Yard Sale

I broke my rule from 14 or so years ago...and had a yard sale.  What was I thinking? Well, I was thinking that I didn't want to box and pay to move all of our collections.  So how about sell some of it.  Saturday (according to the weather guessers) was to be a warm sunny day. So we set out signs and set up shop. Cletus being the ever-prepared guy he is, started at 4a.  Ei-yi-yi.  It turned out to be gray, misty and seriously cold day!  I think that contributed to our low turn out.  We made a little money. 

The strangest things sold (and good stuff just sat)... 

A fan that I got at the dollar store for work, one day when the a/c went out and an old metal 2 door filing cabinet, were the first to go. Really?

And I learned we have some interesting neighbors...
Posts for a closet organizer was happily taken by a little man (Troll?) who was going to transform it into a bridge for his model train set.

Then about noon, I started packing it back up for the charity truck...when Fred and Ethel (not their real names) rolled into the driveway.  Tdawg said that Fred looked a lot like Papa Smurf. They asked if they could look.  I said sure, why not.  They wanted the first few things they saw, so Tdawg helped load the van.  In the van already: a shag tiger rug, an outdoor grill, a deer head and several samurai type swords.  Hmmm. That's...unusual.

Long story short, the more they looked the more they wanted.  Until they had all of it. Fred and Ethel are most likely Class 5 (highest class) hoarders.  They took everything we had left.  Which included Tdawg and I helping haul the rest of it to their son's house. I felt bad about adding to their addiction...but it made them so happy.  And if they sell it and make a few bucks, more power to them.

I'm just glad it is over...and now I have extra money that I can't spend because I'm sick.

Valentine's Mailbox

Cutest project for a Valentine mailbox!

Raining...again!

Well it is nice to know that someone is happy about the rain.  Not me!  I am tired of the gloomy weather.  I think I am solar powered!  Maybe I should move to Tucson.  However, they had snow (very unusual) yesterday.  Well, maybe it wont rain all Spring long.

It is Happening

It is happening, and I can't stop it! I'm turning into my mother!!

I told Cletus that I was going "to toddle out to the mailbox!".

Then today, out of nowhere,  I called Buddy "Pickle Puss"! I'm not sure who was more surprised!

I already knew that I inherited her cleaning frenzies. Company is coming: wipe down the baseboards! Let's act like we live in a magazine!

And her lists and her need to plan...

Oh good grief! There has got to be pharmaceuticals for this!!

Bites

We are as couple bites closer to being ready to list the house. We qualified to go into debt for another 30 years! Whoo hoo!

 This week more items sorted, organized, boxed, sold (keyboard and pool table). And donated: one garbage bag full of puzzles to The Arc (special needs), two bags to the Boys & Girls Club, one bag to Bethlehem school and two to assisted living.

 Also a full garbage can. Other than self employed people, does anyone else have their phone, utilities and other bills back to 2001. It actually might be earlier. There is a box in the garage with my first tax return (1978) in it. I guess it is an occupational hazard! :)

 So far we have sold enough to pay a friend to fix the attic fan and the painter to paint over the stairs (due here Monday).

 I took our king sized bedspread to the laundromat. The Surf and Suds in the Green. Sounds like a beach side bar. Sigh! Sadly they charge up to $6 for washing alone. I spent less on the dryer, but only because it was pitiful. Strange folks at the S&S!

 We are having a yard sale on Saturday. That should help make the house look less cluttered and disorganized. I was asked if I had a Chester Draw. Uhmm, do you mean a chest of drawers? Some southernisms escape me!

 At this pace, I'm going to need to collapse again!

K'Nex Time You Have Time

TRex at the Space and Rocket Center

 A little man inside the TRex's mouth!

 Yikes! That is one BIG dino!

Collapse

I guess it is no wonder that I went into total physical and mental collapse. Friday, after another day of packing and stressing, I started into meltdown. I really wanted to go play. But I crashed for the next thirteen hours. I do feel better today. Hubby suggested that we just veg and watch movies to keep our mind off of the to do list. Hotel Transylvania was cute. I laughed out loud several times. Funny things that kids wouldn't get. And Trouble with the Curve. Clint captured the stubborn old fart perfectly! While backing out, he runs into the garage and blames the garage! So my Dad!

Can You Hear Me Now?

So how long should you keep financial records? I'm guessing that having phone records (both cell and land line) since 2000, is a bit extreme. Sadly I sat there thinking that even 2009 wasn't that long ago. So, as large garbage bag later, there is hardly as anything left in the filing cabinet.

So Sore

The classifieds at Cletus' work have aided in selling

 the keyboard and a the pool table. The only drawback was moving the pool table out of the house and down the front steps. I was good until the next morning. At which time, I needed the jaws of life to get me out of bed.

Football Banquet

We drove to the Ham on Tuesday night for the BSC Football banquet.  Tdawg was recognized for being on the honor roll (better than a 3.25 gpa)!  He was taking: Latin, Philosophy and Molecular Biology while fighting for a spot on the varsity football team!  Since he was able to make the varsity team and they won their conference, he gets a ring!  He got the ring on Wednesday, so I haven't seen it yet.  Tdawg is stoked...and wants three more! 

Tdawg looks great with his hair grown out and his new glasses, he looks a lot older than 18!

 Buddy, Tdawg and Cletus

 Tdawg and me

Tuesday

More boxing. More patching, priming, painting. More cleaning. And then, the last meeting with the school about Buddy. He will graduate in May.  Mad. Co. is not my favorite.  Poor Buddy has been in 3 elementary schools, 2 middle schools and 2 high schools.  That is not the best idea for a kid who has issues with change.  I know some of that is federally mandated (once again, the feds have no clue and should butt out).  I am so ready to be done with school!

Monday

Ugh, what a start to the week.  Very stressful! We scrambled to get the house looking good for the realtor.  She was favorably impressed and suggested that we list the house at $189.900. We have a few things to do before we list it. And the list seems to grow daily. It is hard, but I know it will get a little worst before it gets better. And more decisions to make. Buy or build.  Right now, it looks like we will build.

Magnificent Desolation

Catch up: I had a great weekend (last weekend) with my sister and her husband. Friday, we had dinner at Logan's with Tdawg. We had the best brownie sundae. I should have taken a pic. Maybe next time (wink wink). Saturday, we went to The Space and Rocket Center. We watched the IMAX movie about the moon, called "Magnificent Desolation". It was pretty good. I sometimes wonder if we really did go to the moon. Our leaders have lied to us about so much, I wouldn't be surprised. The space race was so politicized.

In the way back corner of my memories, I remember my sister and Dad arguing one day about the moon. I never understood what the fuss was, but it was quite heated. Of course, since my Dad was a lawyer, every argument was passionately defended. So I asked if she remembered what it was. She did. When we see a "full moon" it is really only half of the moon (we don't see the other half, the dark side). So it is incorrect to call it a full moon.  I know, why in the world would you argue over that?  That would be my family! Dad always had to argue long enough to make you agree with his point of view.

Best Friends

These were my best friends as a kid. Francie, Old Barbie, New Barbie, Ken, Miss America and Staci. Sadly the ladies all visited my hair styling salon. They wouldn't be worth anything to anyone but me. But to me they are part of my childhood. Just can't bear to part with them.

Houston we found the problem

Electrical is not my thing. That is to be left to the experts...(yes, I have electrocuted myself. No fun!)...and I'm not an expert. However...shouldn't the wires be attached for the object to function? Guess that's why the doorbell never worked!

Boxen

And so it begins. Hubby brought home about fifty boxes. Sadly, we will probably need more. I just don't know what to, and what not to keep. Just trying to take it one box at a time. I finished packing a few boxes on Sunday. And did a few more today. My brother is a hoarder... I make a conscious decision to not have things overtake my life. But it is hard to let go. I have the treasures from my childhood since both of my parents are gone. I think maybe a granddaughter would appreciate some of it. I just don't want to leave a bunch of junk for my kids to go through. My grandmother was a bit of a hoarder too. Her house was a nightmare when she passed. So another part of me wants everything to go. There must be a happy middle ground? Somewhere.

Spring Fever

I have spring fever. I like wearing sweaters and boots. But as they say, been there done that. And now I am so over it. I want to feel the warm sunshine. I'm tired of being cold!

Knit Wit

After stuggling on my own for awhile, I decided to take a knitting class.  A co-worker of mine: Gloria, before she left for Massachusetts, tried to teach me how to knit.  So, when Jo-Ann's had half price classes, I signed up.  I told Rose, the teacher, that I could sort of knit.  I don't think she knew what to think of me.  So I demonstrated.  The other lady asked  the teacher...well, can she knit?  And the teacher said that I was right.  I can sort of knit.  But not the way you are supposed to.  So, Rose instructed.  It took me awhile to unlearn the way I was doing it and relearn the correct way. I learned the two stitches (knit and purl) and three combinations.

Then I got new yarn and needles to start an infinity scarf:

I think my progression will be infinity scarf, baby blanket, hat and then try something bigger like a vest and eventually a sweater. The other ladies were working on a sweater. It didn't look that hard...just time comsuming.

Rick and Bubba

Cletus, Buddy, Rick, Me and Bubba

That's where the magic happens

 

After all of the housework and moving prep, we needed a getaway.  So we got Golden Ticket seats to the Rick and Bubba Show in Birmingham.  They are now a nationally syndicated radio talk show and broadcast on tv as well.  We have been listening to them for almost all of their 15 years.  We have purchased cd's and books and have met them in person before.  It was really interesting to be behind the scene.  It was definitely upclose and personal.  We sat just feet from where the show was live for three hours. You can check it all out at rickandbubba.com

Location, Location, Location

After the conversation on Saturday night...we went out Sunday afternoon with our mls listings to see what all was available for sale in our area.  Hmm.  $40k. Pictures of the house look nice.  Lets go check it out.  Well, it was pretty far out in the country. That's ok.  It was in rough DIY shape.  That's to be expected.  The neighbors to the west: beat up redneck trailer. The neighbors to the east...  Well, that's where there was a problem.  I don't mind if you are struggling financially and your house reflects that (like the one to the west). But!  The lot to the east...was a deer processing place.  There was a rough scaffolding contraption in the front yard with the sign: "You hang 'em, We gut 'em". Wow, that just spoke volumes to me. Needless to say, we kept on truckin'!  The Realtor catch phrase: "Location, location, locaton" was never more evident!

Fixin' To

Well, after leaving Top O' The River, we had about an hour drive home.  We took the back way through Grant Mountain.  Probably really pretty, but being in the country at night...it was just pitch black.  It felt a bit Squatchie.  That is, some place that Bigfoot/Sasquatch might hang out.  Cletus and I got into an interesting discussion about what would you do if you saw Mr. Foot.  He said that he would not tell a soul.  I  think that is true of most people.  That is why they haven't found Mr. Foot yet.  By the way, I would probably tell S and V and no one else.  Not sure what they would think.  But that's what friends are for. As well as they know me, I'm not sure that they would be in the least bit alarmed (or surprised) that I saw Mr. Big Foot.

The rest of the conversation was a little less serious.  Our five/ten year plan.  After, Buddy graduates in May.  He will need full time care.  So, I am going to take that role.  Hopefully, he can work part time and I will chauffeur.  Otherwise, we will volunteer.  I just can't have him just sitting around the house watching television.

So, we have decided to put our house on the market and get a smaller, more managable home. So we are fixin' to be ready.  And there is a lot of fixin' to do: sort, donate, clean, box, repair, sell. Ugh.  We haven't moved in ten years and we have accumulated quite a bit.  And we plan on a house about half the size of the one we have now.  So this week has been cleaning out the top of the garage (I didn't know we still had that). And sorting through crammed closets for donation items. And having work done on the outside of the house.

When I get to that point.  I have some items to sell.  I'll let y'all know about yard sales and other large items.

It is a lot of work and not very glamourous.

Discriminating Taste

Wow, it is Friday already and I am waay behind on my blogging.  Well, I had a great Saturday with Sharika (A New Beginning) and V (Am I Getting Old).  We worked on a watercolor batik of boats.  I think they have already posted pics of theirs if you want to check out their pages.  I'm not happy with mine.  So I am going to do some more work on it. Pics later.

After the class, we went out to dinner at Top o' the River.  S and V's hubby's are both named Gary.  I wanna fit in so I am going to change Cletus' name to "Gary".  Just kidding.  I have never been a fitting in type of person. Cletus said it is too confusing for all of the guys to be Gary.  Besides, he has enough trouble with people calling him Ronald or Randy (neither are correct).

Dinner was fun.  TOTR has southern food: fried catfish, turnip greens, pinto beans, cornbread. It is good, just not what I grew up on.  Actually, I like my cornbread... sweet (with honey butter).  Gasp!  And having unsweet cornbread with pinto beans...well, that is not a meal (to me). Gasp! As for catfish, I've tried it.  I like fish that doesn't taste like fish.  A mild white fish...like halibut. Oh my!!  I know, I know, I get this all the time: "ya ain't from 'round 'ere, are ya?"

Well no.  I am from the west and a city girl. I "branched out" and tried fried dill pickles.  Pretty good. And had fried chicken.  Can't help it if I'm 'picky'...although, I prefer to think of myself as having "discriminating taste".  I know what I like.

Anyway, painting was fun.  Dinner was good.  And the company was the best!!