I only needed one last set of documents to satisfy the underwriters. I took Friday off because it was my intention to drive to another county to get archives from the court, and I didn't know how long it'd take. I'd already tried calling, emailing... nothing. I had to go. Allegedly, they have no fax? Yeah, right. So I got up early and took LF to school, and then headed to the coffee shop before hitting the road. I saw Ben there and he asked me where I was going and when I told him, he said, it sure is a nice day for driving. I thought Miata time! And then didn't take it. I guess I'm too focused on getting done with the house? ;) Or I was being sensible because I was carpool mom Friday? While the court may actually be backwards enough not to have a fax machine, they are really friendly. I'd emailed them I was coming and to expect me at 9. At nine, I drove right by the building. Called them to find my way there, and so, when I got there, the two stacks of papers were sitting on the counter awaiting my arrival. Pretty nice! I was able to walk right back out the door and drive forever back to Nashville. What would I have done if I'd have lived in California? Ugh. How long would mail have taken? At least I have them electronically now. Journey was on in the car, and I was blaring it. Windows rolled all the way down and extremely loud. I never do that. As they sang "Don't Stop Believing!", tears of joy welled up. So much as happened in the past seven years. It's good to be at the top of the world again. I marched right into the bank, straight into my underwriters office and I think he shook my hand three times. We're both glad to be done with this one. I spent the rest of the day getting boxes after boxes. Then it was time to go carpool. MY boy (also known as LF, but he aint little no mo'!) marches where I marched three decades ago and it was homecoming on Friday. I took the boys (my boy and my officemate's) to practice and I went to change in the locker room. A trashcan was upended and a toilet bowl was full of paper towels? Stuff like that doesn't happen at this school. Not thirty years ago and not now. I was on alert. I came into the bandroom and some kid I'd never seen was playing on the instruments. His explanation seemed off and I had a bad feeling about him. I sent him out post haste. As I walked the area around trying to decide what to do--I left the bandroom, came back in, and again, kids I'd never seen who were "looking for keys to the wrestling room" (what?!). Kicked them out. Called security. I came back and sat to watch over the room. My "adopted son" Hun was in the room changing. I asked him if he was in homecoming court and he said he was. Everyone cheered when he drove past with the court member he was escorting. Cutie pie. I got to talking to another parent about the escapades of earlier evening. The boy? I had a gut feeling about? He'd been kicked out of her school for "bothering girls" and assaulting one. He'd even been arrested. He hung around the band all evening long. Other parents shooed him off. I dread thinking of him sticking around. It was a fabulous show the kids did and it finally is coming together enough I cried. Great playing. It was a really long football game and got home really late. I hurt from head to toe.

Saturday, band had an all day practice. We got up and I drove him across town, but was up and ready to go, so what did I need to do? I needed to pack some more for the upcoming move, but really, I didn't want to. I knew I needed more paint for the current house's nail holes. While waiting for them to mix the paint, I went to look for the upcoming house's needs. I found a steam cleaner, but decided I'd check the web and look at other stores for it. When I left the hardware store, I went to the neighboring store to find the steam cleaner. Instead, I found one I'd dreamed of having all those sleepless nights and infomericals ago. It was supposed to be for the hardwoods at the new house, but I surely did justify using it at the old house. You know, to try it out ;) It was hours later and I realized that I will surely get my deposit back (cause it's so freakin' clean!) and that I really needed to put down the new toy and go pick up the boy. I didn't know it, but I spent so much time on the floor steaming things up close and personal, I bruised both knees. But it was so much fun! I can't believe that machine I thought I'd never have, I own. It does clean really well, if you wondered. It shines like new, got in places I haven't been able to get, and it was all clean without chemicals. Ah. I'm totally in love. I picked up the boy and we had steaks on the grill with the final use of the charcoal. There is too much to do away from home to get to do that again this summer. Besides, it's almost over anyhow.

I'd promised brunch to the boy on Thursday for an all-day packing session on Saturday, before I remembered he had practice. So on Sunday, I got up before him and began packing. I packed the fragile stuff, and the "super fragile" stuff, the big media box (so it's easy to find, all those cables and movie stuff), and finally organized some of the mess. It's really turning into a monster of a pile! I feel like I live in a hoard right now. Once he got up, we went to eat. I had a huge omelet with ham, mushrooms, tomatoes, onion, peppers, and cheese. I said, how am I going to eat all of this?! When the plate was suddenly empty, I realized I'd only eaten one meal on Friday and one on Saturday. I should be losing weight, but I doubt it. His room is the least packed and so we went to his room after getting back. I mean, we didn't even stop for anything fun on the way home. Straight back. So 11:30 or so? We went through his shelves, cabinet, and the four boxes he never unpacked from the last time we moved five years ago. I am not exaggerating. When he was little he'd pile everything in the middle of his floor. I'd set aside time for us to go through the pile one thing at a time and have him decide keep or throw away. I'd say keep or throw away and almost always it was keep. I'd ask him, why? Are you going to play with it again? Nope. I let him keep it anyhow. Five years later, never having gone through the box, much less open it, and this time, he threw out five bags of toys, papers, and garbage. He kept saying why did I keep this? Our hands were filthy and sticky at the bottom of the biggest box. That box has lived in three different homes and never been fully unpacked. He had to excuse himself to the restroom after I said, I cannot believe this box didn't just fully implode and swallow our home. He was laughing so hard he had to go to the restroom. Honestly, I think the box only stayed together because it was 150% wrapped in packing tape. Finished at 7:30. We did take breaks to get to the end of it all, and I was considering putting it off until I realized, we have this week to finish packing the boxes, no time this weekend, and the container will be here next Monday. It had to get done now. The following week, it'll be time to put it all in the container. I have five extra days wiggle room, and that's not a lot because I still have to turn on water, electricity, and cable. We close on the house one week from today!