Insurance, utilities, etc., etc., etc.

Oh, the joys of homeownership -- and we're not even in the home yet!

I have spent much of the past week or so on the phone and internet, dealing with insurance companies, utility companies, and the like. And this was after Emilie and I have visited three different insurance companies in Bloomington to get homeowners insurance quotes. We finally found the best price on homeowners insurance and are going with that company. BUT, then you realize that you can get a better rate on your car insurance with the "multi-line" discount, so basically we started the whole process over again to get an auto quote. Finally, a week later, we have our new homeowners insurance and auto insurance lined up through the same company (with the coveted multi-line discount). And I just cancelled our existing auto insurance, so hopefully all of the insurance strings are tied up.

On the utilities front, that, too, has been somewhat of a struggle given the non-existence of our new address. I tried to hook up phone service though the company's internet site, but since our address doesn't exist, they couldn't do it over the web. I finally had to spend about 30 minutes on the phone with customer service one morning. Then they called me back last night to ask me more questions to which I don't really know the answer (do we have this type of junction box or that type, etc.). We finally got it all worked out, and hopefully they'll be transferring our phone service over to our new house just a few days after we take possession. (I'm not sure, but despite all of this new fangled technology stuff, and since our address doesn't exist, I think the customer service rep is literally going to be walking a handwritten piece of paper over to the technician, handing it to him, and telling him to go hook up our phones -- at least he can find our address on Google Maps!) Hoperfully, and knock on wood since we haven't heard for sure yet, starting our electric and water will be much smoother, since both of those services are already in place at the house and are currently being paid for by the builder.

Oh, and Emilie just reported that she delivered our change of address form to the Postal Service. She asked about our non-existence, and apparently got to go back and talk to the USPS boss in this super-secret office. Emilie has been assured by this boss that sometime, hopefully by the end of the week (maybe!), our street will officially exist. I never really thought about it much before, but I guess adding a new street means more work for the postal carriers, so they have to fight about who is (not) going to have to do the extra work. I'm sure seniority, union rules, and the collective bargaining agreements get involved and it is probably just a big, ugly mess -- you know how much of a pain in the butt those union people can be! (By the way, I'm allowed to say that since I am the union steward where I work.)

Let me just say it's a darn good thing we both have government jobs, otherwise I don't know how we would find the time to get all of this extra stuff done! (Of course I'm kidding! I, for one, always work a full 8 hour day plus only take a 30 minute lunch -- and that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)