A Next Adventure

 I always say... Don't "too" yourself out of anything...  I'm too old / busy... to take part in that. When the boys were just bitty nuggets I moved into this gross trailer.  It's what I could afford. The first night the boys and I were sleeping in this old swivel rocker recliner the previous owners left behind (furniture was to come), and James was wheezing because the trailer was moldy and, like I said, gross. My proverbial walls were caving in, as they say, not just because it was a 10 x 50 ft home. I couldn't stay here.  This wasn't working.  I was tired.  Extremely tired.  But I didn't "too" myself out of it, and I got up and started ripping up carpet. This isn't some majestic boast... I am sure I whined and swallowed tears the whole time. Back then one had to be a bit more earnest about wanting to learn to conquer construction.  You couldn't just watch a uTube video on how to build an addition. We went to the library, and after a...

Moving mistake #398... don't go back to work the day after you move.  Despite my compulsion for no clutter and my need to do everything NOW, I find places to hide the boxes and I don't fully move into our new house.  My workday is long and I convince myself there is no battery life left to unpack at the end of the day.   So the cure for this is to start renovating.  Ironically, the room that got unpacked right away (the kitchen) gets packed back up.  I have just as much kitchen stuff as everything else combined. When I save out a few vital kitchen items, it's shocking to see how little you need by way of appliances, dishes, etc. to get by.  After 13 1/2 hours at Lowes, I BELIEVE I have successfully ordered my cabinets and chosen granite counters.  The young gal who helps me put together the design is still speaking to me without gritted teeth when I leave. We have 4 weeks to tear out our kitchen and prepare for the new cabinets.  I post our o...

  Getting out of the closing, I immediately get a call from the movers that they are 30 minutes away.  This is followed by a call from the realtor that Trent has not signed one of the papers and must return.  He goes back and I race to the house to meet the movers.  As I drive I realize 1) it takes 27 minutes to get to the new house, and 2) Trent has the keys to said new house.  Having accomplished a lot over the past couple weeks, this does not ruffle me. Sure, I can break into a house in less than 3 minutes.  And I do, leaving time to open all the windows and post the floor plan on all doors.  As I walk quickly through the house I am a ball of trepidation - what have we done? oh it's not so moldy when we have the windows open, can I possibly be happy here? can I possibly be unhappy here? The movers are a bit pokier and slackish today.  Maybe now I am just noticing the behavior.  Or maybe I was a bit more praise-ful yesterday.  Boxes a...

 We've all heard the semi-quoted statistics... "they say moving is more stressful than [insert traumatic life event]".  We have a contract on our old house which calls for a move date 4 weeks away, but the new house owners push that date for everyone out 2 more weeks. I start getting quotes from movers, because asking a bunch of older lady friends to help us move is, well, not going to happen.  Quite frankly, I am relieved we have aged out of the days of calling in huge favors from friends with strong backs and non-replaced joints.  I find a mover that's much cheaper than most and cement in the date by slapping down money.  Trent didn't want to pay the extra so we opt to pack ourselves.   I made my first purchase of boxes and tape at U-Haul.  Yes, this statement needs its own paragraph. You consider your house that first time in U-Haul and estimate how many boxes you need. Our house is relatively tidy, as I've made it my life goal not to keep tcho...

Eighteen years ago I moved into a total fixer-upper.  But it was calling to me, its song spreading dreams in my head of DIY Bliss and a perfect end result.  You can substitute bliss for bloody thumbs, tears (oh the tears!) and, once I got married, differing opinions over methodology. But yes in the end the house was perfect, at least to me.   Fast forward to 2023 and my mind is listening to random siren calls for change. Our road has become a nuisance with high speed frequent traffic.  This is accentuated by a blind rise out front and every Yahoo drawn to it for the thrill of going fast enough to get air akin to a Dukes of Hazard episode. We are subjected to these road noises at all hours of the day and night, and our dog Walter (never one to stand up to fear) can often be found hiding under the bed with his teeth audibly chattering.  And so in June, when Trent is worn down by my multiple "reminders" that I'd like to move, he agrees to start looking at...