Well, it has definitely been a long stretch since I last contributed to my blog. Imagine this: I have been very very busy!! A new grandchild and a new house that needs lots of work and . . . I have been busy! Go figure!
I am mostly moved in, though still have a few things in the Mo that I need to bring in and allow them to get settled in their new home. There are a couple of cupboards I can’t access because where I have the Mo parked I can’t open my bedroom slide. In fact, it was a very tricky process to get the Mo parked at all without knocking down a fence or hitting the garage roof. I had good friends, Jan and Mike, here at the time and they gave me extremely helpful and necessary guidance and directions.
Since getting the keys on that first day (June 30) I have pulled the ugly berber carpet and pad and the multitude of staples and nails and tack-strips up from the kitchen and family room and am trying to decide what I want to put back into those rooms. I have pulled much of the wallpaper from the kitchen. I have picked up all kinds of paint sample chips (for inside and outside) and flooring samples for future work that I wish I could have done now. I have had the hardwood floors in the living room and dining room redone.
I keep finding little “projects” everywhere I turn. The sink and vanity in the master bath is incredibly ugly and useless so I bought a new one today at a plumbing supply company sale. The seller was supposed to replace the wax ring on the toilet but it leaks constantly down around the base so I have a plumber coming tomorrow and hope he can also help me install the new vanity (if I can get it out without destroying the surrounding walls and tile) and check some of the other drippy faucets throughout the house.
In between working on things in and around the house, I am also reconnecting with people, putting out feelers for projects or contract work, and just catching up with friends. Oh, and shopping. Lots of shopping. And I’m really not a shopper so this isn’t necessarily the fun part.
I purchased a new mattress and box spring on line and then needed a frame so I found a really nice Mission oak frame, chest of drawers and night table but when they delivered them earlier this week, they only had the bed frame. The rest should be delivered Monday. But it’s okay because I still don’t have the bed put together -- not enough tools and no instructions. Sigh!
I went to a couple estate sales today and bought a small microwave oven, a really nice oak office chair and a small oak desk. So little by little things are coming together. I got really bored the other day and wanted to see a move so I bought a very small TV with a built-in dvd player and then rented “Bucket List” (I loved it!!) I have to stop spending money on “frivolous” things but I still need some kind of music system to play my cds.
I’ve advertised the Mo several times on Craigslist but no calls. I talked to a couple of places about consigning or trading but I would get so little for it that I probably would have to pay more cash on it -- in other words, I’d practically be giving it away. Still, if I’m not paying insurance and monthly payments, that might even be worth it. I’ll continue to advertise it for awhile. Until I get desperate.
There are many days when I tell myself what a terrible idea this whole thing was. I got rid of a very nice home, very close to my parish, that I could afford, except for the property taxes. I got rid of all kinds of household goods which I am now having to replace (tools, furniture, equipment etc.). I have this huge motor home parked in my driveway (barely) and can’t seem to be able to sell it. I am paying insurance on two cars (one of which I don’t even have the use of), a motor home, and a house. Ouch!
But, on the other hand, I did something few people have done and probably even fewer will be able to do in the future. But if they really want to, I have a nice motor home for sale!!
