Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Flakes - Not Just for Dandruff

I'm almost completely unpacked. I'm down to living room books, bedding and laundry, if the box labels can be believed. (Bow before my crazy mad unpacking skills.)

This is possibly a new personal unpacking record. I credit a caffeine rush fueled by copious amounts of Diet Dr. Pepper and the fact that until about an hour ago, I had no internet. NO INTERNET FOR FOUR DAYS people.

It freaked me out to be so cut off. How would I get information? About things? And places? And hours things were open? And locations of stuff? What if I urgently needed to post something on Craigslist?

I needed some information last night and I couldn't find it in the phone book. I had no idea what to do. I paced for a while. I talked to myself. I repeatedly tried to bring up Google on my computer, on the off-chance that the internet might be working, sighing each time I saw the PAGE NOT FOUND error. "Would you look at that," I would mutter in surprise, "I don't have internet."

It was a frightening time. I'm glad it's over, but I think it was kind of good to unhook the internet IV for a couple of days. It was kind of cleansing, like a good enema.

(Um. I've never actually HAD an enema. It just sounded funny.)

(I just thought I should clarify.)

(Because I don't want you all sitting there thinking about me having an enema. That's just not a mental picture anyone should have.)

(So I should probably stop talking about it, don't you think?)

It feels so good to be home. Tonight I let my kids stay out until long past their bedtime. It was a beautiful night and they were having so much fun with a gang of neighborhood kids. I was making brownies (so domestic) (also, no internet) and had the screen door open. I could hear them all out there playing some kind of game on the trampoline - with much laughing and giggling and shrieking and carrying on. It was music to my ears.

I was a little surprised to realize that I'm kind of embarrassed about the whole fiasco. I didn't think I would be, but I am. I guess I thought I'd sort of evolved past caring what people think.

(Internet: Oh, Sue. You thought you'd evolved past having a little dignity? Or a healthy sense of shame? {{The Internet collectively shakes its head}} )

It's not the financial stuff.

It's not.

OK, fine, maybe it's that a little. In retrospect, coming out of the blog closet and giving everyone my blog address right before we moved might have been just a tad hasty.

But really, I think it's more that I feel so badly for imposing on people twice. Asking people who helped us move out a few months ago to help us move back in. Seeing people who came to my farewell night out and having to say, "Oh, HI! Good to see you! Oh, by the way, that whole moving thing? JUST KIDDING." (And if someone gave me a farewell gift, should I give it back? Because really, what if they think this was all just a ruse to get them to send me stuff?) Should I hang the completely wonderful picture they all signed for me when I left, or would that just be weird now that we're back? SO MANY QUESTIONS.

Walking around the neighborhood on the fourth of July, running into friends and acquaintances, waving to people driving by in their cars - it felt so good. Seeing the kids with their friends and realizing we are back home, next door to the most awesome neighbors ever (more on that tomorrow)? Worth every drop of embarrassment.

I hope people haven't written us off as THAT family, but if the price for all of this happiness is being known as the neighborhood flake, then I'll take it. I'll embrace it. Here I am, Highland.

Again.

Ready or not.

51 comments:

  1. A few things; DDP is the sweet nectar of life. Enemas are actually quite nice, try one sometime and definitly blog about it. Hang that photo, keep the gifts, hold your head high, and WELCOME HOME!

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  2. Anonymous3:41 AM

    I voted for you! :D

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  3. Aaaagh! You noticed! I'm a goner!

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  4. Welcome (back) home, and congratulations on your clean break with Las Vegas.

    It may be awkward for the first week or so, but then everyone will forget about it, stop asking questions, and you can enjoy life again.

    I voted for you, so your begging worked.

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  5. Anonymous5:53 AM

    Welcome home. I'm glad you're so happy. Unpacking is a lot easier when you're familiar with the house and know where things go. :-)

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  6. Oh, Sue! I'm so glad you're back --both at home and on-line. I'm on vacation (well, some would call it a vacation) and I still checked on you every day.

    Dude, there is nothing to be embarrassed about. It's the worst financial crisis our entire country has seen in many, many years. It's happening all over to people just like you--hard working, good parents who just got caught in the machine.

    Hang in there. Heck, if my house in Austin never sells, I might just be joining you.

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  7. Wait, I didn't mean joining you in a literal sense. I meant I might be moving back home from New York... I need coffee, don't I? Right.

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  8. Anonymous6:33 AM

    Oh I bet it is nice there in utah, listening to your children. Miss ya

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  9. Aside from the whole enema thing, the thing that stuck out the most ot me in this post was that I need to get myself a screen door.

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  10. I just returned from a vacation through SLC and down into Vegas and I thought about you out there somewhere packing or unpacking or driving and I had happy thoughts for you and your return home. You've stressed enough the past few months. Just enjoy it.

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  11. Congrats on the moving home and the quick unpacking! Soon it will seem like you never left. I bet you children are thrilled to be back with their friends! Congrats!

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  12. I'm so glad your family made it back home. Just think of the last few months as a little blip on your radar. You're HOME now. Congratulations! :0)

    Oh, and as soon as I'm done with this, I'm voting for you, too!

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  13. Hey there!

    I stumbled across your blog yesterday, and I’m now vowing to be a daily reader. Your posts are so entertaining! I read a few of your older posts out loud to my hubby last night and we were both cracking up!

    I’m glad you guys got re-settled back home. If you were in my neighborhood, no one would have even noticed that you had left and come back. (What does that say about my neighborhood?!) Just pretend you went on a vacation or something – you just packed a bit too much. :-)

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  14. Anonymous8:37 AM

    I'm really glad you're back. Don't worry about the embarrassment, everyone has been through something like that at one time or another. I know WE have. I just didn't tell anyone. We need to go to lunch soon, o.k.?

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  15. Ah, embarrassment is an overrated emotion - and even if people are thinking you're a bit flaky, give them a week and something else will come along, right? You're HOME!

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  16. Congrats on being home! I'm sure everyone understands the situation and won't think anything of it.

    Oh and I voted for you too!

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  17. I'm coming out of my blurking closet...

    The people who gave you things and signed the picture are the ones who are so glad that you're back. Everyone else? Let 'em think what they want. So glad you're back online! Oh, and I totally voted for you - you are the funniest person I don't know. ;)

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  18. Welcome back!! I'm glad things are working out for you and your family. Also it's nice you don't have to figure out where stuff goes since you already know and stuff.

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  19. Welcome back home. Now get cracking on setting up an aunts/sisters/cousins/ thing, girl. It was a great idea and I since I no longer have a large home to host such events, it's up to you, girl. I'm happy to help with the planning.

    I can totally relate to not having internet. I didn't have access for at least 5 days during our recent move. I was totally freaking out and definitely cranky about it.

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  20. Yes, I bet all your neighbors are thinking, "I'm so sure! I can't believe that Sue would pack up all her things and move to Las Vegas just to get a $9 candle going away gift. I'll never get her a going away gift again."
    silly girl!

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  21. i am NEVER without internet thanks to the blackberry, of which i've decided i have a love/hate relationship with.

    hooray!! you're back! I'll be in highland on saturday for a baby shower at my grams. She lives across the street from the UCCU on Alpine hwy by Kohler's.

    i'm just saying maybe you should stop by so i can properly welcome you home. By obnoxious displays of hugging like we're long lost bff.

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  22. I'm just so happy for you. Happy, happy, happy.

    Because you're HOME!

    And you've never had an enema.

    How much more perfect could life be?

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  23. I can't believe you unpacked so fast! Maybe I should try a few days without internet- maybe not!! That's scary. I'm going to vote for you now.

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  24. That is a quick unpacking job! Good for you. It must feel SO wonderful to be back in your old neighborhood. And I wouldn't feel embarassed a bit. This has been a rough time for everyone in this terrible economy and I'd have some very nasty words for the bankers who put your family through all this when it was obvious it could have worked out in an easier way.

    If anything, I view you as someone who just won an AWESOME lottery or something. I've never heard of anyone who lost their home and then somehow got it back.

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  25. The last time we moved it took four months to unpack. Oh, who am I kidding? It was six.

    I think you rock.

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  26. OH YOU'RE BACK! I'm so pleased!

    My husband keeps hinting that it may be time to send the computer away or kill the Internet. Noooo! Instant knowledge (actually merely near-instant, I have dial-up), friends, blogs, weird news. I can't even imagine being cut off.

    I gotta go vote for you. Did I mention that I'm glad you are back?

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  27. Maybe you should be nominated for an unpacking award. Probably just all that practice you've been getting.

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  28. WHAT? What post did I miss that said you actually got your house back? Or am I missing something? I'm confused. Please explain to the slow student.

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  29. Hilarity, as usual. These four days have been dry without you.

    P.S. Gave you some bling on my blog.

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  30. I am way impressed with how fast you unpacked. I am glad you are HOME and that the kids are loving it too. I am going to vote now.

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  31. I just discovered your blog via another blog, which I discovered via another blog which I discovered via my friend's blog--hey, it's a small world! At any rate, I find your blog hilarious, I think you are great, keep blogging and I'll keep reading!

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  32. Wow, you deserve an unpacking award! It's amazing how much I accomplish when I pretend my internet is broken. I'm sure everyone is just thrilled to have you back. It sounds absolutely wonderful, I'm so happy for you. (ps, going to vote for you)

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  33. Anonymous4:09 PM

    Sue, I found you via Suburban Correspondant's post about the voting. I can soooo identify with you about the financial crisis. I'm still at the "caring what people think stage" but your past posts give me hope. Thanks girlfriend!

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  34. Welcome home Sue. Welcome home.

    We missed you {at least your body}.

    And yes, you do have mad skills. Want to use them at my house?

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  35. Listen the people who came to your going away party love you, I think you should proudly hand the gifts they gave you out in the open, you were thankful I am sure. I think you will be fine in a few weeks.

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  36. You can be as flakey as you like. I'll still vote for ya.

    Welcome home, Sue. Welcome home.

    Don't you like how serious something sounds when you say it twice like that?

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  37. Sue, I'm just really glad you are happy and back home where you belong. And I'm totally impressed you got unpacked that quickly, even without internet.

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  38. Anonymous5:53 PM

    You ever heard of dooce.com? That girl from Salt Lake that blogs for a living and gets paid like 40K A MONTH just from her advertisers? She's got nothin' on you! I love your blog, and think YOU should get paid 40K a month for your brilliant, hilarious and honest posts!
    Welcome Home!
    Liz

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  39. Frankly, if I gave you a moving gift and you actually did move all your belongings to another state and then unpack all those belongings and then pack them all up again and the move them back to the original state and unpacked once again, phew, yeah, you can keep the gift.

    And hang that picture with all the signatures, it's a bit of love and love is always good.

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  40. I just found you in the blogosphere, and I already love you. I'll probably figure this out as I read more, but I'll ask anyway: do you live in Utah? I'm from Logan, but moving to Cedar in two weeks. I love finding cool bloggers who happen to live in Utah...
    www.thewimmerfamily.blogspot.com

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  41. You got unpacked in three days???
    We've lived here three years, and we're still not unpacked.

    Welcome back!!!

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  42. So glad you're home. No one cares about that stuff, I'm sure - they're just glad to have you back!

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  43. i just wanted you to know that i don't think you are a flake.

    i know i'd jump at the chance to move back to a place i loved.

    maybe we are both flakes?

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  44. No words to tell you how happy I am for you and your family.

    {{hugs}}

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  45. I'm so glad you and your family are where you want to be!

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  46. Anonymous12:49 AM

    soooo this is a comment for your twilight post. i would email it but i can't find your email link. (okay, so this was easier and i'm lazy. whatever.) in any case...

    YOU. ARE. HILARIOUS.

    i loved the twilight books, but your musings on why they suck had me ROLLING ON THE FLOOR LAUGHING WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY PEEING MY PANTS.

    loved it, loved your writing, will be returning to read more when it's not 2am.

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  47. I voted for you! (thanks to Wendy for advertising for her sis) I hope you win!

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  48. ps. you couldn't be more RIGHT about the Twilight books. Gag. Belle is SUCH a lame-O.

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  49. I voted for you. And it's so close! Oh and I agree about the bank. They totally mishandled your situation.

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  50. dearest sue:

    if you moved back into my neighborhood, i would give you a welcome home gift too.

    i'm so so happy for you!

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  51. Didn't love it! Bella is a wimpy whiner! Glad to have you moving back.

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