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- Moving Three Blocks -
Our move from York Street to George Street, August 2006

Arrgghhh! What is this. We had only just unpacked all the boxes in our rental apartment in Ottawa and off we were again. After 9 enjoyable months on York Street we were ready to own a condo - yet again. (Un)fortunately we were only moving three blocks eastward. A mere hop and skip if the boxes of books weren't so heavy!

It was the best of moves (short distance) - it was the worst of moves (same amount of stuff).


Closing ceremony in 24 York Street.
The Team... performing the closing ceremony in 24 York Street

The Team had diminished from our 2005 move from Ithaca to Ottawa. In particular we missed:

  • Kristin's elevator operating skills and incredible carrying capacity
  • Peter's dry wit and Nerys' cooking skills
  • Allan's packing supervision

In all of that we didn't miss:

  • Snow storm/blizzard (Yeah for moving in August and not December)
  • Customs and immigration interference
  • The rush of doing it all in a couple of days

We took the a-run-a-night approach and moved smaller items and boxes in Yogi (the Toyota Corolla) over a number of days. Nice and relaxing - no stress and pressure. The only one feeling the pressure was our newly-acquired dolly. We obviously got hooked on dollies last year and couldn't face a move without one.

 Rob filling up Yogi - for the umpteenth time.

Some things had to be assembled after a couple of trips to Ikea (Yippee!). Here we are in action in the new place....
Rob busy assembling a chest of drawers. Rob continues assembling a chest of drawers. Hild helps with the assembly too.

Lessons not learnt from December 2005: As if we hadn't learnt from the last time we went with the same van/truck-hire company as last December (company shall remain unnamed). Yet again we were forced to pick up our cargo van at a weird place. Being told to pick up the van at a confectionary shop should have set alarm bells ringing.... The story-line goes a bit like this (some writer's privilege to protect the innocent as the guy was actually quite friendly):

  • Hild: 'Good evening. I'm here to pick up the cargo-van and trolley/dolly I ordered online last week'.
  • Confectionary guy: 'Do we look like we would have a trolley/dolly?'
  • Hild: 'OK, do you at least have the cargo van'.
  • Confectionary guy: 'Well, of course, what do you think this is?'
  • Hild: 'Good. I'll take the van. Please give me a refund for the dolly.' (Inner dialogue: 'Aaarrgghh')
  • Confectionary guy spends what felt like an eternity on the phone getting help to reverse out the dolly from Hild's order.
  • Confectionary guy: 'I know you have paid online already, that you have showed me your driver's license, that you have showed me your credit card, and that you are standing in front of me now - but I need to confirm that you are a who you say you are. Can you give me the phone number of someone who can verify?'
  • Hild: 'Hm. This is my husband's number. He is on his way home in the car so you'll catch him driving.'
  • Confectionary guy dialling............
  • Rob: 'Hello Darling!'
  • Confectionary guy: '..... Eh..... Well actually this is the cargo-van guy - so I guess you know her'
  • Rob: 'Yes she is picking up a moving van, right?
  • Confectionary guy: 'OK thanks' (hanging up the phone).
  • Rob left with the dial tone (not having the foggiest idea of what just happened) (Not-So-Inner dialogue: 'What the h....!')
  • Hild starts the van finding engine/oil lamp lighting up on the dash board.
  • Hild: 'The engine/oil lamp is on, please come and check the van'.
  • Confectionary guy: 'Oh, don't worry about that'.
  • Hild: 'Hey, you just had me sign this document saying that the car is in working order.'
  • Confectionary guy: 'Oh, it's nothing'.
  • Hild: 'What will happen when I come back and the warning light is still on. Would you assume that I broke the thing?'.
  • Confectionary guy: 'Yes I guess I would, but it'll be fine'.
  • Hild: 'Please indicate in this document that you know it was like this before I left'.
  • Confectionary guy: 'Oh, you worry too much'. (Assumed inner dialogue: 'Women!')
  • Hild: 'OK I give in'. (Inner dialogue: 'Aaaarrrgghh - pushover')
[End of cargo-van story - we had it back to confectionary guy by 11.30 pm that night, and the engine/oil lamp was on/off intermittently and nothing has happened since so that meant he was right. But hey, that's Hild, she's a worrier!]

Rob with Cargo Van half-empty/full.

Not long after, we reconvened in the old apartment and started the process. Three van-loads and we were done. Of course that doesn't account for a number of trips in Yogi with all the smaller items.

It wasn't all cool-runnings though. We quickly discovered that we had no idea how to operate a lift in service-mode. "Kristin, where are you!!!" - Panic Panic. Some trial and error sorted us out and we were on a roll again.
Still lots of stuff to pack in the cargo van.
Still lots of stuff to pack in the cargo van...		 Rob carrying stuff up and down.
Rob carrying stuff up and down the world's longest corridor.
Hild moving computer equipment.
Hild moving computer equipment with the capable help of Dolly.		 Yogi the Bear feeling the pressure.
Oh-oh... Yogi the Bear feeling the pressure from Dolly...
Grrrrr - get me out of here!!! I can't feel my toes!!
Hang on, I haven't got toes!! Help!!

At this point we would like to add that we loved the off-loading bay at our new place including a moving-room where Rob could dump all the stuff out of the van while Hild filled the lift and off-loaded it into our 3rd floor apartment. Sorry no photos. Actually, at one point the camera went missing in the mess. We feared that we had to do a moving-re-enactment to make this web page, but luckily for you this was not necessary.
Rob having breakfast.
Rob having the first breakfast in the new apartment!!!
(Actually this is a re-enactment as he had already finished eating and he is holding up his lunch instead)		 Hild having a rest in the livingroom.
Hild having a rest in the livingroom - nearly finished.
Spaghetti a-la-Cables.
What happens when trying to get Hild's office in order
- Spaghetti a-la-Cables.		 No more spaghetti.
Fear not! There is always a tidy solution even with cables
(just hide them underneath something else)
Hild not working in her office.
Hild not working in her office.		 Clash of cultures.
Central office feature... grand-father clock made by Hild's dad - holding up Hild's hard-hat
Enjoying our first dinner in the new apartment. Enjoying our first dinner in the new Apartment
(No this is not a re-enactment as we often have sandwiches for dinner
- ham with potato salad is always a winner).

 Enjoying a meal on the balcony.
A meal on our huge (long) balcony
(Only half of the balcony is visible in this photo: 'Room for a pony' and 'Big enough to play cricket on').

*** Note: Contrary to our December move there appear to be no 'krakks' involved (i.e. foot stools in Norwegian). Rest assured that they are all still here but were never featured in any photos... (See more details on last year's move).

Please come visit us! We've got a spare sofabed waiting.

Rob and Hild
August 2006


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Last updated July 2010