I Now Live in Manhattan Part 2 - The Unpacking

Just got off the phone with worst health-insurance provider on the planet. In addition to the potential $850 I found I may owe for the kidney stone surgery I didn't have, I may owe even more money because they are claiming I have a pre-existing condition and that I was uninsured prior to having this particular insurance.

Obviously I was insured. Obviously I will be able to prove this, since I was insured.

It's just annoying since things need not be this difficult. And costly. I hate my health insurance. I hate health insurance in general. I hate that I have to pay all sorts of deductibles and for all sorts of procedures that were once covered by my monthly premiums.

Nevertheless....

2. The Unpacking

While I was meeting the piano movers, D stayed behind to hold down the fort and to do adorable things like unpack the kitchen boxes and move around the remaining boxes so as to clear an appropriate trajectory for the piano.

He couldn't put the bed together because the bed suffered a freight elevator-related injury. The frame was stacked against the wall, so that when the elevator went between floors it basically hit the wall, and, at times, got pulled up and nearly smooshed between the elevator and wall. I can't quite understand why the superintendent said "Grab your bed" instead of saying "Let me stop the elevator for a second while you grab your bed." I grabbed the pieces of the frame that I could and nearly broke my arm in the process. Luckily the frame (and my arm) didn't break. We both came away with cuts and bruises, and a piece of the frame got pulled off of the wood and all of the screws went missing.

D and I went to the hardware store to buy screws, a drill bit and sand paper. We then grabbed a late lunch and headed back to the new apartment, where D did things like sand down the bathroom and where I made the following discoveries:

1. Free internet! YES! I don't know the owner of the wireless connection I am using, but they are my new favorite person on the planet.

2. My clothes all fit in my closet!

3. My apartment has expanded in size with the addition of "stuff."

4. My stove is too small for the baking sheets I own.

5. My new silverware tray is too big for the drawer.

6. The Brita was too tall for anywhere in the refrigerator, although that was remedied by moving the refrigerator across the kitchen in order to remove a shelf.

7. My former kitchen shelves look perfect as an entertainment center.

8. My toilet is really low and my bathroom sink is really high.

9. My shower curtain is too short.

10. I am a much better packer than I give myself credit for.

When we got home, I did fun things like organize my clothes by color in the new closet. D, who slipped back into perfect-boyfriend-mode, sandpapered the bathroom and swept and unpacked boxes. Together we hooked up the TV and DVD player and VCR and stereo and Ipod.

Putting the bed together proved more difficult than we'd imagined. The preexisting holes in the frame were apparently drilled arbitrarily, which may or may not explain why my bed squeaks if you look at it too long.

Amidst the bed reassembly I realized I was completely and utterly exhausted. I couldn't function. My body was aching and I just completely shut down. As soon as we got the bed together, which took about an hour, I hastily threw sheets on it and we meant to take a nap.

D then went back to work on the bathroom while I dealt more with clothes and bedroom-related tasks. He left to do whatever D does when he is alone and I stayed behind and unpacked and organized kitchen things, bathroom things, bedding, and more clothes.

I then went to buy groceries which, in typical NY form, proved challenging. There seems to be only one market within a 5 block radius, and they don't have things like fruit. They don't have any cereal I like. They only have meat-flavored sauce. They do, however, have Ben and Jerry's Mint Chocolate Cookie ice cream, which I suppose is all that matters.

On my way home M called and left a message asking about the move, in which she said "You're probably asleep." I laughed because I really wanted to be asleep.

I got home and made myself a peanut butter sandwich which I promptly ate while sitting on the floor. I talked with my parents and was psyched that my mother received her flowers and candy while on the phone with me! Woo hoo!!!!

D came back and we unpacked a bit more, inflated the air mattress, grabbed some throw pillows and watched as much of Attack of the Clones as we could before passing out. The last thing I remember is "I killed them all!"