We’re Officially in Pocatello

I guess we’re officially here. We closed on the house late Wednesday afternoon and then met our realtor at the new house at 7 a.m. on Thursday to do a walkthrough and accept the house. Everything was in order and the house is now in our possession, although it’s owned by the bank! The Qwest phone guy was to show up between 8 and noon on Thursday to install the phone. Nina waited all morning and, of course being Qwest, no one showed up. The new refrigerator was scheduled to be delivered on Thursday afternoon between noon and 2 p.m., but they were early. Nina finally called Qwest and was told the installer would be there between 2 and 5 p.m. He showed up at 4:45. Nina spent the entire day at the empty house waiting for the stupid phone company. Over the years I have come to have a very low opinion of Qwest as a company that will never, ever have the customer’s needs and requirements as any part of their operating practices.

The electrician was at the house promptly at 7:05 a.m. on Friday and they were done by 10. They ran a new circuit into the office so we would have sufficient power for the computers, put a 30 amp circuit out on the RV pad for our motorhome, put 220 volt wiring out back for the new hot tub, and another 110 volt circuit out back for a pond or fountain whenever we put something like that out in the back yard. I spent the morning tracing down coax cable connections so that Dish Network can install next Wednesday. Dawnmarie’s car wouldn’t start, so we spent some time in the afternoon getting a new battery installed in her van.

Dad and mom came over Saturday morning and we spent much of the day building shelves downstairs in the utility room. He also helped me put a wiring circuit in for the cable modem that needs to be in the utility room. While we were doing that, Nina and Dawnmarie took the kids into town for the 24th of July Parade. The parade was excellent and we had a very good, productive day.

Last Sunday (the 19th) our membership records were read into the ward. On the Friday before, the Bishop asked Nina and me to talk in Sacrament Meeting this Sunday on patriotism. Amongst all the hubub of the week, we both prepared a lot of material. There were no youth speakers, no ward business, and we were the program along with the Ward Choir singing in between. It was good that we both had a lot of material prepared. I’m sure that the ward members got a reasonable look at us and we probably passed muster. The Juniper Hills Ward is a very friendly ward, perhaps one of the friendliest wards we’ve ever attended. We’ll enjoy being part of the ward. I received a calling today: teaching the 4th Sunday lessons in High Priest Group priesthood meeting. Only problem is, I’ll be out of town two out of the next three 4th Sundays! But, I enjoy teaching and this will be a good opportunity for me. I may switch Sundays with one of the other teachers….

Mom and dad drove over from Soda Springs to be in Sacrament meeting and hear us speak. They came up to the house afterwards and we had dinner on a very small table that I bought on Thursday so Nina would have a place to sit while waiting for the phone guy. Next Sunday is mother’s 80th birthday, so we also celebrated her birthday as Kirk and Dawnmarie will be leaving on Wednesday to drive back to Pennsylvania. She’ll get two birthday parties this year, since we’ll go over next Sunday for her real birthday.

The moving truck arrives tomorrow morning between 8 and 9 a.m. We’ll be sleeping in our new house amongst all the boxes tomorrow night. Pocatello, we’re here!