The Moving, Part I

Countdown to fall semester: ten days

The former girlfriend returned to Newton this afternoon, as her former professor left a day early to go back home. Tomorrow afternoon, the former girlfriend signs the lease on her new apartment in Wichita, and we both sign/send the requested letter to our (well, my) landlord here that he wanted, which severs any responsibility or financial liability she has to this place -- making me the one in charge and the primary (and sole) lessee. After that moment, for the first time in my 28 years on the planet, I will be entirely financially responsible for myself in every way, shape, and form -- with no one to fall back on if times get rough, and no backup plan.

Is it a scary thought? In a way, yes. Is it a liberating thought? Definitely.

Tomorrow, of course, begins the moving process -- especially once she's signed the lease for the new place. Everything that hasn't already been boxed up will be boxed up and moved to her new place within the next several days, and as soon as she can get a truck/van rented for a day, all of the bigger things (such as furniture like the tables, dressers, desks, and her chest freezer) will be going as well -- and so will she.

This afternoon, we took care of the cable account and transferred it into my name. After a bit of paperwork in the offices there, as well as a phone call once we got back to the house, the internet is up and running in my name after a quick reset of the modem. The former girlfriend also found out that she doesn't have to pay a deposit on her new electric account at her new place, as the was apparently listed as an emergency secondary on my account up here in Newton, and since said account has always been in good standing, a quick phone call or a few clicks of the mouse will have the lights turned on in her name in her new apartment ASAP. Aside from changing her address on her important documents (like taxes, her driver's license, and with the school), after she signs the new lease tomorrow, all of the "busywork" sort of stuff involving her moving out is done, and all that really remains is the legwork of physically moving her stuff out of here and into the new place.

I actually need to get up fairly early in the morning -- to mow the grass one last time with the lawnmower here at the house. As mentioned before, she'll be taking that with her, and as we've actually gotten a good amount of rain this past week, the grass has come back with a vengeance and needs to be tamed before I no longer have the ability to mow it until I purchase another mower. When I'm done I will more than likely help her pack up the kitchen foods/canned goods/utensils/towels and the like before she goes to sign the lease. I don't know if she's actually going to do any of the moving of boxes down there tomorrow, though.

In other news, so far I have received silverware, a popcorn popper (and corn), a toaster, a set of bakeware, a new ashtray, and the two end tables from my former student. By the end of the weekend, I should also have a coffee table, stainless steel cookware, cutting boards, a blender, and an alarm clock. Depending on what she has room for, the former girlfriend may be leaving me her old fold-out couch and one of her two large dressers, and there was talk of her getting another futon once she got down there, too. Who knows, really; once she's moved out and the proverbial dust settles, I'll have to evaluate the situation and see what's left. Aside from the list of absolutely necessary items, I've started a shopping list of household items that I'll need once she's gone, from stuff like groceries to replace the ones she'll take, to stuff such as cleaning supplies and wooden spoons -- and anything/everything in-between. Potholders, dish towels, even stuff like hand soap and furnace filters. I will have to wander around the house with a checklist for what, I'm sure, will not be a cheap shopping trip.

Still, the former girlfriend is leaving me a lot of stuff, and with my one student loan ready to drop after this weekend, it shouldn't make a huge difference in the long run what I have to purchase. The bills still have to be paid, I still have to go to school, gas must be put into the Decepticon landboat that is the Monte Carlo, and life goes on.

By the way, it still didn't leak a drop after I got it home last night.

So, that's all I really have to say for tonight. Tomorrow the work begins, and with it, the book just gets postponed a few extra days until I can properly settle down and finish everything for it. I'll keep you posted, of course, on how everything turns out.