So… Kenny and I were supposed to be able to move into our apartments at 1400 yesterday. Kenny and I get there at about 1345 and we are told that the rooms are not ready yet. Unfortunately, the guy at the front desk wasn’t able to help us out much… you see, the building we are in is actually an apartment building. People rent apartments and sign leases as all other apartment dwellers do. We are leasing our apartments from a company that leases rooms from the apartment building. So, we really have nothing to do with the apartment building other than being able to use its facilities and amenities. All other issues with our rooms must be addressed to the middle man company.

With that said – we sat in the lobby of this really nice hotel, feeling quite out of place, for near an hour. Since we were quite an eyesore in the lobby, with all of our suitcases, duffel bags, boxes and a cart full of bags, and hanging clothes, we decided to head upstairs to check on our rooms. We got up there and checked out Kenny’s room first. He knocked and a voice from within the room, with a Spanish accent, said, “Alo?” The lady that was cleaning the room had stuff everywhere!! Dishes, refrigerator shelves, sponges and spray bottles all over the place. She was very nice in telling us that she still had quite a bit of work to do but that she was almost done. I don’t think she finished until a little after 1500. Larry showed up (he moved in Sunday) and we moved all of our stuff into Kenny’s room and walked the block and a half over to Enterprise to pick up our rental cars. We were standing there and I heard the guy ask Larry for his driver’s license I realized that gave mine to the guy at the front desk so that I could use the wardrobe thinga-ma-bob to move my stuff. I wasn’t able to pick up my car just then – I had to catch a ride back with Kenny. Back at the apartments, Kenny finished moving in and my room was still not ready – I think it was about 1600 or so. I walked back to Enterprise and finally picked up my car. I ended up with a Jetta – more on that later. So I am driving out of the garage and realize that the rental car dude has left his clipboard with Kenny’s paperwork on it on my hood. I grabbed it and decided to drive out of the garage to get a signal to call the guy. I drove out and drove down the street and called the guy. I told him I would drive down the street next to their building and give it to him there. I pulled up, he ran out (a little show if you asked me – I was blocking traffic) and got the clipboard. I made it back and the room still was not done! I had to chill in Kenny’s room to pass the time.

The clock ticked away and soon it was near 1700! We had to leave to go to work and I was hungry. Kenny then discovered that the microwave in his room was not working! How was I going to heat up my food?! Well, the other room was open, she was just cleaning it! So, I grabbed my stuff and went over to my room and used the microwave in there. We had a nice conversation about how it was her day off and they called her in at the last minute to do our rooms, and they told her they would be easy and they were DISGUSTING!! Kenny’s room was the worst! The people that lived in there must have fried everything because there was grease just caked on the cabinets above the stove. His room smells like a grease pit. And right in front of the sofa there are all kinds of stains and spots. They must have eaten dinner on the sofa every night and dripped their greasy stuff all over the floor. Apparently, the management has agreed to shampoo the carpet in his room.

I ate my food and we went to work. I came back to my room and it was finally done. I have to admit – the room is pretty nice. The furniture is nice and the layout is decent enough. It is a heck of a lot better that a hotel room!! I have my own kitchen, dining area, bedroom and bathroom! It even has a top and bottom washer and dryer – which I have already used and can say it works very well. Some of the surfaces in the room could have been cleaned a bit better, but I guess the fact that she was in a hurry contributed to the lack of detail. Nothing a bottle of Clorox Bleach cleaner can’t fix, right? Anyway – I finally got all my stuff moved into my room. And that’s about it. I spent a good part of the evening trying to touch on a few things, but didn’t really get a lot accomplished. I guess I was a little overwhelmed with the prospect of having my very own room that I could unpack into after living out of a suitcase since May 3rd.

This morning, I walked across the street (isn’t that cool?!) to the Safeway to buy some cleaning supplies and some groceries. I spent a good part of the morning re-cleaning surfaces in the apartment and also put most of the dishes in the dishwasher (yahooooo!!!) I was doing so well that I completely lost track of time and had to very quickly get dressed for work and make a lunch to take with me. I grabbed my backpack and took the elevator when I realized that I forgot my lunch. Back up and I went and back into my room. Inside, it hit me that I also did not have my beret. I looked around real quick and could not find it, I jogged my memory real quick and assured myself that it was in Kenny’s car since we car pooled yesterday. I sent him a quick page and hopped back into the elevator back down to the 1st floor… which was the wrong floor… I think… I was so lost trying to find my car. I had to walk up a level to find it. I’ll get the lay of the land soon. I drove to work and was expecting to get a page back from Kenny, but nothing. I drove as fast (but safe) as I could since I was running late. It was on I-295, while trying to pass a car whilst going up thy hill, that I realized that this cool looking Jetta I have has a piece of crap engine. I could not pass the car and had to drop back and get behind it! Can you imagine the humiliation?!? The Sable I had before would have smoked it! I guess you have to have a turbo edition or something to drive like I am used to. I will have to see if I can get another car.

Okay – so I finally got to work and sat in the car waiting for a response… but none came. I paged again… nothing. I was really hoping that he would reply so that I could get it out of his car. It would be very humiliating to have to walk outside with no cover (it’s a military honor thing.) I called him – no answer! Then I thought (don’t ask why I didn’t think this before) I can call him in the office! I called and he just stepped out! Dang-it! They took a message and he finally stepped out to find me and my beret – but he didn’t find it. I guess I lost it somewhere. Heck – It might even be in my room somewhere but in the chaos of moving in it’s probably under something. So, I made the long walk from the garage to the building, sun beating down on my head with shame. I need to find that beret or break out my new one and get it in shape. Not an easy task in one night.

Tonight I need to finish cleaning my apartment up and get to sleep. So – with that – off to clean!