20 December, 2010

Mel On Wheels?

It's official. I'm livin' in a camper. My home ... where I live ... full time ... has wheels on it, and is pretty tiny.

Things still aren't really finished. But, progress is being made. Since my last entry, I ran out of propane on one of the coldest nights of the season. That, of course, caused the camper to freeze. (The upside: I learned how my propane tank system works.) The freeze lead to a pipe bursting behind the toilet. I thought that all of the plumbing had been replaced with PEX piping. Rather, all of it except the pipes behind the toilet had been replaced. In order to replace those pipes the plumbers would have had to remove my shower, toilet and half of the sink unit to access them. So, when the water thawed following the freeze, I noticed a sudden gushing of water coming from behind the toilet. With an incredible sinking feeling, I turned off the main water valves and rushed to the campground office where I found Tom, and promptly begged his help. He obliged, thankfully. He sleuthed out the problem, found the source of the leak, and, with my permission, cut through some of the fiberglass behind the toilet to see where the pipes were actually located. Luckily, they were just behind a little storage compartment behind the toilet. That meant the plumbers should be able to cut through the back of the storage unit to reach all of the pipes, and could thread the new pipes in from under the sink. Genius! When the plumbers came out to replace this last section of pipes, I also had them install a new faucet for my shower with a new shower head. (The old one sprayed very softly and in many directions. The new one is aerated, has great water pressure, and sprays where it's supposed to spray. Yay!) I wasn't able to be present while the plumbers were here, but when I got back, I realized that they had installed my new kitchen faucet for me free of charge and without being asked. This was due to Jim being kind enough to talk his son (one of the plumbers) into doing this. It was such a generous gesture, it pretty much restored my faith in the kindness of people. (I'd had the faucet for about a week, but hadn't gotten around to installing it.) The only downside to that is that after using it a couple times, I am discovering that the faucet I chose has a spout that is too short to be of much use when washing dishes or filling pans. So ... I am thinking I am going to have to replace it again. However, I will put that faucet in the lavatory, so that all my faucets will be new and shiny. I'm going to try to find a kitchen faucet with a pull down sprayer so I can move it around as needed. But, at least I can use my kitchen faucet until I do all that.

Earlier this week, I had to make another trip to 'beyond Greensboro' to pick up the new shower hardware before the plumbers came. While there, I talked to the Airstream lock repairman. When I told him what was wrong with my door handle, he kind of grimaced and said that my issue was the most difficult and expensive one to fix. When I asked him what he would do in my situation, he suggested just buying a new handle/lock unit. He gave it to me on sale, but it was still almost $500. Yikes. What I thought was going to be a simple fix, turned out to be simple, but expensive. Oh well, at least I can open my camper without reaching through the window now. And I can lock it properly when I am away, and lock all the windows. So, I guess it was a good thing in the end. I picked up some curtain hardware while I was out there. The only kind available is the kind you sew into your curtains, but I am going to see if I can get creative and make some kind of tabs that attach to the track sliders so that I can easily change out my curtains should I want something different later. (For those of you who know me, you know how I like to rearrange my furniture every few months or so. Since I won't be able to do that in the camper, I figure I can at least change out my curtain fabrics!)

I spoke to my seamstress who graciously agreed to rework my cushions for me. I am still awaiting two of them, and then will have one more to drop off to her. That last one will be the one that I won't be using all the time. (It makes the spare bed.) So, once I get the two from her that she currently has, I will have all my finished cushions in the camper. I can't wait. I'm tired of having the ugly contact-papered plywood surface where the other cushion will go.

Still, things are taking shape, and I'm starting to feel really cozy in my Rosy.

I even think I have things stored in such a way that everything has a place and nothing feels squished. It's really nice being here. And I know that if I'm enjoying living here in the midst of all this chaos and disorganization, then I am sure to absolutely love it when it's all settled. What a way to ring in a new year, eh?

Happy holidays to all of you, whatever you choose to celebrate!
Thanks for sharing this journey with me!

06 December, 2010

Faith, Hope & Trick

So, I am inching ever nearer my move-in date. As of now, the furnace works, the plumbing plumbs, and the water heater heats water. As the repairman was finishing up his work on the furnace and water heater installation, he pointed out a little something that he noticed during his work. Turns out my kitchen faucet leaks. And it doesn't leak at the spout into the sink. It leaks at the base, so that the water then runs under the sink and drips down onto my baking pans (which would be the shelving had the pans not been there.) So ... I will need to replace my kitchen faucet before I can use it. Luckily, the plumbers put in individual shut-off valves for the faucets, so I am able to continue using the rest of the plumbing without causing water damage from this leak.

Other than that, I just need to repair the door latch and find some curtain hardware that will actually work in my rig, and I can move in for real! Hooray! I can't wait.

I am suspecting (and hoping) that the door latch will be relatively easy. I am also going to attempt to replace the faucet myself. I've done it before, and the repairman said I shouldn't have any problem doing it. I have to make another trip to beyond Greensboro to try to locate the appropriate curtain hardware. I had intended to go yesterday, but, lo and behold, it snowed! And here in the South, even! While it put an added delay on my moving, I couldn't really be too upset. I love the snow!

I am second guessing part of the slipcovers I commissioned for my cushions. I am going to see how much it will cost to have it changed. It is important to say, though, that this is no fault of the seamstress, but, rather, my not being able to see things pulled together until after they are created and in the space. I'll not go into too much detail on that now. Will reveal more once I hear back from the seamstress.

So, all in all, this labor of love is almost ready to embrace me back. Let's hope it doesn't smother me.

Cheers!

PS: 5 points to anyone who can decipher the reference of this entry's title. :)

01 December, 2010

The Trials and Tribulations of Rosy the Argosy

Well, I'm not quite sure where we last left off in our story of Rosy the Argosy. I think in the last episode Rosy had just been introduced, and placed in her new home. Well, much has been happening in her saga since then. Let's see if I can recap briefly ...

After much debating about how to get Rosy from her old home to her new home (due largely to the fact that I neither have a towing capable vehicle, nor do I know how to drive such a beastly duo yet), I agreed to pay the seller to tow it here for me. We agreed on a day, but he declined to set a specific time stating that he never knows when the mood will strike him to hit the road. I asked him to call me when he is about an hour away from the new campsite. He mentioned that he may get a wild hair and head out at 5am - which would put him here at about 9:00am at the earliest. I set my alarm for 7:00am. I was awakened at 6:00am by the seller saying he's already arrived at the campground. He had apparently called me an hour earlier, but I slept right through it. No one was there to let him park the rig. He called the owner of the campground, and had some kind of awkward conversation which lead both parties to divulge to me, later, a slight dislike for the other. I finally met him out there. We finally hooked up with the campground manager, Jim, who helped us get parked and settled. The seller went over a few minor pieces of information about the rig, got paid, and returned home.

After connecting the power, I checked all the outlets and all the lights. They all work. YAY! I connected the water, and, with the help of Jim, got all the sinks, the shower, and the toilet working. YAY! I did a round of cleaning with my sister, and left for the night. When I returned the next day, I noticed a sizable leak in the plumbing system. UH OH. I turned off the water until I could have someone take a look at it. It's old copper piping. The downside: Not many plumbers will work with copper. The upside: Jim's son works with a plumber who does. I made an appointment for them to come take a look.

Meanwhile, I had a guy come out to take a look at the furnace. The campground owner, Tom, had already taken a quick look at my water heater, and discovered that the pilot assembly was faulty. The repairman replaced the pilot assembly on the water heater. That's fixed. Then he removed the furnace ... after much elbow grease and moans and groans and some nice passive aggressive comments aimed at me for my ridiculous insistence at buying an old airstream-made rig. He took the furnace with him to see if it will work properly with a mere cleaning or if I will have to replace it. He says he thinks he can just clean it, but can't say for sure. I am really hoping he can. This was just before the Thanksgiving holiday, so I won't be hearing from him until later this week.

When the plumbers came out just before the holiday, they tried welding the piece of pipe that was leaking, but it wouldn't take. Copper pipes, for those of you who don't already know, can get swollen and bloated over time. Once that happens, they will no longer fit together. This is the case here. So, the entire plumbing system needs to be replaced. Rather than removing the old copper, though, they will just put in a new system made of PEX. Apparently, this PEX piping is wonderful in that it can get old and freeze and such, and still fit together beautifully. It's either this, or not have any water in my new home, so I agreed to the work. The silver lining is that the furnace is already removed, so they will have ready access to the plumbing.

Monday, the plumbers started work. They were supposed to start in the morning, and be finished in a day. However, they got caught up at another job in the morning, and weren't able to make it over until late afternoon. They came back and completed the job today. When they got it all finished and turned on the water - and I started getting all happy and thinking about how wonderful it would be to start really moving into my new home - we discovered that the water heater has major leakage. It needs to be replaced. That's right: The water heater that I just had repaired has to be completely replaced. Good times. (Apparently, they couldn't test it before with full water pressure since I didn't have the plumbing fixed, so no one noticed it was leaking.) Tom called up Camping World (a large camping supply store located just this side of Winston-Salem) to see if he could get me the campground's discount on a new water heater. He arranged for them to hold it for me, and I'm going there tomorrow to pick it up. He also called up the repairman who has my furnace and arranged for him to come remove the old water heater, and install the new one ... all at a lower price than the plumbers quoted. The repairman, Dave, will be coming out on Thursday or Friday to do this, and will have checked out my furnace in the meantime. So, when he comes, I will also know whether or not I have a working furnace, or need to get a new one installed.

You might think I'd be pulling my hair out by now, but I'm not. Not yet, anyway. I must admit that I am glad this is all happening now - before I get moved in, and while I still have money. Now, once I do move in, I can trust that all the big systems are going to be working well for a good, long time.

Yesterday I went to the fabric store to get the upholstery fabric. While there, I asked the lady helping me if she knew of anyone who made slipcovers for large cushions. Turns out, she does. She has her own side business, and does just the work I'm needing. She showed me some sample photos of her work, and she seemed to really know what she was talking about when I was asking her questions about the fabric, so ... later that day I brought my cushions to her. She's going to make removable slipcovers for them with corded trim. And she's going to try to get them to me as she gets each one done, so that I can have something to sleep on as soon as possible. (Of course, we arranged all this before I knew about the water heater situation.)

I also bought my outer curtain fabric yesterday. But I can't make curtains until I get the hardware for them. Lowe's didn't have any, so I'm just going to get them at Camping World while I'm there. I will also need to get two new propane tanks there. In addition to everything I just disclosed, I also learned last week that my propane tanks are so old they are actually illegal to fill now. (This really sucks since they seem to be in fine condition, and I hate to waste them, but I will need propane, so they will have to go.)

So ... that is the update for now. I realize it was not as brief as I had hoped. But, among all the trials and tribulations, I am still really excited about getting moved into my little camper. And it's even nicer knowing how well everything will work when I am finally able to do so.

Cheers for now!

PS: Please cross your fingers and send good vibes that everything else works like a dream on my camper. I am trying to stay positive about all this, but I am tired of forking out money on this b*tch. Thank you.

PPS: I'm typing this on my new computer. It rocks.

24 November, 2010

Rosy the Argosy

Are you ready?

Wait for it ....

Wait for it ....

Okay ... I am the happy owner of a 1977 Argosy travel trailer! Yay! It's parked in a temporary-ish spot at Spring Hill RV park. (Temporary-ish because they worked some things around to be able to accommodate me when I needed to be accommodated, so it's not a premium spot. As soon as another one opens, I have the option of claiming it.) I've been spending all week trying to get my belongings situated into my tiny new digs. I'm also taking this time to get some of the more imperative repairs taken care of. For instance, it turns out that there is a leak in the copper pipe plumbing, so I can't use the water until that is repaired. (The plumber comes tomorrow.) The water heater was repaired today. It only needed a new pilot assembly. The furnace has been (painstakingly) removed (NOT by me) and will be cleaned up to see if that is all it needs to work properly again. If not, then I'll have to procure a used (hopefully) furnace to replace it. (Cross your fingers that a good cleaning will do the job, please.) On a positive note, it seems the oven and refrigerator are in great condition and should last for some time as long as I treat them respectfully.

I've chosen my decorating palette and the fabrics that I will use for the upholstery and curtains. Now I just have to get the hardware for the curtains and then make the curtains. I have left a message with a local upholstery guy that has a high reputation at the RV park. Hopefully, he can get my seat cushion covers sewn up nicely for me in a hurry. While my little Rosy is far from being perfect, I am in love with her already. Being in this camper just feels good. She has ... yes ... a good vibe. There, I said it. And it's absolutely true. And it was even true before Jenn and I smudged her with sage.

The folks at Spring Hill RV Park are fantastic. I don't think I could have chosen a better place for my new home. They have taken me under their wings and are making sure I learn how to use my camper properly. They are hooking me up with repair people and even helping me with a few minor repairs themselves. They drop by when they see me out there just to see how I'm doing. I feel so fortunate to have such kind and generous neighbors at my new home. It was hard to leave my old neighbors - who are amazing people - but it's a little less hard when surrounding myself with such good new neighbors. Hooray!

I will be very glad to get the essentials set up so that I can actually start living in my little camper. For now, I'm spending most of my daylight hours at the camper (when I'm not with clients), and then coming back to Jenn's to catch up on my list of To-Do's and sleep. I'm exhausted ... still ... and getting more so every day. But it's all to a good end. I'll post up some photos as soon as I can get some taken.

If I don't get to post again before Thursday, I'll wish you all a happy, warm and wonderful Thanksgiving celebration. Ciao!

18 November, 2010

No Rest For The Weary.

This will be another quick update as it is very late and I am super tired. I decided to go ahead and put a deposit on the argosy camper in Bat Cave. Now, I'm just trying to figure out how to get it from there to here. And trying to figure out where I'm going to put it here. (Thinking I can secure a spot in the Chapel Hill RV park very soon if not immediately. Have been in talks with the owner/manager.) So, that's that. I will be glad to start unpacking some of my stuff from my storage units again. Now, I'm off to dreamland. *snooze*

16 November, 2010

Big Wheels Keep On Turnin'

Once again, I only have time for a quick update ... but I suppose that's better than no update, right?

Yesterday was the house closing. I am officially homeless. Woo Hoo! Today, following my class this morning, I am off with my dad to Bat Cave, NC (yes, it's a real place) to check out a 1977 argosy camper that I found online. If all goes well, I could be driving that sucker home. We'll see. I'm in talks with the Spring Hill RV park in Chapel Hill. The owner said he has two spots coming up (or already available ... can't remember which). So ... it's all happening. And there seems to be no rest for the weary .. or wicked ... or wobbly. But, it will all be worth it if I can be settled into my new home on wheels before the big holiday season rush hits. Wish me luck!!

09 November, 2010

Channeling Jerry Garcia?

Oh, what a long, strange trip it’s been ... and still is ... and is likely to be for some time.

So, for all intents and purposes, I have sold my house. The repair work is to be done this week in preparation for the closing on next Monday, the 15th. All that remains to seal the deal in finality is the final post-repairs walk-through by the buyers, and all of our signatures on the formal papers at the lawyers’ offices. It has been a very emotional ride, and, in the end, an extremely stressful one. I could say that I chose the wrong realtor for me - and have said so often - but, in all honesty, I learned so much from the experience, however harrowing it may have been, that I can see that my choice of an inept realtor was exactly what I needed. I was forced to recognize my needs, my boundaries, and my sense of self-worth; and then to firmly express them and demand they - and consequently, I - be respected. Mind you, this was not an easy task, nor a wholly familiar one, for me. But, with the help and support from my family and friends - most specifically, my dad and my dear friend, Jenn - I was able to handle this situation in a most acceptable manner. I feel quite proud of myself, actually. And, in the end, I do feel that I have managed a fair exchange for my house and yard.

While I know it is going to be a bit chaotic in the coming months, I am very much looking forward to stepping out into the next phase of my journey. Once again, my fantastic friend (and neighbor), Jenn, has offered, (along with her generous husband), to lodge me temporarily while I hunt for my new home on wheels. My hope is that I will be able to find my new home sooner rather than later. It will be fantastic if I find it before the holiday season gets fully underway, but I will also be fine if it takes longer. I can always try to find a short term rental apartment, if necessary. I have found a promising trailer for sale online recently. In fact, I’ve come across it before, but it has just been relisted, and apparently was just winterized. The ad claims that ALL the systems are in good working order. It’s an Argosy, which is made by Airstream. The only difference is that the bodies are white rather than silver. In fact, I kind of prefer the Argosys. The layouts and interior stylings are usually more to my liking than the Airstreams. This particular trailer is a 1977 model, and is 24’ long. It photographed very well - looks quite beautiful in the ad, really. Best of all, perhaps, is the fact that it’s in state. I have sent the seller an email requesting that I come take a peek at it in person. I’ll let you know how it goes.

It’s funny the things that have been showing up for me emotionally, lately. Now that there is some sense of real finality where the house sale is concerned, my emotional and stress levels are off the charts. I’m not sleeping well at all. And what sleep I am getting is riddled with the most stressful dreaming. (I’m writing this at 5 am, as I suddenly awoke from some lurid dreaming, and couldn’t get back to sleep.) My neck and shoulder muscles are in such gridlock that I have been having terrible headaches. I must be clenching and/or grinding my teeth in my sleep, because I’m waking up with such incredible jaw tension that it remains throughout the day.

I seem to have an overwhelming desire to buy myself new and pretty things (which is most unfortunate as I cannot buy anything else until after the closing.) I’ve also been finding myself missing a few of the possessions that I sold, gave away or otherwise unloaded prior to putting the house on the market. It is possible that one or two of these things are tucked away in storage somewhere since I can’t remember everything I chose to keep, and haven’t seen that stuff in so long now. But a few of these things are just gone. And, while I am sure I will be able to reconcile myself with these losses, they seem to be very emotional and anxiety provoking at present. Fortunately, however, I am only pining for a very few of the large masses of items I discarded. I suppose it could be much, much worse.

For those of you who are interested in reading up on my progress, I am going to do my best to update more regularly. I will be mostly packing up the rest of my belongings into storage and handling the minutia of moving this week. But, once I’m tucked in at Jenn’s, I’ll have access to the internet at the house, so it will be easier for me to add updates to the blog. I appreciate the support of all of you who are taking an interest. Knowing you are out there wishing me well helps keep me going when I start to feel overwhelmed. Thanks for that.

Have a lovely week!

04 November, 2010

Bumbling Through Wonderland

So, am still under contract and trying to hash out all of the "wills" and "won'ts" with the prospective buyers. I realize that buying a house - whether a primary residential or an investment property - is a large purchase, and should be analyzed from all practical angles before being committed to purchase. However, even despite that appreciation, I feel these buyers are being excessively nitpicky. But the really stressful part of all of it is that I can no longer trust my realtor to accurately and effectively represent me and my best interests, so I am having to be extra diligent in paying attention to all of the proceedings and correspondences between all parties, even having had to rewrite the repair request reply to the buyers since my realtor's version of the letter was appallingly unprofessional and embarrassingly weakened my stance within the power balance. (Sorry for the really long sentence.) This whole business is really causing me undue amounts of stress and my body is really starting to feel the weight of so much discomfort. However, I am choosing to look upon all of this ridiculousness as a positive opportunity for growth and learning. I am still sure of my decision to sell, but will also be fine if I am not able to sell right now. So, I guess, either way, whatever happens, it will be for the best, and I will accept it as such. Still, I am really ready for this chapter to come to a close, so please, if you have any charms to spare, continue to send them my way for a speedy and beneficial completion of this transaction. Thanks!

14 October, 2010

New Big News!

Okay, so the new big news is that my house is under contract! I am trying very hard to remain respectfully calm during this process, though, I must admit, it is exciting. So far, I received an offer from the buyers, and we successfully negotiated a mutually acceptable price and terms. Now, the buyers have until the 25th to arrange for all of the inspections, after which I will have five days to determine what, if anything, I am willing to fix. Assuming there are no big unforeseen surprises that show up on the inspection, I think all should be fine here. That being true, we are set to close on November 12, I believe. So, I am going to have to get on the ball about looking at airstreams. (This would be a whole lot easier if I was able to get online at home, but I will have to be proactive and get myself to the library and/or the coffee shop more often!) So, that's the low down for those of you who are interested. Please continue to send positive vibes that the sale goes through smoothly, and that the inspection reports do, too. Thanks!

07 October, 2010

Quick Update

So, the house has been showing quite a bit, which is wonderful considering the state of the market right now. I've also been getting a lot of really positive feedback. In fact, no one has had anything negative to say about my little house at all. There are some potential buyers in the midst, but no official offers as yet. Please cross your fingers that I will get a good offer soon.
On a separate note, I have been really making progress on my personal improvement. I've been learning Spanish via Pimsleur programs. I've also enrolled myself (with the company of a friend) in a 30-day Tracy Anderson Method boot camp of sorts. It's intense muscle toning work, 40-minutes (at least) of dance cardio work, and a restricted diet for 30 days. And the toning and cardio work are EVERY day. BOTH of them. EVERY day. No dairy, no starchy carbs, very few legumes, and lots of protein, fruits and vegetables. (And, in case you were wondering, that means no booze, too.) I'm on Day 10 today, and it's hard, but I feel great! I'll keep you posted.

06 September, 2010

Feedback

Had a showing of the house this past Wednesday. Following is the email I got from my realtor following the viewing:

Hi Melanie!

This feedback sounds very positive. I am forwarding it on to you. Good job today! We may have an interested buyer!
[from the buyer's realtor ...]
This buyer thought it was charming and loved all the special touches put into it. Minimal closet space was a hesitation but we talked about ways to improve on that. She'll need to think on it a bit. I've been involved with this house several times over the years-delightful to see it looking so good.


More to come as it unfolds ... wish me luck!

30 August, 2010

Signing On!!


So, the For Sale sign is now in my front yard!! Let the bids begin! The photos turned out really nicely, and I'm quite happy with how things look right now. I'll write more as it unfolds, but I have developed a nasty earache, so I'm feeling too yucky to write more now. Happy weekend!

23 August, 2010

Quick Update: 8/22/10

The realtor is coming over tomorrow with paperwork. Then we just need to schedule the photographer, and the appraiser to measure the square footage, and have the sign ordered for the yard, and we'll be in business! Stay tuned, and wish me luck!

20 August, 2010

Almost There!

So, in the past few days, with the help of my devoted Dad, I managed to make screens for the storm doors, repair all the door locks and strike plates so that the doors all now open and close and lock and unlock easily and consistently, repaired the hinge of one of the storm doors, got the paint spots off the floors, put plants in hanging planters and in the ground, checked all the spare keys, cut up the fallen tree branches, washed all the gutters clean, mulched the gardens, and maybe even did a few other things that are escaping my memory right now. It's been a whirlwind. I've got some repair folks coming to the house on Tuesday afternoon to give me an estimate on fixing the window grid slats. And with the exception of a few more minor details, the house, she is a-ready. I'll try to get the realtor to come out Monday with a sign for the yard. Whew! I can't believe the time's practically here. It has been so long coming. And I am so exhausted. And I am sure my Dad is so exhausted, too. So, that's the latest update. Keep your eyes on the streets ... you might see me dancing by when that sign's finally landed in my yard!
Cheers!

18 August, 2010

WTF??

Yesterday was a most bizarrely challenging day. I swapped cars with my sister so that I could use the truck. I went to Morrisville to pick up my dad in the morning. We did yard work from, essentially, 10:30am to 7:30pm. (And it was HOT yesterday!) We cut up a large pile of old fallen branches that had been doubtlessly providing shelter for all kinds of wildlife in my backyard. Then we loaded them all up into the truck and took them to the dump. We planted some more flowers, and hauled a truckload of mulch, which we then proceeded to spread out among all the flower beds. We borrowed my friend's weedeater, but soon after starting the weed-eating, ran out of the 'string' for it. I had some extra cartridges, but they turned out to be the wrong size, so we just weeded by hand as best we could, and decided to get another cartridge [today] and try it again later. We raked up the yard three or four times as the weed debris kept multiplying like randy rabbits. Geez ... it doesn't really sound like much when it's typed out, but, believe me when I say, it was much. Very much.

In the midst of all this yard work, toiling and boiling in the sun, I heard a strange crackling sound followed by a dense whoosh. When I went to the front yard to investigate, I discovered a very large (and seemingly healthy) branch from the giant pecan tree in front of my house had taken a dive. It was still partially attached, but had managed to fell another smaller tree from the side of the yard, and they both landed atop a power line. Soon after, the branch decided it'd had enough of hanging around and made a clean break, further weighing the dainty little bundle of wires that struggled beneath it. Dad called the City, and they directed us to the power company, who assured us that within the next three hours someone would come out to cut the tree away from the power line, and into small sections so that the City could then haul it away. When the gentleman from the power company did arrive, he told us that the line in question was not a power line, but a telephone line, and as such, he wasn't allowed to touch it. However, he proceeded to get his chainsaw out and cut it away from the line for us anyway. What a kind thing to do! People aren't so bad after all! He wasn't able to stay and cut it into sections, though, because he had another call to attend. Still, it would have taken me ages to do all he did using my little hand saw. So, now after working so hard to make my yard so pretty and tidy, all anyone will notice is the large bundle of tree limbs in the front yard. (Must borrow someone's chainsaw today to take care of that.)

After all of that was said and done, and dad and I were exhausted and grimy and sweaty as we'd ever been, I drove him home. On the way back, I noticed the battery light illuminating on the dash, and called Dad to see if that was normal. It wasn't. The truck died leaving me stranded on the side of Hwy 147. While waiting for Dad to come rescue me, two kind gentlemen (mechanics!) pulled over to help me. They jumped my battery, and checked the engine for me. They confirmed my suspicions that the alternator was the culprit. They offered to follow us out to Auto Zone where we could purchase an alternator, and they would install it for us (for a very reasonable price, actually). At first Dad agreed, and so we headed toward Auto Zone. Then Dad missed an exit, so he ended up in front of us. Then he changed his mind and decided he might rather take the truck to his usual mechanics. So, he called the gentlemen who had helped us, and politely canceled our arrangement. During all this time, we had taken a very circuitous route which lengthened my drive time by almost double. So ... the truck died out again as I was exiting Hwy 85. I waited on the curb until Dad (who had managed to miss another exit) was able to meet up with me and jump my battery again. We weren't sure how long we'd need to charge the battery, so we allowed it about 5 minutes or so. Turns out that wasn't enough, because the truck died AGAIN two blocks from my house. Finally, we got enough charge on the battery to get me home. What a day!

This was all following a night of limited sleep. I was up half the night boxing and cleaning out my closet since I wasn't able to sleep. And that was by the lovely glow and dreadful heat of an array of candles since the power was out on my street all night. I thought for sure I would be so exhausted that I would sleep super soundly last night. I even ate a full dinner with lots of protein and a couple glasses of wine to help ensure that I would get to sleep easily. Well, it worked, sort of ... I was able to get to sleep after only about 30 minutes of tossing and turning. Unfortunately, I was awakened at 3:30am, and found myself unable to get back to sleep. After lying in bed with the greatest of hopes for a half hour, I gave up, and got busy around the house. (If I'm not going to sleep, then I should at least be productive.) Then, at 6:00am, I did a little reading and had another glass of wine and was able to finally drift off again for a couple hours.

So, my insomnia is getting worse. There's a big pile of big limbs in my front yard. I have no transport today other than hoof and pedal (which is fine, really). Oh, and I can't get my front door to unlock. Other than that ... things are going really well, and I'm expecting to be ready for the for sale sign by Friday or Monday. Some folks might see these setbacks as a sign that I shouldn't be selling my house right now, but I still feel in my bones that I'm on the right path. I think these obstacles are just keeping things from moving too fast so that I can really experience the full breadth of what is happening during this transformative process. Just call me Pollyanna.

Checking out for now. Gotta go find a chainsaw. Happy Tuesday!
xoxo ...

15 August, 2010

Two steps forward ...

Thursday found my father and I plugging away at the remaining items on my to do list. We managed to repair the doorknob and to replace the wash room threshold. We looked for screen replacements for the storm doors in the garage, but, alas, there were none to be found. We tried to find some at Lowe's, but there were none in the right size there. So, I'm going to try the Habitatstore soon to see if I can find a match.

While we were working, I started feeling very tired. It was a heavy fatigue that plagued my bones as well as my eyelids. When I awoke Friday morning, I was still feeling it. I was also experiencing vertigo and a general yuckiness. So, after I taught my yoga class, I came back home, canceled the work date with dad, and went to bed. I slept until 7:20pm! Felt a little better when I woke, and went to my friend Jenn's house to catch up over snacks in the hot tub. Went home and straight to bed around 10pm and slept in until 9:00 this morning. Holy moly! I'm still a little tired, but am feeling much better than I was. Tomorrow will find me working again, and hopefully I will have more energy and make some good progress.

Wish me luck!

12 August, 2010

It's Really, Really True!

Today, I finished painting. That's right, the painting is done. With the ever generous help of my parents, and my productive fit of insomnia last night, I have finally managed to complete all the painting projects required to put my house on the market. Let me just tell you that you can really have no idea how marvelous it feels to have that behind me now. It's as if the small, wilted essence of my Self has suddenly begun to feel sunlight again. Hope is alive, my friends. And I am saluting her with a mighty, goofy grin.

So, here's a list of the remaining projects:

*repair the living room doorknob
*replace the wash room threshold
*tidy up the landscaping (weeding, pruning, planting, mowing, and mulching)
*remove the huge pile of dead branches from the back yard to the dump
*replace screens in storm doors
*repair the cracks in the living room walls ... again
*tidy the garage
*sort and label all house keys
*clean light fixtures and replace bulbs with higher wattage ones
*clean gutters ... again
*repair the damaged/missing window slats on BR and Kitchen windows
*address lighting issue in washroom

I think that's it. And most of those things are very easy and quick to complete. So, the race continues, and I'm in the final lap. Hooray! That means, if I am diligent, I should be able to get my house on the market ... officially ... before September. The only questionable tasks are those last two. I'm not sure if I can repair the window slats myself, and if I have to call in a repair person, I don't know how much they'll charge. However, with the lighting issue ... if it cannot easily be repaired, then I'm just going to put a lamp out there and call it a day.

So, my gentle readers, if there are any of you out there, that is where things stand for now. Please send any spare mojo my way, and think happy thoughts, because, well, happy thinking is just better for you than the alternative.

Ciao Ciao for Now!

10 August, 2010

Progress Report: 9 August, 2010

Today The Parents came over to help me start painting the kitchen. I had cleaned out all the cabinets and counters, swept out the muck behind the oven and refrigerator, and cleaned the baseboards before they got here. We had to finish sanding the epoxy on the kitchen (back) door before we began painting. I did as much as I could before asking daddy to put the muscle on the job to get it finished. He did, and it turned out pretty well, I think. I mean, it's no Bob Vila job, but it looks a heckuva lot better than it did before. I am not sure if I mentioned it, but that door had several scratches and a big hunk of missing wood from where Charlie had freaked out on it once upon a time. (He was not pleased to be stuck inside when the neighbor's cat would come into our yard and taunt him.) Anyway, we got it done, and the painting began. The first coat is finished, and we'll be finishing the second coat tomorrow. Thankfully, this is an all white job (walls and trim), so we don't have to be so precise on the edging. Then, later this week, I'm gonna tackle the bathroom. It's small enough that I can do it myself if needed. After that ... just some of the smaller detail stuff, and then the sign in the yard! (And a huge sigh of relief from yours truly.)

The realtor came by today to take some photos of the yard. Had I known she was coming today, I would have made sure the grass was cut, but, still, it wasn't too bad. She made me laugh when she told me she just wanted to get some good shots of the plants while they were all green and blooming, in case it happens to be December when I finally get it on the market. (I think, perhaps, she's going to be happy to see that sign go in the yard, as well.) She did get some nice photos, though, so I was glad she came by. Turns out the rules have changed regarding the MLS listings: Used to be one was only allowed to post 12 photos of a property for sale; now, the limit's 25! That works very much in my favor, since my yard is one of the big selling features of my home. Glad I've been taking photos, as well, during each of the blooming cycles in my gardens!

Physically, I've been doing pretty well. I'm still keeping up a pretty regular schedule of exercise. I'm also still trying to make healthy food choices (without limiting flavor, of course!) But, I've also still been having insomnia, and, so, am tired more than I should be or want to be. I'm hoping to start trying to go to bed earlier and to regulate my sleep cycle and see if that helps. If you have any suggestions, I'd be overjoyed to hear them!

That's it for now, folks. Thanks for reading, and continued luck and success on your own adventures!

04 August, 2010

Tra La La ...

I am seeing progress. I am trying to focus on how nice it looks rather than on how the things that still need to be done are sharpened by the contrast. It seems I'm in a strange limbo place right now where the good stuff and the challenging stuff are going head to head in a heated race. My car just got a flat tire. And it's not just a little flat ... it's ripped to shreds flat. I knew it was going to need to be replaced sometime soon. I did not, however, realize that it would up and explode on me in such a murderous fashion. Thankfully it was not a really dramatic blow out while I was driving. I managed to lose a hubcap in the process somehow, too. No telling where that is now. So, my client roster has been sparse, to say the least, and my savings for the house repairs is almost all gone. And, now, I have to replace a tire. Oh, and I'm due for an oil change, too. Good times.

Still, I am remaining oddly positive. I am feeling a little anxious and slightly nervous and stressed out, but not at all so much neurotic as I would normally be in a situation like this, so I consider it all as a confirmation of my still being on the right path. Hooray for a good attitude.

I've still been exercising. It's hard, but it feels great, too. And I've been getting outside more, which really does wonders for my outlook, I think.

I got out and worked in the gardens last weekend - taking advantage of the cooler weather. Transplanted some of the plants that got scorched by the heat, and got a few flowery annuals for some planters in the front. Will still need to get some more color for the front, but it's looking pretty good, if I say so myself.

Still have to paint the kitchen and bathroom. Then I'll need to replace the threshold in the washroom, repair the doorknob to the porch door, find replacement screens for the screen doors, address the lights in the wash room (that just stopped working for some unknown reason), and tidy up the garden. Then she'll be ready for a shiny "for sale" sign in the front, and I will be able to relax ... sort of. Wish me luck!

Post Script: Should any of you want to come help me paint the kitchen and the loo, please let me know. Your help would be most happily and greedily accepted!

23 July, 2010

Mysterious Ways

So, I'm not exactly sure what the Universe has in store for me, but I am picking up the messages of death loud and clear. Another death this week. In the Tarot, the Death card is most often a symbol of change. Well, to that I say, "Duh." Yes, I am experiencing change like I haven't experienced it in years. I get it: The times they are a-changin'. I really don't need any more deaths to get that point. Dear Universe, please stop leaving corpses in my path. My tear ducts are going dry. Thank you.
As for other progress, I'm getting more crap boxed up and out of the house. I've moved my bedroom back into the back room and will use the front room as a massage space until I sell. Now I've just got to tackle the bathroom and kitchen. Then we'll only have a few more minor repairs and we'll be ready for that shiny sign in the front yard. I cannot wait!!!
Also, in a fit of insomnia the other night, I cut off about 5 inches of my hair. I like it, but it needs a proper cutting. Of course, that will have to come later when I have some actual money to spend on nice things like haircuts.
Okay, that's all I can muster for today. Happy weekend, a little early!
Ciao.

15 July, 2010

Demerits for Being Tardy!

Okay, so it's been about a million years since I last updated this blog. Argh! I'm sorry. I’ve no real excuse. But, in lieu of an excuse, I will tell you a little about what’s been going on so you may not judge me so harshly for writing so intermittently. So, when last I wrote, I was having some major emotional reactions to this road I’m on [to get me on the road.] Well, that has lasted for some time. And, while things are still churning emotionally, and probably will be for some time, I do feel like I’ve reached a plateau for the moment. It’s as if I’m in this disposable little plastic bubble in which I have been blessed with a moment of clarity and purpose. It is sure to be bursting soon, but for now, I feel completely and soundly assured of my footing. This whole process of getting my house on the market is taking an insufferably long time, yet I know, at least in this shiny moment, that it is meant to take this long - that there is something for me to gain from this process still.

I have, however, been quite productive since my emotional outbursts have gotten quieter. I now have four rooms in my house that have been completely patched, primed, painted and trimmed. I have another room that has been patched and primed. (It will be primed with a second coat tomorrow and painted and trimmed by this weekend.) That leaves only the bathroom (which has been patched), and the kitchen (which has been partially patched). I have also had the repair professionals replace the damaged exterior wood. (Though, the carpenter pulled a back muscle mid-job, then when he came back to finish, he forgot one piece. He’ll be back tomorrow to finish.) I got myself a small climate controlled storage unit, and have managed to pack it practically to capacity. (Much of this stuff will go eventually, but I’m waiting to see what I’ll need when I get my trailer.) So, things are coming along, if more slowly than I’d originally envisioned.

There have been a few bummers with the progress, as well. For instance, I went away for the fourth of july weekend, and came back to find some of the wall cracks I had patched have already reappeared. Then there’s the yard ... which has been suffering greatly in the intense southern heat and sun. Several of my plants are getting scorched, and I’m just crossing my fingers that they won’t die completely. (You can cross your fingers, too, if you want.)

Speaking of being away for the holiday ... you might infer that I was simply taking a fun (and looooong overdue) vacation, but, alas, that was not the case. I went to Kentucky for a funeral. My uncle’s funeral. His death was yet another loss in a string of so many of late. Charlie’s death was the first, but there have been at least ten others (animals and humans, direct and indirect relations) since he passed. I kind of feel like the Universe is trying to help me remove excess ballast from my life, but is doing so in a very challenging and heartbreaking way. Still, death is a natural and necessary part of life, and I am trying to focus on the lives of those that have departed and celebrate and honor them for their contributions.

My life seems to be getting down to bare roots. I’ve started exercising again. I’m letting go of habits that no longer serve me. I’ve been driving less and bicycling more. I canceled my home internet connection, so have been getting out into the world to use wi-fi. And I’ve been trying to smile as often as I can ... even when I don’t feel like it. I’ve been trying to see the beauty in the challenges. And I’ve been really cherishing the people who support me ... and looking for ways to let them know they are cherished. And, if you’re still reading this, I cherish you, too.

Thank you.

31 May, 2010

Girl, interrupted?

I have been an emotional and physical mess lately. While desiring progress in my home repairs and preparations, I seem to be unconsciously working through some personal repairs and preparations, as well. In fact, the latter seems to be making more active progress than the former. While the nightmares of last week have gone (for now), they have been replaced with more vivid dreaming. These are not especially good nor especially bad dreams, but they are many in number and very involved, and they are keeping me from receiving any real rest when I sleep. I am waking up more exhausted each morning than I was when I welcomed sleep the night before. I am also greeting each morning with such stiffness and tension throughout my body as makes it very uncomfortable to set myself upright. In addition to my sleeping complaints, I have been experiencing some powerful and inexplicable mood shifts during my waking hours. By inexplicable, I mean that these emotional outbursts come on suddenly and strongly and seem to have no attachments to any current circumstance. For instance, yesterday, while doing some repair work with my father, I experienced a sudden surge of foul and prolific anger. there was no logical connection to this outburst with relation to our work. And my father had been only kind and generous in his help. But I could not easily contain this anger, so I had to end our work early and take him home. Fortunately, I was able to explain the strange circumstances to my dad so he understood (if even only a little) what was happening. But it only made me feel worse that I could have possibly injured his feelings, and that our work - and time together - was cut short because of my reckless emotional state.

My body is sore. I am tired - inside and out. It is getting more and more difficult to find center. I do not know how to navigate these experiences. I feel so very ill equipped to understand fully what is happening. I have glimpses of insight: I believe this taking apart of my home and the life I’ve built 'til now is releasing old and buried injuries and accomplishments that never had their due expression. But I confess that I don’t know how to allow their release in such a way that they do not break me or harm those around me.

I do not mean to put a negative shadow on these experiences. I believe they are healthy and a necessary shedding of the old to make room for the new. in general, I feel quite happy and excited about the new journey for which I’m preparing. I suppose I just forget that what I’m doing is bigger than simply changing my living arrangements - more, I’m changing my life as I’ve ever known it. I am actually trying to create a life I’ve long dreamed about living. I am risking the comforts of the familiar and safe and stepping into the great unknown. I am releasing my grip on conventionality. I have never felt myself to be conventional, yet I realize that I have most always acted in conventional ways. I must remember that with the breaking of convention comes the responsibilities of facing those fears inherent with unknown paths.

So, still, I struggle to understand all that is unfolding before and within me. Still, I struggle with my impatience to have it all happen now and to have it happen easily and without any real effort on my part. But, as everyone knows, all experiences and rewards of true consequence can only be gained by giving of oneself to something greater. So, I will continue to give as gracefully as I am able in the hopes that I will be rewarded for having done so.

28 May, 2010

Just keep swimming .. Just keep swimming ..

So much change, so quickly, has left me reeling. Or, more accurately, left me struggling to maintain balance in the midst of a swirling vortex of chaos and momentum. Every day seems like a strange trial of will and intention, of emotional and physical fortitude. It’s like I’m the character in a Greek myth ... well ... one of the really minor ones, at least.

Since I last wrote I have had meetings with a total of three realtors, and as many repair men. I have received two estimates for repair work needed, and am still awaiting a third. I have made repairs myself. I have arranged for one piece of furniture to be consigned. I [finally!] sold my beast of a couch. I have read countless books and articles on how to sell a house, how to stage a house, how to choose a realtor, how to make repairs of various kinds. I have researched vintage travel trailers. I even went to look at one for sale in the area. I have shopped online for possible used vehicles with towing capacities large enough for the trailer I will eventually have. I have cleaned my house ... and cleaned my house ... and cleaned my house some more. I have rearranged furniture and organized everything in several successions. My lawnmower has died. And my lawnmower has magically revived. (Thank goodness!) I have made time for exercise. I have blown off time for exercise. I have completed one list of tasks only to discover a new list of tasks that need to be tackled. I have mourned for the loss of my beloved Charlie. I have tried to make time for my bunny and chickens. I have had moments of great inspiration and motivation and progress. I have had days where the mere thought of doing anything left me frozen like a deer trapped in the blinding glow of fast approaching headlights. I have made lists - dozens and dozens of lists. I have soared with excitement. I have cried with fear, exhaustion, and uncertainty.

But, through all of this, I still believe I am on the right road.

It is exhausting, to be sure. And it’s scary, too. There are still so many questions I can’t answer. So many logistical aspects for which I cannot yet plan. I am forced to work in the moment and to trust that what lies ahead will unfold in such a way that all those loose ends will magically weave themselves together into a cohesive whole. This is a difficult practice for the planner in me.

It’s also really difficult for me to be spending this time in my house - when I most want to be enjoying it before leaving it - constantly having to seek out its flaws and failures. Having no real furniture left in the living room, a spare bedroom full of castoffs ready to sell or donate, sleeping in a bedroom cramped with papers, books, and sundry trinkets to be sorted and boxed or discarded: there is very little space in which to live. The entire house is now made up of opposing camps: the too-empty spaces, and the too full. Nowhere in my home do I feel really at home anymore.

To add the icing to the cake of this current chaos, I have been having the most exquisitely terrifying nightmares. As far as I can remember, I’ve never had real nightmares. I have always been a vivid dreamer, but they’ve never been so bone-chillingly scary before now. They've been waking me up in the middle of the night - paralyzed with fear - in a bedroom that feels claustrophobic and a house that seems much too quiet.

So, this is where I am. I am exhausted. - physically, mentally, emotionally. But I’m still plugging on toward my goal. My dad and I will be spending the rest of the week/end doing more repairs. And I will be spending each night thinking the happiest thoughts I can conjure before bed. Here’s to happy dreaming ...

07 May, 2010

New Discovery

I've been in a holding pattern with the house these past couple of weeks. I had a handyman come out to look at the repairs I need doing, and have just been waiting around for his estimate. Admittedly, there are things I could be doing, but I've been pretty tired ... especially following the trip to Merlefest and the hiking on the Appalachian Trail with my dad last weekend. I've also been working out pretty regularly with my girlfriend, Chris, which has me pretty knackered. (It's good, though, getting more 'in' my body, and feeling it taking shape.)

So, after that last post, I was having some premature seller's remorse. I was really starting to feel a strong attachment to the house, and most especially, to the yard. I've planted so much love in those gardens, and they are all doing so well this year! I was beginning to wonder if I was going to talk myself out of my plan. But, alas, inspiration came to me which once again ignited my excitement and determination to do what it is I'm doing. This inspiration came to me in the form of a realization, really. I realized that in order for me to be really happy in a new home on wheels, I have to really find a home on wheels that will make me happy every time I came home to it. I need to find a home that is dreamy and that has design features that are beautiful as well as functional. I decided I needed a vintage travel trailer!

Early on in my decision to make this leap into living in an RV, I decided my preference was to live in an enclosed rig. I had narrowed it down to a Class C so I could get the smallest self-contained unit available (that wasn't a van conversion). I was excited about the possibilities, but even the old Class C rigs are relatively unattractive.

Now I've decided that a trailer pulled behind my vehicle is both a convenient AND pretty option. I would love a trailer from the 1940s, but they are nearly impossible to find. I'm looking primarily at models from the 1950s and 1960s. They still have the same general aesthetic as the 1940s models. Most of these trailers have gorgeous birch interiors with original ovens and iceboxes. There are almost always some beautiful little decorative details strewn about the place that you just don't see in the more modern models. One might say that the older travel trailers were crafted, while the new rigs are simply manufactured.

Okay, well, I've altered my plan a bit. But I'm so terribly excited about it. I can't believe I didn't realize this earlier! But I'm so glad I realized it now rather than later. I've been hunting down trailers just to see what's out there, and it's really not too difficult to find any number of models available. Now I have to decide if I want one that has already been restored, or if I want to do the restoring myself to my own specifications. What features do I consider absolute necessities, and what am I willing to forgo? Plus, I'm also going to have to start looking for towing vehicles too. My little car isn't strong enough to pull even these lightweight vintage trailers, so I'll have to get something with a little muscle. I'm thinking about a Jeep, but we'll see what is available when I need it.

I'm so excited ... once again! And that makes me even more excited! Now if I can only get that handyman to make me an estimate ... and one that I can afford ... I'll be on my way!

26 April, 2010

Busy as a Bee ... bzz .. bzz!

Well, I have been remiss in writing, but that's not to say I've been lazy. On the contrary: I've been busy, busy, busy around here. And I've made some real progress on my To Do list, too!

In the past couple of weeks, I've managed to tidy up my landscaping. I've cut grass, weeded gardens, planted, transplanted, created new footpaths, and, finally, even managed to step back and enjoy the fruits of my labors. I re-purposed the old rabbit run into a more proper compost bin, and cleaned up the old haphazard compost pile that I'd been 'crafting' for five years.

I painted the cabinet doors and reattached them to the kitchen cabinets and the hutch cabinets.

I hung new moulding in the kitchen - at the top of the upper cabinets, and just under the lip of the countertop. (It's a simple moulding, but I think it looks really swell in my kitchen.) I got some pieces of pegboard to hang as a backsplash behind the sink, and as a side panel for the oven. (I still have to do the actual hanging, though.)

I hung new window treatment hardware on most of the windows, and got some nice new curtain panels for them, too. They are white cotton curtains with natural jute horizontal stripes. I love them. They are simple. They let the light shine into the room while still affording privacy. And they are beautiful.

My dad and I cleaned out my garage. (That was a dusty enterprise!)

I boxed up the books from the built-in bookshelf, and decorated the shelves with a few remaining cookbooks and plants and display trinkets that will be staying with me.

I have begun cleaning up the old Frigidaire Flair oven to get it ready to sell. (If you aren't familiar with these vintage ovens, you should do a google image search. They are fantastic ovens with some brilliant design touches!)

I've reorganized the bedrooms, which contain primarily three piles of boxes: Stuff that I am keeping; stuff that I am discarding; and stuff that I need to address again to decide if they are keepers or not.

I removed the nasty old caulking adhesive from the tub. (FYI: The adhesive caulking strips do not work!)

I began going through my kitchen cabinets to purge items that I don't essentially need.

And, finally, I had a scare with Lucy Cluckernutter, one of the chickens. I came home the other night from a very hectic day, and sat on the patio to check out the yard, and watch the chicks a while. I soon after noticed that Lucy's foot was trailing a path of bloody prints. When I looked at her foot, it was covered in blood. I immediately tried to get close enough to her to see if I could find the source of the bleeding, but she isn't used to being handled by humans, and runs anytime anyone gets too close. I called my dad, but he didn't know what to tell me if I couldn't even access the foot. Then I found a vet specializing in avians and exotics in Raleigh. They were willing to see Lucy if I could catch her and bring her in. It would be an emergency visit since they were closing within the hour, and wouldn't possibly make it in before then. I called everyone I could think of who might be willing and able to help me try to catch Lucy, but all I was getting was voice mailboxes. None of my immediate neighbors were home. I was freaking out at this point. Try as I might, I couldn't catch her by myself. Finally I got through to my friend and neighbor, Jenn, and she and her husband came over and helped me catch my wounded hen. (Thanks to Jenn and Jeff for being two of the best friends and neighbors ever!) The vet was great, and gave her a full check up after addressing her wound. Turns out one of the blood feathers on her foot got pulled out somehow, and that will cause bleeding. He dressed the wound, gave her an excellent bill of health, charged me a small fortune for the after hours visit (which was totally worth it!), and sent us on our way.

Whew! I think that's it.

I've been trying to take photos as I go, though, admittedly, sometimes forget to get good before shots. I'm hoping to get the photos downloaded before too long, so you can take a look at some of the progress for yourself.

It's ironic how preparing a house to put it on the market can really endear it to the current owner. As I'm seeing my house and, especially, my yard coming together so nicely, it's really been sprouting some conflicting arguments in my mind. I'm hearing that little voice trying to consider what it might be like to stay here a little longer ... or indefinitely. Then the other voice begins to extol the virtues of mobility and travel and simplicity. Then the two voices start bickering back and forth. When this happens, I just remove myself from the argument. I am sticking to my plan. I don't have to think about those big decisions yet, anyway. I'm just going to keep moving forward and working toward my original goal, and I will deal with the rest later, when it's more relevant. That's the plan. I have a plan. Yes, sir. The plan's the thing.

Okay, so for now, I'm off to re-caulk the bathtub, among other things. I hope you're having a lovely and productive Spring, as well!

Ciao!

10 April, 2010

TCB

This has been a most productive (and tiring!) week at the homestead. I managed to find a motivating fire to stick 'neath my bum, and it burned for the better part of the week. With the help of my generous papa, I was able to remove my old lavatory sink, install my new lavatory sink, dismantle the chicken coop, turn the old bunny run into a compost bin, do the first big tidy to the yard (mow, weedeat, prune hedges and such), and move the frigidaire flair oven I got last year from the garage into the house. The latter was a complete bitch of a task, but I'm glad it's done. Next on the agenda is to clean up said oven and make sure it's still working properly. Then I need to sort through my mass collection of tools and hardware. I've also got to clean up the farm table and chairs and get them ready to sell. The weather's been hot, but nice and dry. My only complaint is the full contact assault from the pollen noodles in my yard, in my hair, on my skin, in my lungs, and everywhere else. The wee bit of rain last night didn't seem to do too much to assuade them. (bastards!)

This was a lean week where clients are concerned, but next week is shaping up nicely, so I'm not too worried there.

My emotions are still running high and frenzied, though their manifestation has been shifting toward more of an overpowering sense of nostalgia. This is framed mostly around my late college and early post-college days. Having a lot of sensations of regret for the way I handled almost every situation and opportunity I encountered. This is especially difficult to know how to navigate since I am technically opposed to the idea of regret. I realize that had anything been handled differently I might not be who and where I am today. But it's the Who I Am Today that has issues with the way I handled things Then. I'm just trying to recognize these contradictory feelings, and accept them as mile markers on the learning curve of my life. This is, of course, very frustrating and very interesting for me. I wonder what will present itself next?

If anyone out there has some good ideas or suggestions for how to handle these emotional conundrums, I'd love to hear them. Go ahead ... speak out! I'm listening.

05 April, 2010

Cake and Eggs?

Today is my birthday. Happy birthday to me. Though, it doesn't really seem as festive as I'd hoped. I'm sharing a birthday with a major Christian holiday, and that always just seems like a rip off. This fact is being driven home by the somewhat forced dinner I've been invited to attend at my parents' home today. My mother is very good at getting her way. And while I will enjoy spending time with my family, it's not really how I would have chosen to celebrate today.

Anyway ... that's not important. I'm just feeling a tad sorry for myself, I think. It's been such a difficult couple of weeks. The yard sale was last Saturday. It went very well. I unloaded much more of my stuff than I ever expected to, and made a decent cash stash to boot. All the preparations, pricing, organizing, set up, and clean up were a nice distraction to keep me from getting too bogged down in my grief over Charlie's absence. However, once the sale was over, I was left without that lovely distraction, and have been feeling those sharp pangs of grief in many moments. I imagine this will be happening for a while. Just last night I had this very precise moment when I realized - almost as if for the first time - that Charlie is really not coming back. He's not on vacation. He's not outside playing in the yard. He's gone. Forever. Needless to say, that was a pretty crappy moment.

My sister also moved last week. Her new apartment is fantastic. It's an old building in the middle of Durham. She's on the top floor. The entire place is reminiscent of an apartment building in New York City. She's been unpacking and decorating and buying lovely new/old pieces of furniture and decor. It's absolutely charming. Seeing her in this new place and watching her go through the process of making it her home and her canvas, of sorts, has started to reawaken the nester in me. It's as if there's a quiet battle raging within between the Happy Homemaker and the Restless Nomad. But, I'm sticking to my Path and just continuing to follow the plan I've laid out already. I am trusting that if the Path needs to change, then I will know it so strongly and so completely that there will be no doubt about which direction to choose. And when I listen to my quiet little internal voice, it is still guiding me toward the RV. I have to remember this when I find myself fantasizing about Sister's apartment.

Now that the yard sale has opened up some space in the house, it's time to start making some repairs. I'd really like to get the house on the market by May, if possible. (Though I do realize that this might be a slightly lofty aspiration.) Yesterday, Dad came over and helped me patch up the cracks on the chimney. Hopefully this will keep the chimney from leaking anymore. The sealant was quite toxic, so the breathing of it wasn't so fun, but the views of the neighborhood from the roof of my house were really lovely. I'd never been on my roof before. Perhaps I'll go again before I move, and take my camera for some photographic memories.

Tomorrow we are planning to replace the bathroom sink. I bought the new one already, we just need to remove the old one and put the new one in its place. It's been so long since I installed the last sink. I hope I remember how to do it properly without having to make fourteen hundred trips to the hardware store like last time. But it will be nice to start seeing some real improvement taking place in the house. And it will be very nice to start checking off items on my repair list.

Okay, time to go to my "birthday dinner". Happy Easter, if you celebrate it. If you don't, then I'll wish you a very merry unbirthday!

25 March, 2010

Letting Go

I have written several times of the emotional expenditures involved with saying goodbye to the attachments of my old life and creating a [relatively] blank canvas for my new one. This point was very painfully and articulately driven home earlier this week.
I went out of town this weekend to visit my grandfather in Kentucky, and to meet my parents who were there to help a friend box up her deceased husband's clothes. All things considered, it was a nice trip. I was able to take a lot of walks around the town where I spent the earliest years of my childhood. And that gave me a lot of time to do a lot of thinking. I started thinking about Charlie, my canine companion of 11 years, and my best friend in the world. I started wondering if anything I was doing with his diet, his skincare, his supplements was helping to make him feel better. I started thinking the thought that had been nagging at me for weeks, but to which I was too mortified to give conscious thought: Am I being selfish by hanging on to Charlie when he might be much more grateful to be released? The thought, of course, filled me with varying flavors of guilt, heavy sadness, and a heartache like I scarcely remember ever feeling. And that was just thinking about it..
When I returned home on Sunday night, greeted by my ever faithful Charlie at the door, I realized something that I hadn't fully noticed when being in the house full time: The house smelled very strongly of 'sick dog'. The odor hit me like a thrust from a prize fighter. I knew what was coming next. But, I still wasn't ready to admit it.
The next day, I forced myself to really consider Charlie. I wanted to try to put myself in his skin, and think about how I would want to be cared for by my companion. I could almost hear him telling me that he was only still hanging around because he knew how much I needed him. He didn't want to let me down. He was afraid to leave me. I knew he'd been miserable for some time, and even though I tried to tell myself that he was showing little signs of improvement - a slight patch of hair was starting to regrow; he was falling down not quite as many times as he has been - I knew that his eyes had been telling me what I didn't want to know. There'd been no joy in his eyes for months. When I looked at him, I only saw an exhausted determination to keep trying to make it through the day.
I had my answer. I had a silent exchange with Charlie, and I could swear that I saw relief in his eyes..
I called my parents to ask for their thoughts on the subject. Would they think I was a monster if I helped Charlie to find the peace I finally knew he needed?
They were wonderful and supportive.
I asked my sister the same thing. She said she was surprised I hadn't made the decision a while ago. She was totally understanding and a great pillar of support.
I asked my mother to make an appointment for us that same day.
So, on Monday, the whole family (mom, dad, sister, and me) all went to the veterinary office with Charlie. I asked mom to make him some bacon. I asked sister to bring him a banana. I shared some buttery toast with him before we left. He rode in my lap all the way there.
Charlie has never been a big fan of visits to the vet. He doesn't get crazy, but he's usually pretty tense and cautious when we have to go. This time he was cool as a cucumber ... which was surprising all the more, since his family was surrounding him with tearful attention like he'd never experienced. At first I thought he must think we are all crazy to be so sad. After all, he was receiving love, attention, and bacon from the people who love him. But, I think he just knew why he was there, and was ready to say goodbye.
He was tranquilized first, which was hard enough. And then we all gathered round him as he was given the injection that would stop his heart and give him the peace I knew he'd been wanting for so long. He didn't look scared. I stayed at his head and kept looking in his eyes so that I would be the last thing he would see, and he would know that he was safe. Then, his eyes rolled back, and it was over.
I think this was the most difficult thing I've ever had to do. I have cried and moaned and wailed in the deepest, most gutteral tones of unadulterated grief. But, I have been supported by my family and friends. My sister, especially, has been a great help to me.
And, it's also fortuitous that the yard sale I'd already planned is this Saturday, so I have had lots of distractions in getting ready for that. Clearing out the house, and seeing it look less like a home is actually a great comfort to me right now. The hardest moments for me are when I come into the house, and he's not here to greet me. Eleven years of having him at the door when I enter it ... it feels very lonely to be without that.
So, it must really be time for me to learn the lesson of Letting Go. It's a bitch of a lesson, but I'm trying to handle it with as much grace as I can. And with that, and a little help from my friends [and family], I know I'll find my way.

17 March, 2010

Fatigued and Restless

I don't remember ever being a big fan of Daylight Savings Time. I mean, I 've been known to be excited to have the sunshine still out at 8pm, but, as a concept, I think Daylight Savings Time is absolutely ridiculous. This feeling is compounded by the fact that twice every year, when the government passes down the brilliant idea of changing our clocks to try to manipulate the natural course of things, I end up physically paying the price for a couple weeks. The abrupt change in schedules and routines leaves me feeling exhausted, fatigued and totally wonky ... physically and mentally. Add these feelings to my current state of emotion soup, and you might be able to imagine the adventure my life is right now. Just getting out of bed at a decent hour feels akin to climbing great volcanic heights.

But, despite this almost unbearable fatigue, I've also been nursing a growing restlessness to get on the ball and try to pick up the pace on my plans to sell everything and become mobile. To that end, I've been posting more furniture online - craigslist, for now - and opened an ebay account. I posted my collection of Domino magazines on ebay last night. (It was the only complete collection being offered, so I hope it sells quickly.)

Today, I've got two different folks coming by to pick up my vintage Peugeot road bike, and my hammock, respectively. Last night, I sold the rain barrel. The night before that, I sold a garden bench. All good stuff ... good momentum towards my goal. And today, I'm going to start posting my shoes on ebay, (the good ones, anyway).

Less than two full weeks to the yard sale. After that, I think things will really start moving. Even if I have more to sell, I may put everything in a storage unit to sell from there so I can start working on the house repairs to get it ready for market as soon as possible. The daffodils and crocuses are blooming in the yard now, and the azaleas will soon follow. Would be nice to have as much in bloom as posssble for market.

All in good time. I'm just hoping my good time is short time.

15 March, 2010

Momentum and Release

This weekend I got inspired by the beautiful warm weather. I could feel my body practically aching to get outside. This also seemed the perfect time to begin acclimating my body to some of the physical challenges I'm hoping to create in my new life. As I mentioned in earlier posts, it is my goal to try to get my body into a much more efficient and fit shape so that I might be ready for any opportunity for adventure that should present itself. And, in that spirit, I chose to start walking this weekend. I realize that might sound a little anti-climactic, but it's not as small a step as it sounds. I chose to walk everywhere I went this weekend with the exception of the grocery store when I had to buy the week's worth of food for me and Charlie. I walked to the pool hall Friday night to meet my friends. I walked to the farmers' market Saturday morning with my friends. I walked to work on Saturday night (and got caught in the rain on the way there). It's been great. I love how walking a town can give such a personal experience of its landmarks and its people. I am planning to continue to use my feet and not my car as often as I can. I even hope to start walking to the grocery with my wagon in tow. So, I'm picking up momentum on my fitness plan. The diet is still going pretty well, though I am definitely wrestling with cravings. And I'm hoping to begin more goal-specific calisthenics this week. So, that part of my plans is going smoothly. Yay!

On a melancholy note: Blanca bunny is going to her new home today. My friend from high school is coming this afternoon to pick her up and take her to his neighbors' where she will find her new family. I know it's the right thing to do for her. And I truly believe she will be happier there, but in this past couple weeks, we have actually started to bond. I cleaned her house this morning, and cut her nails and held her and sang to her and tried to explain what was about to happen. She just looked up at me with those big, sweet eyes, and seemed to be telling me "I trust you, and I love you, too." Of course, I wept. And have been weeping on and off since that moment. And will probably weep some more. But such is the grief of release in these instances, and I will relish the sorrow as the price for affording Blanca's happiness, and doing what's best for her.

That's all I've to report right now. Happy Daylight Savings Sunday, everyone, and may you adjust to the time change smoothly.

11 March, 2010

Update: 10 march 2010

So, I'm still working on clearing things out for sale. I have set the date of my [first] yard sale for Saturday, 27 march, so I've got a couple weeks left to finish sorting things. With the beautiful Spring-ish weather this weekend I was able to tidy up the front, side and back yards, and I even got into the garage for a bit of clearing. Much of what's out there is out there because it's to be eliminated, but it was good to take an inventory of it. The main space I have left to tackle is the wash room. It's a small space, but boy is it cluttered with crap. I'm not especially looking forward to the task, but I'm definitely looking forward to having it finished.

My dad and I went to our first RV dealership yesterday just to see what we could see. I was a bit nervous when our sales rep told us to come into his office before we could ask him questions, but he turned out to be quite helpful, and he wasn't "salesy" at all. I imagine that was largely due to the fact that I told him repeatedly that I am looking for an older model small rig, which is not generally a big ticket item. However, it was nice to be able to ask him questions and see some of the newer models of rigsand their features. It was also nice that seeing the nice new fancy models continued to confirm my desire for something smaller and older. (Thank goodness I have cheap taste.)

Before the yard sale, I'm going to try to plan a sort of boutique sale for my clothes, shoes and accessories. I'm thinking of making it a sort of "Let's Make a Deal" style of fundraiser where my friends can shop what I have, choose what they want, and make me an offer for it. Then, I will have the option of accepting, refusing or countering their offer as I see fit. I think it will work out well, if I can frame it right. I mean, I want my friends to be happy and to get a good deal, and I'm sure they'll want be able to support me in my efforts to make this lifestyle change happen, so I see it as a win-win.

I'm still struggling with the emotional fall out of all these changes, as well as the physical shifts from the dietary changes. I've been noticing how much I rely on sugar to provide a sense of comfort and nurturing. But, I'm trying to hang in there and keep a positive attitude. I've been negligent in my fitness routine planning. It's almost finished, but I put it aside, and then have been having a hard time coming back to it. I did, however, get some good exercise from all the yard work I did, so I'm calling it a wash, and am motivating myself to get a fitness plan together by this weekend so I can implement it come Monday.

That's my update for today. I'll keep you posted on how the sales go. Ciao!

06 March, 2010

Attic Exodus and Emotion Soup

The day before yesterday, my dad came over to help me clear out my attic. And what a help he was! I'd been chucking half-packed, half-stacked piles of stuff up there for the past couple months as I've been gathering up things with which I know I am willing to easily part. As one might imagine, it is a lot easier putting things in the attic a little at a time than it is to bring things out of the attic all at once. I was left with one bedroom full of boxes and bags and miscellaneous items, and a second bedroom lined with the four bookshelves that were in the attic holding some of that stuff. I was able to get it somewhat situated so that I can still maneuver relatively easily through each room when I need to do so, but my real work is still waiting for me. This weekend (and today, if I can carve out enough 'free' time) will be spent sorting through all this stuff and categorizing it all. By Sunday afternoon I hope to have a pile of stuff to donate to Goodwill (which I will then take to Goodwill immediately so I never have to think about it again), a pile of stuff to sell online (either via craigslist, kijiji, or ebay), and a pile of stuff to sell at a yard sale. Lastly, I am planning to have a very teeny tiny sack of items that are too sentimentally valuable for me to sell or donate, and will therefore, either take with me, or have stored when I go. Mind you, I have a feeling that there will be a great deal of temptation to add unnecessarily to this teeny tiny sack of items, but I am determined to edit more ruthlessly than ever I've dared before. So, as you might imagine, my house is a veritable stock pile of dust and boxes waiting to be explored and conquered.

As I mentioned in my last post, and will likely be mentioning in future posts, I've been noticing a whirlwind of emotional upheaval. I know it is to be expected during a drastic life change such as I am making. And, it's understandable that sifting through the material mementos that have made up my life thus far would trigger some sort of emotional response. Plus, notable changes in diet and exercise can help to sweep out toxic emotions as well as physical toxins. So, I guess it shouldn't be a surprise that I am experiencing what I like to call Emotion Soup. It's kind of like Alphabet Soup in that I never know which emotions are going to rise to the surface and show themselves. It's like I'm a walking grab bag of emotional response, and the ironic part is that these responses don't even necessarily need a stimulus to trigger them. One moment I'm fine. Then another moment later I could be feeling euphorically happy. Next breath might bring a swell of tears or seething anger, for no apparent reason. I know it's good to let these old stored emotions surface and release, but my goodness, it sure is exhausting. And I imagine it's also difficult for anyone spending any time with me. I'm trying to keep things calm and quiet without hindering the process, but emotions are strong magick, and they're difficult to contain and express at the same time. So, if you are reading this, and you know me, and you see me and I'm acting weirder than usual, please don't take offense. It's more likely me than you.

Okay, now that's been explained, I'd better get some stuff done around here before my client comes over tonight. If anyone's reading this ... Happy Blissful Friday!

02 March, 2010

Playing catch up.

Well, I've been remiss in my posting duties. It's been almost a month since I last checked in here. However, that month has been one of trials, challenges and, finally, a shift in wind current, so I hope I will be forgiven. Shortly after I wrote my last post, I became ill ... and remained so, more or less, for about three weeks. On the recommendation of a knowledgeable friend I began to take adaptagens to try to boost my adrenals, and things started getting better. My theory is that going through everything I own with the intention of letting go of as much as possible, I have been simultaneously doing two things: 1. I've been experiencing a number of old emotions surrounding old memories, and trying to distill them to their essence and release the excess; and 2. I've been getting overwhelmed by both these old emotional jaunts down memory lane and the very large size of my To Do List, and, therefore, have been reverting to all my old bad habits without even being half aware of them.

So, with the desire of really getting into the meat of this upheaving experience, and with the hopes of getting myself as healthy as I can before my "move", I am making some changes.

I'm beginning with diet. I am shifting my eating habits toward more fruits and vegetables, and to a predominantly raw diet. (Thank goodness Spring is on its way, or I'd likely never be able to do this.) I am supplementing with probiotics, evening primrose oil, B vitamins, and adrenal adaptagens. I am taking bentonite clay every morning. I am slowly cutting dairy out my diet. I will use coconut milk, rice milk and nut milks instead of animal milk. The only dairy product I plan to keep in my diet is yogurt - and it'll be goat's milk yogurt as often as I can afford it. I am also working on cutting all refined sugars from my diet. (This will be tricky, but I'm determined to do it.) And, of course, I'm trying to maintain a proper daily water intake. I've cut out coffee and am cutting out other caffeine, too. I'm feeling really good about these new choices.

The next step will be fitness. I am in the process of planning a general fitness plan for myself. It will include hiking, bicycling, walking, yoga, pilates, swimming (when it gets warmer), and hopefully a few other adventurous activities if I can figure out how and where to do them. (I'm hoping to try some climbing, especially.) Any ideas of interesting fitness activities I might try around Durham would be more than welcomed.

I've been making some decent headway with selling some of my larger pieces of furniture. So far, I've sold a swivel chair, dining table + 4 chairs, and china hutch. I thought I had a taker for my bed, but it fell through. I went ahead and dismantled it anyway, though, for the space. I've got possible buyers for another large shelf cabinet, and side table. As these items go, I'll have room to bring some of the larger items from the garage to clean up and post online. Now that I've taken the bed apart, I've got room to start bringing things down from the attic. That means that the next several weeks will involve organizing all that stuff into piles: sell online; sell at yard sale; donate; give as gifts; consign. Good times. I am really NOT looking forward to this process, but I am looking forward to the feeling I'll have when it's all done, so that's my motivation.

My family and I went to the Raleigh RV show this weekend. It was great. Though there weren't many models available that even remotely resembled what I'm looking for - there were only a small handful of Class C rigs there at all - it was good to walk through several different layouts and see different features and options already installed. And, thankfully, it confirmed my conviction that an older model will be a better match for my tastes and needs. So, I'm also planning to start adding some trips to dealerships soon to start seeing some of these older models in person and getting an idea of how to actually shop for one before I really need to do so.

Well, that's my catch up post, I guess. Hope you enjoyed it. I'll try to write more often now that I'm feeling better again. Ciao!

04 February, 2010

Reflection and Growth

Having spent most of my formative years during the 1980s - a decade best described by greed, rampant consumerism, and decadent excess - it is no wonder that I have spent much of my life aspiring to happiness through the collection of material things. I erroneously believed that if I could only have enough money to buy the things I wanted, I could be happy, and my life would be well-lived. I have, now, finally begin to realize the errors of this way of thinking. For, in placing my abilities for happiness in the attainability of a certain sufficiency of funds, and never seeming to have such sufficiency of funds, I have spent my life in a constant internal struggle between loving money and hating it. This, as one might imagine, has never brought me happiness.
I began to turn my thoughts to this conundrum, feeling that some sincere scrutiny was definitely in order.
I have been working since I was fifteen years old with the goal of making money for the things I want. And while I never managed to have many of the things I wanted, I have managed to accumulate a great deal of material possessions - so great, in fact, that it embarrasses me to really consider it. Some of the things I've amassed are even really nice things. Yet, why haven't these things brought me the happiness I had been sure they would? Why can I not arrange them, organize them, display them in such a way that they bring me the fulfillment they surely should?
I've been pondering these questions for a while now. My first thought was that I'd gotten the wrong stuff. So, I exchanged some of the old stuff for some new and different stuff. Surely, this was going to fix my problem.
It didn't.
My second thought was that, perhaps, I needed to organize and arrange this new stuff in new ways to reflect how I had grown and matured in my purchasing habits.
This didn't work, either.
Finally, and reluctantly, I began to really consider my attachment to these things. What value did all of these material possessions afford me? How were they improving my life? How, specifically, could they make me happy?
In so doing I was lead to seriously consider what it is that I truly value in life, itself; to determine what comprises a happy and fulfilling life for me?
I finally came to the ridiculously obvious conclusion that a well-lived life - for me - is one filled with meaningful experiences and relationships. It has little, if anything, to do with possessing lots of stuff. This was a definite light bulb moment. It was as if I'd just gotten the punchline of a joke I'd heard years before.
Suddenly, all of the items filling my house, my attic, my garage have become an oppressive and weighty albatross about my neck. It now seems as if I've been slowly building an army, piece by piece, that will eventually overtake me and force me to surrender to my own undoing. I can not let this happen. I will not let this happen.
It was in that moment of realization that my new life began. I have laid my old life to rest, not with anger and resentment, but with gratitude for the knowledge it's given me. I make my first steps on this new road with excitement and reverence, and, yes, a dose of fear. But, it's a healthy fear that propels me to action, so I am glad for it. I am slowly prying my emotional grips loose from the objects of my former life, and sending these objects out into the world with the hopes that they will find good purpose for someone else who needs them. With every item that goes, I feel lighter and less fettered. I am ready to remove the albatross, and disassemble the army, and to seek more appropriate companions in new experiences and deeper relationships.
This is my road, now. And it's a wide and welcoming road with a bright horizon.

03 February, 2010

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes ...

So, the raison d'etre of this blog is taking a slightly dramatic shift. With the recent drastic change in my income, and the unusual weather keeping me housebound (snow in NC?!), I have been doing a lot of reflecting, philosophizing, and questioning. I won't bore you with the tedious details of how I came to my decision, but the decision has been made nonetheless: I am going to get rid of my belongings, get my house in order, sell my house, and buy an RV and call it home. Yes, I know you may be thinking any number of thoughts about this decision ... likely all in the vein of "Is she off her noggin?" But, I don't think I am. (Well, not in regards to this decision, anyway.) I finally realize that in trying to secure a somewhat normal life for myself, I have only managed to make myself a relative hermit with lots of pets, too many bills, and a tendency toward boredom and depression. From the moment I bought my house, my excitement at having taken a responsible (read: conventional) "grown up" step toward a proper (read: conventional) "grown up" life has been shadowed by a strong feeling of suffocation and entrapment. While I love Durham, I have never truly felt at home here. My life has become a stagnant, purposeless, boring mess, and threatens to continue this thread if I don't take action to change it. And the action that seems to make the most sense for me, is to release the baggage of then, and start over with the now. I've been reading everything I can find on selling a home, and buying an RV, and living in an RV, and being nomadic, in general, etcetera, etcetera. And every time I envision what my new life might be like, I get happy little butterflies in my belly. Okay, so half of those butterflies are gleefully happy, and the other half are scared out of their wits, but even the thought of doing something this scary feels pretty incredible. Isn't is common knowledge that truly spectacular awakenings can only really happen when we remove ourselves from our comfort zone?
So, while I'll continue to post about the things I'm doing to get my house ready to go to market, I'll also be sharing insights on the preparations for this new life journey. I've already started posting furniture for sale on craigslist, and have begun some small repairs on the house. I've done round one of primer painting on the hideous salmon pink trim in the hallway. (It was left by the previous owners, and I never got around to changing it.) I've removed all the old grody caulk around my bathtub, and am prepping it for new sealant stripping. I'm constantly editing my belongings and relegating oodles of items to the attic to sort for sale once I've freed up a little more space in the house proper. Plus, I've compiled a list of all the things I need to have addressed for the house to be ready to be shown to a realtor. The list includes estimated costs, notes on potentially necessary goods and services purchases, and the estimated order of priority for each item. (It's a bit longer than I'd like it to be, but it's doable, and that's a comfort.) My dad has agreed to help me with many of the items on the list, which is also a great comfort. So, you see, the blog's taking a huge Left Turn ... as is my life.
Check back often ... I'm sure there's gonna be lots to share as the journey unfolds. As always, your feedback is welcomed. Here's to happy experimental adventure!