So I’ve been busy…

Its been a crazy few months. I’ve been able to make several of the changes I wrote about in my last post, so that’s a plus! I joined a gym and have been going quite a bit, and I feel better for it. I’ve been eating healthier as well, and I can definitely feel its impact. I’ve included some strength training into my work out, so that has slowed the overall loss of pounds, but I’m not discouraged by that. I’m ok with a higher number than I had anticipated, as long as I’m more physically fit. I’ve also made some headway on the financial frontier, and I feel that I’m handling that better as well.

The biggest change is one that is happening now, and it’s going to be a tough one. Thanks to the swift efforts of Hurricane Irene, Lauren and I are forced to find a new place to live. Until recently we had been living in my parents basement, but that is no longer an option. We took quite a bit of water in the basement during the storm, and as such, it has made the basement unlivable. We had planned on getting our own place this year, but had hoped to wait a few more months to have a savings built up. As we’ve learned of late, life has a way of letting you know how things ought to go.

In the long run, I’m sure this will be a good thing. We’ve really needed to have our own space for a while, and we’ll be much happier on our own. The only thing holding us back from action was our finances. In the short term, this will be a bit of a hit, but the benefits of having our own place will be worth it.

We had to leave yesterday, as we certainly couldn’t spend the night. My sister and brother in law were kind enough to offer us a place to stay, so we set off for their place in Thiells, NY around 12:30 PM. Even with traffic, our trip should have taken no longer than 30 min. Thanks again to the efforts of Irene, it took us around 3 + hours. It was the most unbelievable driving experience of my life! I witnessed the closing of the New York thruway/ Route 17 above the Sheraton Crossroads, where emergency vehicles blocked our path as we approached northbound. We sat with several other cars for a bit before we checked with the most official looking person, and we were told the thruway would be open in five minutes. A half hour later, when asked again, the same bastard told us they had no intention of opening the thruway at all. In regard to the “five minutes” he had earlier quoted us, he shrugged. Thanks, asshole. We had to drive the wrong way down the highway, through the scores of other motorists to pass the word along that they were waiting for nothing, jumped the median, and continued on our merry way.

Thiells, NY is best accessed by either the Palisades Parkway, or Route 202. after four or so efforts to pick up 202 in various locations, we abandoned hope and navigated local roads to our eventual destination. On the way, what we encountered could pnly be described as apocalyptic. I witnessed several road closures, desperate driving, and gawking faces. Water filled normally bustling city streets/highways and parking lots. In order to seek shelter, I was forced into some creative driving. I broke through police barriers, traversed deep water on the road, passed frightened drivers on the right on local roads, blew through non-working traffic lights, and sought open stores for food all along my trek. If you’ve ever seen/read THE WALKING DEAD, it was kind of like that. I have never had an experience like that, and I can only hope to never encounter it again.

After a comfy night in Thiells, now the search begins. Hopefully, it will be a short one. We’re looking in the Pompton Lakes area, as that seems to be the most convenient for both of our jobs, but that may change. We hope to have a place at least decided upon in the next few days, and to move in by next week. Wish us luck! I’ll keep you posted 🙂