Moving to Memphis or Fed Exing ourselves to Tennessee

Since the 'big announcement' a couple of weeks ago, the watson clan have been occupying their time with packing, preparing to move, house hunting and enjoy our last few weeks in California.

A few highlights...

Meeting with Movers ~
We contacted a number of movers in an effort to secure bids for a company to move our 'valuables' from Fresno to Memphis. We've gotten several bids at this point. We've been told on several occassions, by a number of moving companies, "This is a small move for us". The best line we heard was from a company that we met with at the Pink House, where they were doing an inventory in order to get us an accurate bid. After looking at our voluminous amount of furnishings, he says, "I don't think you make the minimum. It might be better to leave the couch and bookshelves here, Fed EX your boxes and start over". Great. After 6 and 1/2 years of marriage, a toddler and baby #2 the total amount of 'stuff' that Lisa and I have acquired is more appropriate for a postal service than a moving service. While there is a smattering of pride in me that we've been able to continue to live simply, there's also some embarrasement.

House Hunting ~
For two weeks, after Nathan went down for the night, Lisa and I scoured craigslist and other Memphis rental property websites. We created a list, mapped them and flew to Memphis in order to find an address. We had a decent time. After looking at downtown condos, Mud Island apartments, and east memphis rental houses we settled on a historic tri-plex in midtown.

A few observations.
1) If you own a house you want to rent, the nicer it looks the nicer your renters will be. We saw a couple of places that with a little TLC would be great houses. But they looked run down, but the owners insisted that they wanted good renters. Here's a tip, if your place looks dumpy, you'll get dumpy renters.
2) The place you like the most will always be the most expensive. I think this is Satan's evil plan to continue to frustrate the human race. It doesn't matter how much money one makes, the thing you like and want the most, it's gonna cost you.
3) If you want the 'perfect place', you're probably going to have to build it yourself. Apparently the way that I would design a house, the location in which I would build it and the layout that most suits me doesn't exist. I'm not sure why. I'm not looking for some crazy design. It's not like I was hoping for a 2 bedroom, 6 bathroom, 2 kitchen bungalow with a water feature in the living room next to the functional fire place. but it seems a simple, 2 bedroom w/ office, 2 bath, nice kitchen, in a walkable community is as rare as a unicorn. and if you do find one, it will most certainly be very expensive. no matter how much you make.

so, we're back in california. visiting with some good friends staring out at the beach in Newport wrapping our minds around the reality that we'll be loading up the Element and heading east in 9 days. wow.