A few days after my last post, we got the call - the shipment finally cleared and was en route to our flat! Anyone that has experienced a corporate move, where you are on location ahead of your container understands how amazing that feeling is. The relief that the waiting is over just barely outweighs the comfort that comes with being reunited with your belongings. On the flip side, anyone that has ever moved the entire contents of their home, especially when downsizing, also understands how quickly that feeling of euphoria deteriorates.
The shipping company brought a huge crew - 15 men at least (for a 40 foot container) so when the boxes started coming and they came fast - the system Venus and I had come up with got backlogged but quick. While I recorded the inventory number of the box and told her which room it was to be sent to, she made sure it got there and wasn't dumped haphazardly; Room 1 (master), Room 2 (K's new big girl room), Room 3 (C's new big boy room), Room 4 (Playroom), Dining Room, Kitchen, Living Room, balconies and/or bathrooms. It wasn't that we couldn't keep up but rather the layout of our house in Texas didn't jive with the new flat - nor did the box labels. Box after box was ushered into the flat at lightning speed; I would record the inventory number then read the label - MBR Hers, MBR His, MBR Shoes (there were a lot of those), Upstairs Linens, Upstairs Laundry, Kids Room, Kids Room Closet, Guest Room, Office, Game Room, Library, Mr. Gaither Scholarly Items (??), Vanity - Hers (again, many boxes), Christmas, MBR Books, Kids Books (never ending), DR, LR, Entry Closet, Butlers' Pantry, Kitchen, Kitchen, Kitchen, Kitchen, and the room for which my memory completely failed me - the garage. It was mayhem.
What made it worse was that my poor memory and I were completely on display for the entire crew to observe as I tried desperately to picture the contents of the boxes after 3 months. At one point a strangely shaped box labeled "Hat Rack" appeared. I scrunched my face and thought really hard until someone from the crew explained it was 'like a tree but for hanging hats'. Oiy. I made some snarky comment about how I knew what it was but was 100% confident I didn't own one (actually we do - a little pink one). The situation was the same for what felt like every 5th box. "Microwave? Now I know I didn't pack that", "That should have a top - I hope", "I thought we already found the art table? No the other one."
At one point, we got caught up. I took a quick look around to make sure the crew was leaving enough space for what was sure to be another 50 boxes and some furniture. I really wished I hadn't. Every room looked like a box warehouse - in an earthquake. I asked the foreman how far along we were. Surely, we had already accounted for 100 boxes at least. Indeed we had. I looked at the inventory list only to be reminded there were 305 items. (see pics here)
The crew finished unloading the container in under 5 hours. I assumed they would come back the next day to unwrap and assemble the furniture. They told me they didn't work Saturdays. Now I'm no fool. Even in the US a crew of delivery men will work Saturday if they are guaranteed overtime so I made the call. After being put through the ringer the past month on our container, I made it clear that the shipping company owed me some overtime. By Saturday afternoon, most of the furniture was re-assembled, rugs laid down, paper hauled away and about 75% of the boxes were at least opened and put into their respective rooms.
In addition to the moving crew, Venus hired a friend of hers who is the stewardess across the hall. We also employed my current driver and the man that will be our permanent driver once we have our car. E watched the kids at the other flat to keep them out of the way. By Saturday night, we were in surprisingly good shape and I owe it all to my amazing staff. We managed to make some pasta around 8 and called it quits at 9 (it took serious prodding on my part to get the crew to eat with me at the dining room table as it is not their custom to eat with "Madam"). Venus came back on Sunday which is usually her day off and we worked tirelessly all day and again on Monday (we still had to pack up the old flat - groan). But little by little the flat is actually taking shape.
Tuesday was a Nigerian public holiday - Democracy Day and Venus insisted on coming in to clean and iron but I insisted she take the day off. I am really going to have to lean on her in the next week - we are still unpacking, the kids have several end of the year parties, I'm finally doing some volunteer work and in another few days, we are actually packing again for a 10 day trip to Denmark and Norway.
Now if I can just find the winter clothes.