I am happy to announce that Googling "Logan Movers Toronto" gives you CityRat's repost of my horror-story move!

Will this make a difference? I hope everyone who sees their ad in the Toronto Star or the Toronto Sun or Now magazine will try to look them up and find out about my story and choose someone else.

This will cost them more than the money they cheated me out of.

Will it cost them more than the feeling of being taken advantage of? How much does THAT cost?

First night at the new apartment. How exciting.

Kind of weird, as it's so empty. I'm only half unpacked and whatever is unpacked is sort of jumbled all over the place.

I need order.

I need light bulbs and shelves and laundry detergent and a bike lock and internet access.

I need more time in the day.

After driving 5 hours yesterday (plus stops in Oshawa to visit Alex's family and for lunch and pee breaks) we got to our hotel in Ottawa (Arc) quite late.

I took a nice leisurely bath and then crashed for a nice nap while Alex went out exploring. I woke up and started reading my book until Alex got home 3 hours later. We went out for a lovely dinner on Elgin St. before cowering under our hotel-supplied umbrella back to our room.

And, DAMN, did I sleep!

I managed to catch up with Will and Lisa for brunch while Alex went to work at the Governor General's House. I even did some sale grocery shopping before going back to their place to watch "King Arthur". Not a bad movie, though it seemed long. Still, it was quite different from anything I'd ever read on the legend -- and I've read a lot.

At least it has all kept my mind off of my stupid moving horrors.
Now all I have to do is pick up Alex from work, and drive home for another 5 hours. Ugh.

Have I ever mentioned how much I dislike driving?
Alex rented us a Dodge Magnum. Damn, it is a BEAST! Considering it's just the 2 of us, I'm not sure WHY exactly we needed such a huge vehicle. However, apparently it's GREAT for those who would otherwise buy an SUV (ie: not me).

Anyway, it's comfortable, but the model we have doesn't have cruise control. At least it forces me to pay attention...

A very bad thing happened with my move. BEWARE of Logan Movers. They are scammers!

Here's what happened:

1. They quoted $40/hour + 1 hour travel

2. Once the stuff was loaded they demanded a $275.00 "deposit" or as I call it, holding your stuff for ransom.

3. They claimed remaining monies would be returned.

4. After 3 hours of substandard labour ($120 + $40 travel time) they left a couple of things scattered in the hallway and took off!

5. Repeated calls to this "company" have resulted in hang ups, denials and
statements like "too bad, it's our word against yours"

The $ amount is irrelevant, these types of people are the scum of the earth
and I implore you to hurt them where it hurts most, in the pocketbook!

Please let everyone you know in the Toronto area about these scammers

and/or

Call them and let them know how you feel (416) 491-2740

and/or

Tell the Toronto Sun or Now magazine to start refusing ads from scammers.

Moving day.

Woke up at 5:55am.
Showered, forgot to take down the shower curtain.
Removed linen from bed and packed it.

Now the movers are here and after a small debacle with putting the elevator on service, everything's on its way. Yikes.

Then it's an unpacking party Chez Cathy and everyone's invited!

And then I'm off to Ottawa for the weekend. Oi. STRESSED.

* * * * *

I should mention that I don't yet have internet access at my new apartment, so if I take longer than usual to respond to emails, don't think that I hate you. Although I might.

Anita's new site has launched.
www.anitazvonar.com

Comments? Questions? Bugs to report?
I didn't design it, but I'll report any feedback on that as well. Not that she'll do anything about it.

I managed to get over to the new place and do a few paint touch-ups, drop off a backpack of clothes, and clean all of my cupboards.

Friday I move!
I'm STILL packing.

At least I found a sweet, sweet box down in the recycling room here. Lucky me; it doesn't take much to please me.

Holy crap. I don't have enough boxes.

I do, however, have a moving company and elevators booked.
Look how organized I am!

I am not panicking. I am calmly eating a tropical corn flake krispy (my own creation) and planning on visiting Zellers shortly.

I am poised.
I am the picture of grace under pressure.

* * * * * *

We live in a world bereft of boxes. Save one; and I have it.

I live across the street from a mall with a Zellers and a grocery store, and all I came home with was ONE box and that one only because I harassed a lady in the middle of the store as she was stocking shelves.

What a sad, box-poor country we are!

And then a man in my building came to the rescue and offered me 4 boxes that he happened to have in his truck! My hero!

If there is one thing that truly stresses me out, it's packing. I can feel the panic rising and I'm only one my third box of books and CDs. A box of knickknacks stands open, unsure what to do with itself.

I have a pile of newspapers, waiting for the dishwasher to run and finish so I can pack up my kitchen.

Everything in limbo. I never seem to know what to do.

Do I pack my clothes and bedding in a backpack? In a box? What do I do with the dirty laundry? Am I supposed to label all of the boxes? Do I empty all drawers or tape them shut? Should I go through things and throw out the stuff I don't need?

I think I need more boxes.
Help.
Where is Alex when I need him?

Ohmygosh I have a beautiful new cool apartment!

Mom and I painted all day today, thanks to paint from Tree and our good friends at Behr.

We painted two walls of my living room Ryegrass green and my bedroom is now mostly >Cream Silk with one wall of Ryegrass.

It looks so great, I can't STAND it!
It's the first time I've ever painted a place, so it's very exciting!

I had almost forgotten what the place looked like. The kitchen is all new with new appliances, and even though it's the smallest kitchen I've ever had, it's got lots of cupboard space. And the bathromm is blinding with fresh white. The hardwood floors gleam, the huge windows face north and the walk-in closet is a dream!

I'm just ecstatic and can't wait to move in all of my things!
I suppose I should start with actually packing and hiring a mover.
Right.
Anyone feel like moving me tomorrow?

The tickets of the century are now on sale!

You can see/hear me (and the rest of the Oakham House Choir of Ryerson) perform Mendelssohn's Elijah on Saturday, May 7th at 7:30pm at the Bloor St. United Church.

Let me know if you want to buy tickets from me ($18 in advance, $22 at the door).

(Yes, of course you'll know which voice is mine!)

With spring comes the horror: bikes on the sidewalk.

Today, I thought I was going to lose it! A minimum of 5 bikes passed me on the bridge alone! The bridge is not very long, but it does span the valley between a huge residential area and two schools.

One MOPED even HONKED at me to make me get out of the way! You KNOW I wasn't happy about that. If I weren't so deathly certain that I was to die in a motor-vehicle accident, I might have actually just laughed in his face as he tried to mow me down.

Doesn't anyone teach these kids that they're NOT supposed to be on the sidewalk? Sidewalks are for pedestrians. Otherwise they'd call them siderides or bike paths.

I think I'm going to start handing out tickets for $90 in a form of citizen's arrest. Or just start screaming "It's called a sideWALK, asshole!"

And the next time that moped tries to beep me, I'm cutting him off with a clothesline to the neck. Take that.

I went to the magazine launch party for The Ryerson Review of Journalism. Anita had done a shoot for them. It was interesting to see some old profs and students.

The we went to see the Free Press at the Horseshoe.

They had a great set. I was really proud of them.

I finished reading my vacation book today: The Life of Pi. Yes, if you're from Canada, you've probably already read it and recommended it to me.

And, yes, it was good.

No, I didn't think the first 100 pages were a bore.

I really liked it, but I think it was a bit overrated. And I think there were parts that I didn't really understand. But it was still good. And I'm very proud of myself for finally reading it. I've had the damn book since last summer!

Next book on the agenda?
Not sure; maybe I should first finish one of the three I've been trying to get through for the past year? The Dance was promising, but it's hard cover and the kind of thing you want to read when you're in the bath or really need to get over a hump in your life...

Come to think of it, this might be the PERFECT book.

I don't know WHAT is wrong with me. I'm having emotional out-bursts. Crying spontaneously. Hating everything (except my recent vacation and maybe my dinner mentioned below, although I'm starting to hate the feeling of that in my stomach right now too).

I feel restless. Or maybe it's hormones? Perhaps my neurotransmitters are just freaking out? It's totally time for a change.

Thank GOD I'm moving soon!

I get possession of my place this weekend and I'm going to paint!
Then I'll be packing for the next two weeks, as a rational, calm human being does when they're moving. I certainly WILL NOT be the panic-stricken freak that I've known in the past. Nope, I'm a new woman. Alex is the moving master. It's a good thing he likes me, or we might all die in this move.

Thankfully, I have a year lease at the new place and I won't have to write about moving for a full year! How exciting for you! (Scary for me - means I have to stay PUT for a year.)

And thankfully, spring is actually unpacking here in Toronto. That's always a good change for me. I'm an unabashed sun-worshipper and I've been wearing my spring jacket, walking home with my face soaking in the sunset.

Just what the doctor ordered.

Dear Kendra,

I am currently eating potatoes cooked in bacon grease, covered in bacon and fried onions, slathered in sour cream. Oh my gosh, I think my heart is hurting me just writing that. Yes, I knew you'd be proud of me.

Back in Ontario.

Oh, I hear those mountains calling me. It was tough to leave. It was even worse trying to get up this morning after my plane arrived late and I fell into bed even later.

I keep dreaming of skiing.
It was so gorgeous out there.

5 days of skiing: Sunshine, Kicking Horse, Lake Louise.
1 day of hiking
2 days of shopping

I think I need to live there.

T minus 30 minutes to pick up.

That's right, it's 6:15am and I've already completed my morning routine and am now sitting, sipping hot chocolate at my computer, waiting for my ride to the airport.

It's awesome how I suck at sleeping.

Well, at least I'm not in a panic. As if I would panic about travelling ~clears throat~

OK, now I'm seriously going away. Miss me!