3. Woodland Hills

From the time we landed back in LA until we had to move out, we had 10 days. It was a blur of tearing-down & packing one life while starting a totally different one. Reality set in, having our new home parked in front of our soon-to-be old home.

During the 6-week escrow process, we went through periods of intense sadness. We joked that only one adult could break down at once. Our whole life out here was ending – albeit for good reasons, but nonetheless it was sad! I’m crying writing this. We loved that house & yard, & we built a successful life all on our own just following our instincts. We’re fortunate to say goodbye on our own terms, but damn. 

TJ’s parents came out to help us pack & finalize everything. When they arrived we were all, “Psssssshaw, we got this. We’re good!” We’d been downsizing, selling, & packing since Halloween. 

We’d even promised our kids a trip to Universal Studios with Grandma & Papa the next day.

Grandma & Papa were less than certain that we could swing all of this moving business and a day at a theme park. TJ agreed.

In retrospect, they were right. What were we thinking? There was still SO MUCH TO DO. A theme park? Just a week before move-out? 

We had to tell our kids – “Heeeeeey. We know we’re tearing you away from the only home you’ve ever known & all of your best friends & life has been insane since Halloween, & we also promised a day at Universal…buuuuut…we just have too much to do here.” (One thing about long-distance moves: there’s no, “Hey, friend, can you throw this lamp in your car & drop it off at our place?” Nope. Every single thing needs to be accounted for & boxed & shipped &/or sold. Our car needed to get put on a semi. We also had to take care of getting the truck & 5th wheel registered, get the truck weighed & smog-checked, get insurance for them, and a lot of other details. 

We actually had very few must-move items. We don’t necessarily search-out furniture – furniture seems to happen to us. The furniture we had, it was time to forego. So what did we take? There were 2 very important items: The first was a stained glass door from our bathroom remodel. During bathtime for our kids, I used to make up stories about the animals that lived in the stained glass door.

The second was a lady sculpture that was mounted above a fountain on what used to be our front lanai. (When we bought it, our house was original-1960s-everything, & it was grooooooovy, baby.) When we renovated the front porch, the lady moved all over the yard for the next 10 years. The kids painted her. She was a little witch for Halloween. Birds perched on her as the sage I planted grew up around her. 

As parts of our life were packed away in boxes or moved into our home-on-wheels, regular life had to go on – like making breakfast, lunch, & dinner. One morning, my mother-in-law got to see just how inventive Sofina is. After making eggs for breakfast, Sofina realized all our plates were gone (donated). She found the glass lid to a pot, turned it upside down, and placed it atop a Pyrex measuring glass. Ta-da. Plate sitch solved. 

One thing I’m proud of is that we’re pretty awesome at adapting. TJ & I are pretty good at it inherently, & renovating a home for 12 years can really stretch your adaptability. Our kids have grown up figuring things out & adapting quickly, too, & I love & appreciate them dearly for it! 

They also accepted this whole change like champs. They were sad to leave their friends, but they were also willing to jump into this adventure with us. Sofina turned her bunk into the coolest spot ever. She helped Chase decorate his bunk. She helped me decorate the main area (I really hate decorating & honestly suck at it). 

The night we were supposed to leave (March 1), our mattress still hadn’t arrived. Fun note about RV mattresses – they are weird shapes, sizes, and they are UNCOMFORTABLE. The mattress for our bedroom is technically a California King, but due to the shape of the front of the 5th wheel, the top of the mattress has to be cut as a non-symmetrical half moon. Once the mattress arrived – all 120 lbs of it – TJ & I set to chopping it up with our bread knife. I stitched the cover back up, & then we moved it out to the 5th wheel. I wish we’d had someone record this – it ended up being a modern Laurel & Hardy sketch, involving Chase crawling on his hands & knees, the kitchen table being removed, & TJ trying to “fold” a 14” Cal-king foam mattress in half. But we did it! 

Our last day at the house was move-out day. The movers packed the pod like Tetris gods.

Once it was all over, it was time to officially say goodbye. We cried, & it was sad and ugly. Neighbors waved us goodbye as we drove down our street for the last time – they and we were in tears. It was 5:30 pm. (Our plan was to leave at noon.) Our first stop was the KOA in Santa Paula. We’d be arriving in the dark, after the office had closed. 

What could go wrong?