Hil, I am **so** happy for you! There is a huge grin on my face! My spidey senses were tingling this last round. And Central PA is a nice area. I was just south of there in the Harrisburg/Lancaster/York triangle. Quite lovely area. NoiseDesign had some great advice, as did others. Being in DC, it's not that long of a car ride, can you rent, or twist someones arm for a "fun road trip" up there? If it's where I think it is, I have a couple buddies who are there. Well, one teaches there, and another just graduated and is coming to where I work for Grad School. Let me know if you want me to pester them for ideas. I would highly push for movers, especially with your aches and pains. If you can afford for them to pack as well, go for it. Packing sucks. If money is too tight, I would still suggest kitchen. That leaves you able to use it up to moving day, and if there is breakage, it puts the burden on them. I would also suggest the $0 deductible for the movers insurance. It costs a few bucks more, but worth the peace of mind. Feel free to e-mail me if you want to pick my brain, as I just went through the whole move thing, and it's still fresh in memory.

Hil, congratulations!!!

Across the street from Trader Joe's is my happy place.

You live across the street from TJs?

...I would be bankrupt if I did. I mean it.

Dana, you bought a house sight unseen???? Omg!! Thats hard core. I only got a sublet, and planned to get a real apartment once I was already ensconced. IIRC, Plei got the keys and a look at the place (after I'd already agreed to take it) and told me it was nice.

Yeah my late father bought a house when my Mother could not come with him. But Mom told him:

1) I trust you to know my tastes,

2) I trust you to know that I will torment you forever if you pick a house I don't like

3) No pressure.

The realtor had already talked up the complex when we were up here, but no units were for sale at that time. We got it at a good price, and we're not that picky, I guess. We also knew we're not staying here forever, so it's not like it's a permanent decision.

...I would be bankrupt if I did. I mean it.

Nah, I live a block away (granted, never home) but there's only so much you can eat or buy. You shop more often and buy less.

I really should get to sleep, since I didn't get much sleep last night, and I'm defending tomorrow. Sleep not so much happening, though. Too jittery.

I'm also looking around my apartment and realizing that I just have too much stuff, and my apartment is too much of a mess. I'm going to have to massively clean, and probably throw out a ton of stuff.

Go to sleep, Hil!

Don't do like me, make yourself a mojito and then start cleaning the kitchen and the bathroom so the fire department can come in and troubleshoot the fire alarm system in the building tomorrow. They will be here between 8-12 to fix whatever kept setting off a false alarm on Saturday. There's 10 units in my building, I hope they do me last so I can get the floor vacuumed and a few more things put away.

I'm eating a peanut butter sandwich now. Then I'll try sleep again.

Sleep, Hil. Less stressing. Sleep.

[edit: Heh, learn to read timestamps, Cass. Just because it was the last post, it was three hours ago...]

You live across the street from TJs?

...I would be bankrupt if I did. I mean it.

Really and truly across the street. Once people see it, no one wonders why I've kept the six-week sublet for five years so far. Even though the bathtub sucks. I've got a fireplace, lots of trees around me for privacy and TJ's across the street...

I really do nearly all of my shopping there. I absolutely spend more than I maybe should, or at least could, because it's so easy to wander over and experiment. But I don't go bankrupt, just make a lot more frequent trips.