2002 to 2006 - My Life In Missouri

It's just a small antique mall but it is located right across the street from where I live - both past AND present.  Currently, I have 2 glass cases in the store, mostly items I feel are better suited to a retail outlet rather than the Internet.

To continue my story - once the decision was made that I really was moving to Missouri the really big issues started to kick in - like how I was going to dispose of my furniture, where was I going to live and which route was I going to take to get there.  Well, believe it or not, I sold all my furniture on EBAY - yes I was amazed I sold my large pieces on the Internet.  A few other things went at a disastrous yard sale I decided to throw in my apartment (needless to say it didn't quite work the way I wanted it to).  After all the odds n ends were gone, I packed my car to capacity and found that I couldn't pack my  wonderful 1930s Art Deco bed with all the gingerbread (that REALLY hurt).  Even now I wonder who claimed it after I let!  Once my apartment was empty, I got into my Ford Aerostar and drove to Las Vegas, the first stop in a 2-1/2 day journey. 

Las Vegas was strictly overnight.  Then, due to storms in the area, I decided to go the north route through Colorado rather than the south through Arizona.  I don't know if it was a mistake or not but I will never again take the northerly direction - with the rain, the wind and that horrible canyon drive near Vail, I really was half scared out of my mind thinking at any moment I would lose control and plunge into the river below.  I still do not know how I did it but I arrived in Denver completely exhausted and NEVER wanting to see another canyon as long as I lived. 

Morning broke and I drove through Kansas into Colombia, MO and stayed overnight with my cousin and her husband.  The next day, I drove into St. Louis and stayed with my Aunt and Uncle.  Both of them couldn't believe that I was actually there.  Well, I guess they had some inkling as the 35 boxes of personal belongings I had shipped from Los Angeles resided comfortably in their garage.  I think the postage of everything I shopped cost me around $1,000.  Yep, I had a lot of stuff. 

The next day I went around to the apartment building I had picked from the Internet and found that my unit would not be ready for another week.  Thank goodness I could bunk with my aunt and uncle. 

The week's respite from moving into my apartment gave me the chance to go out and purchase a bed and 2 fabulous comfy sofa chairs that I could sink into.  I had decided pretty much that I wasn't going to buy anything else as I wanted to buy a condo or house in the area eventually.  I didn't know if I'd ever be able to do it but why spend money on something you don't need.  Soon enough I was moving into a 2 bed unit with fireplace and a washer/dryer for the horrendous sum of $600 per month.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven as my apartment in Los Angeles was costing me (when I left) $800 per month AND it didn't have the washer/dryer. 

For 6 years I went to garage and estate sales, antique malls and scoured the Internet for items to buy and sell and I was doing just fine.  By the end of 2006, I had saved $10,000 for a down payment on a condo and my father rewarded me by matching my $10,000 with the same amount.  Now I could buy the home of my dreams but where to buy and when.  That was the next problem to be solved. 

And on that note, I will save the next part of my story for my next installment. 

Stay tuned.