I-Haul

Earlier this week I closed the 7.5-year Philadelphia Chapter of my life. After packing up my meager possessions--a process that began in part a few weeks ago and in earnest the Friday before the move--it was time to load everything in a rental truck to take back to Michigan for storage. But first, I had to take the trolley to West Philadelphia to pick-up the vehicle, an interesting trip. Still with a little extra time, I visited one last historic site in Philadelphia, Laurel Hill Cemetery.

The loading began in earnest at noon. With the help of two guys from my former place of employment. It took about two hours. After loading, we drove to Tonelli's Pizza in Warrington for a late, well-earned lunch. Dropping them off at one of their homes, I began the long drive to Michigan. I didn't stop for almost four hours. Long days and short-night's sleeps caught up to me and I stopped for the night at a motel in Barkeyville, Pennsylvania.

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The next day, I woke up at 6:00 AM and drove north to Erie. My dad had taken the night train from South Bend in order to accompanying me the last half of the trip. Together we joined an old friend of mine from U of M, Andy Holmes for breakfast. He was recently installed as pastor at a Presbyterian church in Erie. After Breakfast, we inspected his new diggs, then hit the road.

After several hours we stopped for lunch and gas, but gas had to wait for the next rest area. I misjudged the correct lane for the appropriate gas station and decided against inventive maneuvers in the U-Haul to get to a pump. That was the last stop for the rest of the drive. We arrived in the driveway of my childhood home about 5:15 PM. Unloading my stuff in to storage and dropping off the truck would wait until the next morning.

I felt really good after the truck was returned. Even if I'm not done moving, I sense the hardest part, physically and emotionally, is now over.