Returning to the SaSea Sally with Ty and Caroline Jane

It's been a whirlwind week of land activity after leaving Ditto Landing, Huntsville, AL amidst a driving rain Saturday morning Sept 21, LAMO bound in a bright red VW Jetta, the largest car Enterprise had available. Our goal was to move accumulated furniture from Mom, Aunt Martha and Mary Alice to their new abode at John's new home in University City. My intent was to make sure it happened according to my specs and not leave 417 in shambles. Looking back now, mission accomplished.


We spent Saturday night and Sunday in St. Louis with John, prepping for the move. Realizing that his focus has been on painting his NEW house and not OLD apt, I made the executive decision to change our upcoming Thursday plans from a leisurely and fun visit with sister Sus in COMO to a frenzied packing experience at the Pershing apartment address. Good decision!

Clay and I motored home Sunday eve, arriving in time to take MAL to dinner at our little Chinese restaurant where we enjoyed catching up after a month's absence. Monday and Tuesday had us tackling odds 'n ends in prep for the movers on Wednesday. Gaines Movers arrived Wednesday morning. We gathered up furniture from the storage facility west of town (yay! no more monthly storage fees!), Dah Dah's home and ours and followed Gaines to 7145 Lindell. Upon arrival (we were about an hour behind the movers), Marvis informed me that the piano wouldn't fit thru the door. I'm admittedly so very gullible. I believed him. Not! John, of course, played along, saying he'd just play outside.

The move went beautifully! John juggled cleaning gals, locksmiths and sprinkler system and alarm system workmen during the furniture arrival. He kept it together. We then spent the early eve Wednesday 'decorating' the bakers rack (thanks, Jean, I followed the same design you did for me many years ago!). Enjoyed a glass of wine using the wine glasses hanging in the bakers rack holders. John remarked it seems like home.

Thursday was a whirlwind! Clay met Stanley (Steemer) at 7145 around 8 am, leaving me to focus on packing up John's apt. Much needed. I stayed focused until Sus arrived for a lunch visit at Panera and an assist with the packing. Thanks, Sus! You are a treasure! Full day! I just kept packing. Clay insisted on delivering a few loads to 7145 to make room for boxes at the apt, so he, then he and John after 5, did deliveries while I continued to pack. Clay had good foresight in purchasing a handcart/dolly for John and for our use while packing and loading. I also stocked him with paper products so he could eat and drink in the absence of his dinnerware as we packed it up and moved it. Dinner at Molly's ended the evening about 8:30 pm. Whew! Long day and I was pooped!

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Sally inspecting Stanley Steamer's Work          John and Sally use John's new hand cart to move items from his apartment.

Friday morning, after a morning walk/jog, Clay, John and I Stanrealized the move was upon us in full force. Boxes everywhere. Chaos everywhere. Clay and I were leaving so the rest of the move was up to John and his friends with a U-Haul truck rented for Saturday. Clay and I were scheduled to depart around 9 am for Huntsville, but our friends, meeting us in St. Louis for the ride back to Huntsville, had a delay. And, my right eye had decided on Wednesday to do an age thing, diagnosed later that morning by a Barnes Retina Institute doc in Clayton as Posterior Vitreous Separation. My left eye had done the same trick the morning before John's move from Cleveland to St. Louis 3 yrs before. John's gotta stop moving...or I gotta stop helping him move!

The red Jetta trunk--packed to the hilt.

Caroline checking out the spacious back seat!

Friends Ty and Caroline arrived, and the fellas managed to pack the Jetta with twice the luggage the trunk was designed to hold. Good job, Clay and Ty! Departure in a VW Jetta at 1:30 got the 4 of us to Huntsville at 11:30 pm. I'm too old for these things, especially the bucket seats! Had a quick Burger King stop in Marion, IL and a nice dinner at Bonefish Grill in Franklin, TN. Arrived safely at Ditto Landing around 11pm, noting that the Nina and Pinta had arrived at our location, then spent an hour unloading and regrouping before bed. Ugh!

Caroline, Tyson, and Sally with the Penta in the background

The crowd of visitors to the Nina and Pinta was once again thick as we prepped for departure Saturday morning. Clay settled up at the marina office after our boat's week stay while Caroline and I made a Wal Mart run to stock up on groceries. After dropping the Enterprise rental car and returning to the boat, Caroline and I found the fellas swabbing the deck of the SaSea Sally. Hooray! A clean boat to start our journey with our friends!
Sally