This was our last weekend together as a family living in North Dakota. We took time out on Saturday for a couple of hours to take the kids to the circus in Aberdeen, South Dakota. This has become a yearly tradition for us, but this years event left a lot to be desired. I don't know if it was the economy or other factors at play, but the 2009 version of the Aberdeen circus was extremely lame. Many of the previous acts were no longer part of the show, yet the prices on everything seemed to be higher. The kids still enjoyed it because we let our oldest two take a friend along for the show.
After the circus, it was back to work packing boxes and sorting through all our stuff. We are doing our best to downsize and leave North Dakota a little lighter than when we arrived. It is now only 3 more days until I pick up the U-Haul and we begin the loading process. I have given U-Haul quite a bit of my money over the years and they have given me decent service and ....... 2 flat tires, (Louisiana and Georgia-- same trip) an electrical problem that caused me to lose turn signals and lights during one night of a cross-country trip, (Utah) and two complete breakdowns. (Florida & Florida) In all reality, that probably isn't too bad considering how many times I have used their rentals to move. By the way, don't ever take a U-haul truck through a fast food drive-thru. I once did this and then realized it was too late when it was too late! (Mesquite, Nevada) Then there was the time that I was driving one of their trucks and pulling a car behind it and I got stuck in a tight Denny's parking lot. I provided some exceptional breakfast entertainment for the people who were watching from inside and about an hour later I managed to get myself out of the mess. (Page, Arizona) Okay, enough moving stories for now.
This just in: I dislike packing and moving, especially while trying to do so with 3 kids and I am never going to move again. Okay, so at least the first part of this statement is true.
Here is the update on the floods. Fargo is still getting the worst of it as the Red River crested to around 41 feet yesterday. It dropped some today, but it is expected to stay at flood stage levels for quite some time. We have received no precipitation for two days now. The snow has mostly melted and the ground is very soggy here in town. Both of our sump pumps are working hard and continually pumping water out from around the house. No new ground water has entered the house for about 3 days now. That is the good news. Here is the bad news. It started snowing about 3 hours ago and it is coming down pretty hard. They are forecasting blizzard like conditions with accumulations in this area possibly reaching 12-20 inches. Did I mention that I am ready to move back to Maryland? Estalita and the kids will be leaving around lunchtime on Friday. I hope to leave with the truck sometime late Friday afternoon after my teaching commitments are completed. If all goes well, or ( Lord willing and the creek don't rise might be more appropriate at this time) then we expect to be back in Pennsylvania next week at this time. (currently 12:25 eastern time) We will then finish the drive down to Maryland on Monday morning. Well, I need to cut this posting short for now. It is time to check the pumps and head up to the office for a bit. Lights out.
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