Momentous Move

A few days ago, I flew home to ND to help out Dad and Beverly. They have been planning and working with a company that builds modular homes and had one put together in Tioga which is about 16 miles from the farm where my sister and brother and I all grew up. Actually the farm has been in the family since my Dad's Uncle Art homesteaded it.
Dad and Beverly were wanting to be in town for winter time especially because of being nearer to the doctor. The farm will still be there for them to go to whenever they just want to hang out and get out of town. It's still the best kept secret for peace and quiet! I sleep my best when I go home to the farm.
My sister Cathy got there a couple of days before me and she picked me up at the airport on Thursday. My brother Kevin and his 3 girls arrived later on Friday night after school.
Thursday Cathy and I had loaded up two cars with all their clothing and a few smaller items. Beverly and I and Cathy all made the drive to town and took it all into the new house. Dad was already there smoothing out some dirt piles (from the digging being done to build the garage) with his Bob Cat Tool Cat in preparation for the trailer full of furniture that would arrive the next day.
That night we were all back at the farm so Cathy and I once again set about loading up the 2 cars with smaller boxes. Beverly was packing them one by one and making piles for us to take out.
Friday during the day we started to take out the furniture and fill up the trailer that Beverly's son Dennis had loaned them for the move. It's normally used to haul his show car so it was nice and clean and had lots of space. We got the majority of the dressers, tables and chairs, cabinets for the laundry room, end tables, lamps, etc., taken out to the trailer and left room for the larger pieces that we would need help with.
That night after Dennis and Julie arrived, the four of us managed to get the huge and heavy items hauled out. Then we proceeded to fill the back of a pickup that my Aunt Penny loaned us. We also filled, once again, the two cars. It made me glad that I lift heavy things on a regular basis at my job! Things over all went very well.
We drove to Tioga and began the process of unloading all the vehicles. Dennis had a co-worker of his come by and he helped as well. It was nearly dark by the time we finished. Dennis' wife Julie ordered some pizza for pick up and then she and I went to get it.
Kevin and his 3 girls arrived a while later. After visiting a while, we set up the bed for Dad and Beverly and then we all headed out to get some sleep. My siblings, nieces and I went to the farm and let Dad and Beverly have some peace and quiet.

After moving in the big furniture, everyone was taking a rest. (sorry, it's a little blurry...but something was pretty funny!) Dad, Cathy and a friend of Dennis' from his work that helped us out.

Julie, Dennis (hidden), Dad, Dennis' friend, and Beverly--- chillin' out.

Back at the farm, we all set up camp in the living room. Even though there is a bed left there we all camped out instead. It was all very strange to be there without all the furniture that has always been there. The few times I remember the room being so empty is when the house was remodeled when I was just a child, and then when different furniture had been replaced at sorted times. Very surreal. Memories of holidays and birthdays and family gatherings came flooding back as I lay in my sleeping bag trying to go to sleep. My night was very restless needless to say.

We would have a lot more work ahead of us the next day but the biggest job had been accomplished.

I took some video after getting to Tioga during the day. It's a little rough but it lets you see the highlights of the house.

Obviously there is still some work to be done. A garage is in the process of being built. It will include a huge seperate storage area in the back enclosed as a seperate room. There will also be a deck built on the back that will have a ramp going down to the back of the garage for easy access. But they're in the new house and can at least rest easy knowing that the snow hasn't hindered the move. The weather was actually in the upper 80's and low 90's during the moving days. Beautiful for North Dakota in September! But after the garage is finished, there will be more things moved from the farm into the new garage and storage area. Much work is left to be done.