A very Clampett move

Not that moving is ever easy, but try it across half the country on a limited budget with three house pets and a pair of personal automobiles. 

This is how we worked it out. It was a very Palatine Hillbillies sort of relocation process, but it worked. 

1) We rented a gigantic, 26-foot truck and loaded it with everything in the house. And Andy's bay at work. We spent Saturday at that process, but had a ton of help from Mom, Dad and John Peterson, from our friends Allison and Michael, from our friends Scott and Diane and from the eternally upbeat Max. That process only took all day - literally.

2) On Sunday, we reattached the tow bar that we originally got to bring my Jeep back from Alaska, and towed the Jeep behind the rental truck. First, we retrofitted the Jeep window with screen, propped up the back seat, placed a stuffed turkey into the driver's seat and released the cats in the car. Yes, they had access to their litter box and a constant supply of water, and they actually rode more comfortably than they ever do in their carriers. Andy drove that monstrosity.

3) We packed the must-have stuff in the bed of the Toyota pickup, piled in the dog, our dear friend Max and me into the cab and drove. 

And drove.

And drove.

For 10 hours to Sioux City, Iowa - my parents' place - where we stopped for a day's rest. A MUCH NEEDED day's rest. Andy sighted in his bow, Max and I rode horses and we all forgot that the next day we'd be hitting the road for an even longer time. 

On Tuesday, however, we had my mother, Sherry, with us. She was a God send and meant that Andy was able to get some help behind the wheel of the big rig. She rode with me in the pickup and Max bravely donned the leather cowboy hat and rode in the moving truck. 

Fourteen hours later, we arrived safe and sound at the apartment complex. With the help of two college movers we found on Craig's list, we got the entire truck unpacked, Andy's tool box to the shop and everyone to the airport on time. 

It took a lot of work, and a lot of patience on the part of our amazing work crews, but we got here and are all settled in. Thank you to everyone who helped out on the move: Whether it was hand scrubbing the racks of the oven, hefting boxes or "Dysoning" our living room, we never could have done it without you!