It all began on Sunday the 27th of June 2o11—Sunday.
Hubby and I hired a truck (a Luton 3.5 ton) and began loading it on Sunday in anticipation of the (as we thought) 5 and a half hour drive to the new house, where we would obtain the keys (the next day) and get a nice head start. As it happened, the drive was more like 7 hours (without breaks), since the Luton can't drive very fast at all.
It was backbreaking work (all of our furniture is solid oak...) but very satisfying when placed in the correct area in the shiny, new house (SNH). We spent the night at the SNH, and then set off for the old house (OH) the following day.
Load 2, 28th June 2011—Tuesday.
By this time we were, quite truthfully, a little tired. Still, we trudged on. Lifting, walking, raising, walking, lowering. Wash, rinse, repeat. We worked through the night, finished in the early hours of the morning, then set off again.
Rest stops were numerous, and the food available was somewhat questionable . . .
At the SNH we unloaded, a little less enthusiastically and a little more bruised. Once again, we slept in the SNH. When we set off again, it was Thursday. We blinked, and realized that Wednesday had been completely eaten away!
30th June 2011—Thursday
We set off and 5pm and arrived at the OH at twenty past midnight on the 1st of July, my husband's birthday. I sang a merry Happy Birthday in the very grim cockpit of the truck.
Load 3, 1st July 2011—Friday
This load could be classed as Load From Hell (part 1). We arrived on Friday at twenty past midnight and got right to work. Packed what remained in the OH, loaded the van. We were exhausted and ill. We worked continually to get the Luton filled, through the night/early morning, the entire day and finished packing the van at 535pm. Then for the drive. This one took us 12 long hours, because we were so tired we needed rest stops every hour or so to avoid accidents.
2nd July 2011—Saturday
Arrived at the SNH at around 6am, rested for a little bit, and then got to unloading the van.
Load 4, 3rd July 2011—Sunday
The load from Hell (Part 2). Arrived at the OH at 7pm after another looong drive. We worked for 34 hours straight. This may seem just like another number, but can you image doing heavy labor for 24 hours straight, let alone another 10 on top of that? It was painful.
The truck was full as it could be; even the cockpit was stuffed with boxes (made for a very uncomfortable drive back). This drive to the SNH took us 17 hours. 17.
And the truck was so full and heavy (over it's maximum, or near enough), that it couldn't get up the hill to our house. So we parked it at the bottom of the hill, got some 6 hours rest or so, an then had to unload half the van and walk all the items up the hill.
Ouch.
By this time I can honestly say that I felt what true exhaustion is. I thought I had before, but I really hadn't. It took us 2 days to unload half a truck. Every single box felt like a mountain, and we had hundreds. (This was not only a house move, but a business + stock move as well).
At the end of it, I became quite ill, I'm sad to say, though I was (and am) very proud of myself and the fact that I was able to do this.
It has been 12 days since the truck was returned, and I am still feeling the effects of extreme exhaustion, but getting better. :)
We are unpacking slowly, but surely. And, finally, we have our internet connection back.
In all, we were awake for two 53-hour days in a row, did as much as 34 hours straight of hard labor, and we survived. I am so proud! (I shall never, ever do that again, but still: I am proud).
What is the hardest thing you have ever done? Did it change you/stretch you as a person?
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