I am THRILLED to report the move is going outstandingly well so far. Last week, , I was seriously freaking out about the amount of work I had, that I didn't have help, etc etc. etc. But it`s important to just put your needs out there... I had a guy lined up yesterday to help with the moving, and he bailed at the last second. No kidding - I was due to pick him up in 15 mins when he called and said he'd been called into work. It takes a lot to make me growly, but I was pretty snarky on the phone.... "You couldn't tell them you were already committed to working for someone else?" He asked if I couldn't ask so and so, or so and so, and I told him, "No, I'm %$#$@ed now. Nobody else is available. They are all working." (I'm trying to give up swearing this month, but failing miserably, plus it was the most appropriate and accurately descriptive word at that time)
Anyway, I carried on, started the move myself, and quickly realised that I was never going to be able to move all my stuff out of a 5 foot crawl space on my own. So I started making phone calls for other tasks I had to do, and just asked the lady at the law office if she knew anyone who would be available...young guys, strong guys, I just needed muscle. She suggested Employment Connections, and Bob's Yer Uncle, I soon had a couple keen and really nice guys arrive. The original guy eventually called, as he did feel bad, and 3 was how many I wanted in the first place..... Those fellas worked so hard!!! They were so tired when they left. But I paid $30 an hour cash, so they smiled and are very keen to come back. Yes, sometimes it`s totally appropriate to throw money at a problem to make it go away. I've made a killing on the house sale, so $300 was soooooooooo worth it.
I was also very worried about the 2 sheds I had to move... Well, again, ask for what you need, and see what turns up. I called one company yesterday, and they would charge $195 per hour, and she assured me her husband HATES moving sheds, so he'd be miserable. Hmmmm. Unhappy and expensive?? Not my scene. So then my uncle got rained out from his job, did a favour for his neighbour, turns out the neighbour was also rained out of his real job, so was thrilled to come over with his picker truck, and pick up my sheds!!! They turned up earlier than agreed, so I was in my pj's and drinking coffee when they arrived. So I put on my terrific little Beauty Queen thong** (it has sparkley writing AND ruffles) under my already muddy jeans and filthy hoodie, and got out there. I am not an experienced swamper on a picker truck, so I made sure I literally ran every time they needed me to do something. Sure enough, a guy likes a swamper who hustles, so it was all smiles, job went smoothly, AND he charged me half what his real rate was. Another lesson: paying cash is extremely useful.
My uncle was nice enough to suggest that because the price of the job was so good, I could sleep with the trucker..... But I told the guy I really couldn't afford his gigolo fees in addition to his truck rental, so I would have to decline his other services. (How's that for FSJ mentality - pimp out your niece to your neighbours.... )
**Now, you must have thought THAT was interesting... a) that I would wear a sparkley ruffled thong for working with heavy machinery, and b) that I would tell write about it here. So here's the back story: in 1993, I worked as a Forest Engineering assistant in the Queen Charlotte Islands. I was the first girl ever hired in the history of engineering in the QCI, so I worked my butt off. They liked to send their summer students out to "learn the entire operation", so, just like the boys, I did every job on the claim..... Endless hours flailed through salal and devils club over my head - check. Moved my share of 20 tonnes of blasting powder in 25 kg bags - check. Swamped on a rock drill - check. Walked in caulk boots on logs 15 m off the ground - check. Became addicted to chewing tobacco - check. Set chokers on a high lead logging show - check. Developed patois with f-bombs every second word - check. Learned to run a chain saw with a 36 inch bar - check. But I also learned that no matter how dirty or filthy or tired or smelly I was.....I LOVED taking my work boots off at the end of the day, and seeing lovely painted toenails. "Aaaahhh, oh yah, I'm a girl. Almost forgot."
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