OK, we’re scheduled to close on the Shapleigh farm on Friday.  This has been one of the most trying times of our lives. 

You know, getting engaged and buying a house should be the happiest time.  The buying a house part has been horrible.  When Amanda and I are together, we’ve been happy, felt strong, but apart, we worry and fret.

On Friday, we’re going to spend about $2000 more than what we have for an oversized down payment.  Right off the bat, we need heating oil and propane.  The house needs some instant repairs.  We’ll have no cash and maxed out our credit.  But we’ll have the farm and each other.  We have good jobs and a very large asset to sell, our house in Marshfield.  We have two cars paid off, and I’ll be working from home and she drives a company vehicle.  We’ll be on PB&J for a while, but we’ll get through.

All this stress and we still haven't had a fight.  I'm starting to wonder if I'm in a coma and the coma fairies inserted Amanda into my dreams.

I’ve hired the biggest U-Haul they make.  Here’s a tip on moving, get the big truck and pay to keep it over-night.  They charge $0.99 per mile.  The Shapleigh farm and Biddeford apartment are 30 miles apart, or $60 per trip.  (Plus it’s almost an hour each way.)  The biggest van was $10 more than the one they recommended (three sizes smaller) and keeping it over night is basically free, as opposed to paying a late fee to turn it in late.  We’ll make one trip, and if we can’t get it back that afternoon, no big deal.

Dish mover is showing up on Sunday.  We’ve already put the electric in our name.  We forgot we’d made the plans for our original closing date.  I need to get the cable company in for the high-speed internet.

Hopefully we get this all done and we can get on with our little house and big yard.  I’m looking forward to eating Chinese out of the carton, the traditional move-in meal.