BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!

Subject: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 08:38 PM

Arghhhh!!!! We've had 24' truck reservations with UHAUL for almost a week. NOW, NOW, they are telling us, the night before, that there are no 24' trucks to be had in the state of Wyoming! They have 40 orders to fill in the Casper area, by tomorrow...it seems everyone chose this weekend to move.

Rog drove a 14' UHAUL truck up from COlorado, today. It was supposed to be a 10', but they didn't have one, so gave us the larger for the same price. There was a 24' available, too but their left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing, so they couldn't have said, "oh take this one, so you will have the size you want in Casper!"

So....we have some MAYBE options in the morning, but nothing until then. We're keeping the one we have, too small, hopefully renting another the same size, contingent on our daughter's friend saying he can drive it OR, only moving 1/3 of our stuff and looking at the prospect of making another long trip!!

I know it will work out, but dammit anyway! Thanks for listening and if any of you feel moo-ved to do a big juju dance for a solution, I'd sure appreciate it!


katfrazzled, but packed and ready!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 08:44 PM

Kat:

We said three "dammits" for you. Did that help any?

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Jeri
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 08:45 PM

Ryder around there anywhere?

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Celtic Soul
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 08:53 PM

Oh, ICK!

:::doing the best "juju" dance I can muster:::

Let us know how it goes! I'll pray for that miracle.

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Midchuck
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 09:05 PM

Don't use any vulgar language.

Just repeat simple pronouns.

She. it. she. it. she. it....

Sometimes that helps.

Peter.

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Amergin
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 09:06 PM

I banged my head on my desk for you three times saying jesus christ with each bonk....

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: kendall
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 09:10 PM

WOBH

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Sorcha
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 09:13 PM

Bonk! Bonk! Bonk! When all else fails Bang Head here.
Juju dance coming up (but don't you watch!!!)
Been there, done that if it's any consolation.

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: GUEST,Riverboat Annie
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 09:17 PM

Hey, don't forget to pack your computer!

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Hrothgar
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 09:29 PM

You shouldn't have any truck with people like that.

:-)

p.s. Do you want a doll to stick pins into?

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: catspaw49
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 09:31 PM

I'm with Jeri.......but for you:

gawdamcocksuckinmotherfuckinshiteatinpiassantjerkwadassholes

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Hrothgar
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 09:38 PM

Don't beat around the bush, Spaw. Say what you really mean!

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 09:56 PM

I feel for you; I bloody hate moving house. Just done it for the first time in nearly 10 years, and I can't find anything; and I only moved to the next blasted street!

Mind you, at least the carpets are cleaner. There's always some sort of consolation...

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Art Thieme
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 10:22 PM

It IS what happens when we were making other plans.

Love,

Art

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 10:50 PM

LOL! Thanks, folks, really, at least I am grinning, now, thanks to you all.

Jeri and Spaw, there is a Ryder; they closed at 5p. We drove by, they have one humungous 28' but I am betting with all of the other people who got screwed over by WEdon'tHAUL, it's probably already spoken for. I plan to call them asa they open at 8a.

Spaw, couldn't said it better, m'self! Bev and Jerry, too! Kendall..I'd forgottent that one!:-)

Hrothgar, YES! I want to stick pins in something, might as well be a doll!**BG**

Peter, love the She. It....:-)

Sorcha, dammit...I was hoping to be an anamoly, sorry you've been there before:-)

Malcolm...next street over would be a piece of cake! And, I DO have cleaner carpets to look forward to, if I can just get there.

Annie, the computer comes right after the critters and futon!

Headbangers, cursers, and juju dancers....Thank you one and all!!

luvyakat

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 11:02 PM

Kat -

Ya gotta watch the Ryder guys too. A few years ago my daughter rented one of theirs for a 2300 mile move, and after she was loaded and on the road she found out they'd given her one of their "local only" trucks with a 45 mph governor on it.

And then the b... tried to charge her a "late charge" for taking two days to make the trip.

dancin' & chantin' for you - and blowin' smoke to the 4 corners.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 11:34 PM

Can I come over and TP something?

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Bert
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 11:36 PM

Well I'll tell you about our trip from Colorado Springs to Pennsylvania a few years back. Then you'll have something to laugh at.

We had a load of furniture so we needed a really big van. 'Cos our pick-up was having problems pulling the Airstream we needed one with a hitch so that we could tow the Airstream.

Turns out that Ryder was the only company that had trucks with hitches and also the only one that would allow us to tow the Airstream.

So we get all loaded up and got to hitch up the Airstream. HA! The Airstream uses a 2 and 5/16 ball but the truck only had a 2 inch one and it welded on.
BR> So the boilermaker in me takes over and I go along to a local welding shop and scrounge a piece of eighth mild steel plate. I cut myself a nice flower shape and wrap the petals around the 2 inch ball. A good gob of grease and a hefty blow with a hammer gets this jury rig together. I snug the chains down securely and off we go.

So here we are with a 29 foot Ryder Truck and a 29 foot Airstream. We are taking up as much road as most 18 wheelers. All goes well 'till we get to St. Louis. It's late at night and we're on this umpteen lane highway which is absolutely packed with traffic, all going well over the speed limit. That of course is when I feel the load bouncing about.

I hastily pull over onto the meagre shoulder and find out that the Airstream has bounced out of it's hitch and is just hanging on the chains.

The kids were following in the pick up and they pull in behind us. Rachael comes running forward and she drops the flashlight into the road. She is going to reach for it, when Tree grabs hold of her and pulls her back. At that instant the flashlight gets run over and is completely smashed.

Having rescued Rachael we start to feel less upset about the hitch. An inspection of the hitch reveals thatthe hold down catch has broken. We get our fancy new floor jack out of the Airstream (We'd just bought it the day before to change the wheels on the Airstream. We get it jacked up and back in position, but as the catch is broken we need to find some way of keeping it there. So I get some rope and lash it securely down.

I go back into the Airstream to get Tree and there she is calmly making sandwiches for everyone.

We proceed somewhat more sedately for the rest of the journey. When we arrive at the campsite in Pennsylvania (We were still looking for a house) I get the whole rig stuck in the mud and we have to call a tow truck to get us out. Upon taking the Airstream off we discover that my cute little steel flower has fallen apart (Guess I should have annealed it).

We've still got it somewhere - we kept it as a memento.

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 12:20 AM

I've been standing where you're standing. NOT FUN!! For whatever it's worth, I'm doing my little ju-ju dance. Just keep in mind that its effectiveness may be a bit bent by the fact that I have the grace and dexterity of a palsied yak (that's why I'm a singer not a dancer). But, I'm sending out prayers and good thoughts (those usually work pretty well).

Stephen

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: katlaughing
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 03:47 AM

My dear Fine Art, you are absolutely right!

Palsied yaks dances are msot welcome, Stephen...what an image!*bg*

Susan, TPing sounds good....maybe at your local WEdon'tHAUL in a symbolic gesture of solidarity?*bg*

Bertdarlin...incredible. Thank you for that...it brought out the best giggles from Rog...just what he needed before heading off to bed!

JohninKA, thanks for the heads-up! Rog has decided Ryder's truck is too huge, anyway.

After sharing my bed only with a couple of smallish cat bodies over the past four months, I am unable to sleep...er...oh, well, maybe because of the MOVE and the truck situation more than Rog hogging the covers, pulling out the sheets, and being large, relatively-speaking...**BG** HOWEVER...

IF UHAUL doesn't come through later this morning, we've already accepted that the 14' may be all we can lay our hands on and it will be okay. THAT will hold everything we've used to live with over the past year and a half, while all else has been in storage and our youngest Darling Daughter has already agreed to get a couple of friends to help her bring all of the stored goods down in another week or two. We all seem able to live with that and she and I think maybe it is for the best in that it will mean a lot less stress and work for Rog, and, for me. So, there's the silver lining, eh?!!

Thanks for helping me to see the humour in this and thanks for the dancing, chanting, sacrificing:-), good thoughts, and blowin' smoke!

luvyakat

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 03:58 AM

I know it doesn't help, but moving house is a good chance to have a clear out of accumulated *mathoms* (see the Hobbit for translation). Getting a too small truck increases the opportunity.
Only joking, I'm cursing a few self-drive firms on your behalf

Nigel

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 04:43 AM

kat, I'm using my all-powerful Jedi mindtrick to will things to go your way. This never fails when I'm playing pool (although the menacing tone of voice and threatening gestures with the cue may have some influence there).
Anyway, best of luck!

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: GUEST,micca at work
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 06:49 AM

Kat, remember
"When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout"
it may or may not help, but it relieves tension!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Áine
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 09:07 AM

dear mehitabel,

the boss wanted me to tell you that she's sending smitty and the mamaws up there to help you all out. and she says since she can't no stinking yak dance at the moment, she's gettin' those ankle biters of hers to gather up some rocks to throw at the uhaul bad boys.

so, don't go gettin' yer tail under a rocking chair -- everything will be jus' fine. ;-)

regards, awchee

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: artbrooks
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 10:41 AM

DAMN!!!! We found the money and went commercial when we did it last fall...expensive, but worth it. Good luck.

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: SINSULL
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 11:52 AM

Kat,
I wish that when I moved to Maine I had gone with my original plan - a can of gasoline and a match. Leave the remaining two thirds! You'll only have to unpack it when you get where you're going. And the local sanitation people won't want the cartons.
Smile, lady. You've dealt with worse than this.
Love,
Mary
PS My phone has been giving me trouble. I tried to call you back and I know you tried to reach me - a bit of screeching on the line interfered. I will call you when you are settled. M.

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Night Owl
Date: 27 Apr 02 - 02:03 AM

got an update from kat tonight.....the 14 foot U-Haul is packed.....the company is giving them 2 extra days rental and double free miles.....BUT they will have to make another trip for the rest of their things.
(sorry kat.....I just CAN'T resist this one...lol)

a direct quote from kat......

"We're loaded and sleeping on the floor tonight."

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Apr 02 - 11:44 AM

PENNSYLTUCKY PASTORWIFE UNREPENTANT, IN THE POKEY, AFTER TP SPREE

(Mudcat News, 27-Apr-02) Prominent local clergy spouse Susan Hinton was arrested late Friday evening and charged with three counts of criminal trespass, criminal mischief, and being a public nuisance after she was caught at the third of local U-Haul fanchises, festooning rental trucks with pink toilet paper. When arraigned, the former Red Cross executive director proclaimed that she was proud to have done it, and that she anticipated a Constitutional fight that would set this rural backwater on its ear.

"I can carry a gun here, I can make moonshine here, but I can't TP a truck in solidarity with another oppressed victim of their corporate policies? TP-ing is a time-honored form of personal expression. It's high time it was accorded all the same protections we give other free speech! This is about individual RIGHTS, as much as it's about unfair U-Haul policies! And you can't make me wear polyester dresses anymore, EITHER!"

Following arraignment, Judge Doodledeedum, who presided, recused himself at that point, stating that as a parishioner of the Hintons' he would be unable to rule impartially. "I'm going to have my hands full in the parish, as the chair of the search committee to replace these losers," he elaborated. A special master from another county is to arrive early next week to hear the matter.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: hesperis
Date: 27 Apr 02 - 02:50 PM

ROTFLOL, Sooz! Careful, some people may take that seriously...

Sending many good wishes your way, kat. Moving... is not anyone's favorite experience, unless all they own are the clothes on their back... and even then...

Ugh.

Have a safe drive! Both of them!

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Apr 02 - 02:59 PM

The day a parishioner joins Mudcat, may they find that post and ROTFLOL too, hess! Bound to happen eventually!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Morticia
Date: 27 Apr 02 - 06:49 PM

2 house moves=1 fire......been there hon, and couldn't even tell you how many times but at a conservative estimate about 26 ( army background).....here's hoping the kettle turns up first :)

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: CapriUni
Date: 27 Apr 02 - 10:58 PM

Kettle first, favorite mug, second!! :-)

Seriously, I hope your new home (and neighbors) brings you much joy.

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: hesperis
Date: 28 Apr 02 - 02:27 AM

I especially liked the PINK toilet paper. Adds a touch of class, eh?

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Apr 02 - 02:40 AM

Absolutely. It had to be pink, and don'tcha-know, it was scented, too. Nothing but the best for Kat. I mean for U-Haul. And I was wearing my hot pink sequined feather mask too, and chanting obscure gospel songs, because that is of course what I DO.

When I was a teen I did a lot of TPing. The best was when my friend and I did my own house (for practice). We ran short so she knocked on the door and got my mom to give her a fresh roll. My mom thought we were doing someone else's house that night!

We need a TP fundraiser. If the defense fund does not get spent out, anything left over can go to Max. Homeowners everywhere will be cursing Those Folking Idiots.

Maybe we can run an unbroken line of TP right across the continent and tie it up in a big ribbon across the Mississippi, and challenge the other Catters to do something equivalent in their neck of the woods. We'll discuss it at the MudGathering coming up this next weekend.

Oh yeah, and

WELCOME HOME KAT AND ROG AND CRITTERS AND INSTRUMENTS!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Escamillo
Date: 28 Apr 02 - 04:05 AM

Best wishes for Catalina and Rogelio and the gatos and the perros !

Un abrazo - Andrés

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 May 02 - 01:04 AM

Ah, you folks are just GRAND!!! Thanks so much...it really did turn out for the best. Anything more over the past weekend and I think Rogelio (LOVE that, Andres!) would have lost it, entirely. As it was we were both completely worn out by Sunday evening. Couldn't have even unloaded the damn thing without bet's help. She and Rog did most of it, alone.

I've posted more over on the other thread. Am a bit overwhelmed at the Mudcat Kindness...sure do appreciate it and the humour helped a BUNCH!

I had neighbours knock on the door today to offer us a dozen homemade muffins, really good ones, too! Thank you all for all of your rants, dances, chanting, cursing, TPing, etc.! Still giggling here and that's GOOD!

luvyakat

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 01 May 02 - 04:07 PM

That's it! let the anti-u-haul revolution begin! (This could be a revoltin' development!)WYSIWYG; If they arrest you I know some guys that didn't get to expend all the poweder they wanted to this past weekend and we could really raise bloody hell! Have you tried the other evil corporate entity. Driving a 14 footer should be no problem and not require a special licence but check applicable laws especially now with Ashcroft and ridge as heads of the secret police. Good luck and kindest regards, Neil

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 May 02 - 04:45 PM

She got all moved (halfway) (all the way, half the stuff), and there is a new thread somewhere with linx to pix, but YEAH! Bust me out Neil! Are you coming to the Gathering THIS WEEKEND?????

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: GUEST,ET
Date: 06 May 02 - 02:28 PM

Ya know - a paint marker pen and/or sharpie marker is pretty permanent.

So next time, just "edit" in the "don't" on a truck in the appropriate spot while you're cooling your heels. In six months we can hit the whole fleet!

Elaine who entirely missed the KNitter's conference in my own home town while waiting four extra days for "We-don't" haul to bring a truck into CHICAGO (only 4 million people and no one coming in?) and finally had my moving crew (brothers) rent Ryder in Michigan and DRIVE it there...and then who ended up putting everyhing leftover into a CAR drive back to Michigan (twice in 48 hours). My poor Dad ended up 5 hours with a cast iron kettle on his kidneys...it was a production swapping drivers (okay, the picture frame is on the left foot, pillow on knees....)I called Budget and they wouldn't rent me a van because - get this - they wanted a complete (unpaid) utility bill to prove you were a reputable character. Now, if you're leaving town in 24 hours or less, would you have any such thing??????? Corporate mind defeats me.

Of course, one has to leave presents for the alley gods - it's how you get good stuff back! Course, it took me three months to put all the furniture back together....I never knew some of those things COULD come apart..but then my brother used to work for Mayflower and...the definition of a blivet - 10 pounds of "stuff" in a five-pound sack? He could put in 25 and still have room for the piano.

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: GUEST,kendALL
Date: 06 May 02 - 02:44 PM

I've never met a mover who was honest, careful, competent, truthful or had an IQ over a soil sample.

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 06 May 02 - 03:28 PM

WYSIWYG: I am sorry Sue, I just checked back in,. Spent the week end doing yard work etc. I should have posted earlieer. Great idea about the magic marker by the way. How are Hardi and Monica? KAt; Glad you got moved in o.k. Love> Enjoy the new digs! Kindest regards, Neil

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: 53
Date: 06 May 02 - 03:45 PM

Spaw knows how to cuss.

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 May 02 - 03:47 PM

Now you know why we always used family/friends with pickups........call Bubba, he moves.

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 May 02 - 04:22 PM

Well, hell, Sorcha, there's still a storage unit left to get down here...what's he doing in a week or two?*BG* I've promised Rue a quilt she covets if she gets it down here, soon, but ya never know.:-)And, unfortunately, we still would have to have a bigger truck.

ET, love the story and the marker idea...we'll see if they come through this next trip...maybe I haven't missed my chance?! LOL!

Thanks Irish Sargeant. 53, you are right about that!

Thanks, everyone,

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 May 02 - 04:46 PM

How many pick ups we talking, kat? I remember the last time we moved (stayed in same town) it took 24 pick up loads..........and we tossed a LOT! Bubba and Mr. both have Sat/Sun off right now. I'm serious!

Subject: RE: BS: Need to rant & need some M'Cat Magic!
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 May 02 - 06:12 PM

You are too much, womon!**BG** It's a 10 X 10 or 12 storage unit, not stacked to the gills and some of it doesn't go, but I couldn't ask that of anyone...first there's a 5-6" layer of dirt to leafblower off thanks to the doors not closing tight enough to keep out the loosened soil from the storage place's neighbours who got rid of all of their vegetation, thus letting loose tons of topsoil.

We're figuring a 17 ft enclosed truck, though with good, tight packing, maybe a 14, but remember you can stack things high and will-he, nill-he in those things. You'd have to have a whole convoy, darlin'...just bring yerself and we'll do the fun bit...unpackin'! LOL!!

luvyakat