember!  I just need to do some more cleaning on it and figure out a way to make the coin portion work.  Heck, I might as well make SOME money off of giving people a bit of nostalgia. <g>
July 26 - Rented a trailer to move the car since I was pretty sure that if I didn't, it would break down somewhere on the way to the new house but I was wrong - VERY wrong.  I should've known that although it would start, there would be a problem with the carburetor where the engine kept flooding out.  On the bad side, I had difficulty finding anyone to help me push it on the trailer, although I finally did but on the good side, while running the engine, I probably killed 90% of the mosquitoes in the West Fort Worth area.  Now I have to figure out how to get it off the trailer....  Maybe if I took a running start in reverse in the truck, then slammed the brakes, the momentum would roll it off (and into the most expensive thing to replace on the house).  For some reason, I feel there should be a bunch of people standing around watching as I say "Hey, y'all.  Watch THIS!"
July 27 - Oddly enough, the car was extremely easy to get off the trailer.  I even had it lined up with the garage to where it rolled back almost exactly where I wanted it.  I guess it's a lot easier to roll something that's really heavy down as opposed to up an incline  - another physics lesson.  Moved another load of stuff and realized that what I thought would be a leisurely move has turned fast-paced.  There's a lot more left than I realized and, of course with the car in the garage now, I have a lot less space to put it.  One of the things I moved was the dish and in true redneck ingenuity, I have it propped against the side of the porch with a 2x4 holding it at the proper inclination.  On the good side, it works until I can mount it on the house but on the bad side, I'm sure someone will take a picture of it and post it on their website.  Of course, I guess I could beat 'em to the punch....
July 28 - My good friend Terry came by and helped me move the dresser, bed rails, the bedroom mirror, and a couple of lamps.  I owe him big and of course am now wishing I had gone back and got another load after I rested for a bit.  I suppose I'll be making two loads tomorrow and will hopefully have everything out of the upstairs portion of the apartment so I can clean and close it off.  Even with the air conditioner set at ninety degrees, it still seems to run more than it should.
July 29 - It's the small things in life that seem to bring the most pleasure.  This morning, I got to watch my waste management system water the back yard for the first time and I installed new needles on the jukebox.  One of the needles (the "A side") had actually worn down beyond the needle and into the stylus so, needless to say, it sounds much, MUCH better!  Now, I only need to do some heavy duty cleaning on it and file some of the contacts to get it to work reliably (according to the jukebox repair guy).  Oh, I also put some money down on a 25 cent Las Vegas slot machine.  I forget which casino he said it came out of but, I should have it in the house sometime later this week.  He's also got a few pinball machines that he said he'd make me a really good deal on as long as I didn't mind putting new lights in 'em.  They're in good mechanical condition but pretty well all the lights have burned out or been removed.  Now if I can just find a Black Tiger video game console....
July 30 - Got the blinds for the living room and installed 'em so, now I've got the house pretty well on the way to being set up.  Oddly enough, I got a pretty good load of stuff out of the apartment and scrubbed the bathroom pretty well.  Only a little stuff left in the garage, a couple of closets, and kitchen stuff, then I'll be through with the moving part.
July 31 - Put the new belt on the lawn mower and found what caused it to break.  A rather large mesquite branch was lodged between one of the blades and the mower housing.  Had to use a sledge hammer to knock it loose so, I'll be walking the yard and picking up any branches or rocks I see for awhile.  Found out that it's pretty easy to remove the mower assembly from the tractor, once you get the hang of it.  Also found out that there's some sort of poison plant (ivy, oak, or sumac) that I managed to get on one of my hands....  Got another load from the apartment and although it looks like I have lots more to move, I made a pretty good dent in what was left.  The bedroom is now empty as is the bathroom and bedroom closet.  Hopefully I won't be tired after picking up my slot machine tomorrow and can get what's left.