Done and done

The closing is done! We had a great experience! The new couple Michael and Amanda are very nice. They have five children: from 20 months to 11 years old, with one set of twins.  It was obvious that they needed a lot more room. They were squashed into a 1500 square foot home. They thanked us for taking such good care of the house and leaving it so clean.  It was fun to see how happy they were: hugging and kissing in the parking lot afterwards.

I was still a little sad. But the memories go with me. And leaving the house with someone who appreciates it, sure helps!

And we are out...

Sorry no pics today. Can't find the laptop cord. But if that the worst thing... I'm good!

Yesterday was cray-cray!! The movers took all of the big stuff to storage: a five hour endeavor. As soon as the movers and hubby went to storage, I cleaned the whole house. An empty house was easier to clean,  but it is still 2700 square feet.

And then we took a month's worth of "essentials" to the apartment. My car looked like we were homeless.

Then, in an effort to make Buddy's life as normal as possible, we went to the baseball game. He did great! Another hit over the center field fence!! He has a home run ball from every game this season! Yay Buddy!!

That, I would say was a full day! Today is closing...marking the end to the ten year M'ville chapter...

Indoor plumbing and Electricity!

We have electricity, a garage door, dirt, appliances, ceiling fans, plumbing fixtures and the laminate flooring is done!  I think the concrete outside  and carpet inside is next.  Not sure what else they lack, other than sod.  Sure looks like we will be in sooner than later!

Blank Canvas

To an artist, sometimes the most daunting thing there is: a large blank canvas!

I had a picture I bought from discount store, but I hung it under the skylights and it faded horribly.  So, I put a coat or two of Kilz on it and decided to reuse the canvas.

Time passed, doubt flourished.

I finally got my courage up and got the painters tape out...I didn't want the water to look like it was running out of the picture.

Not bad.  I think it will look nice in the new house.

And Outside

Looks like tomorrow (weather permitting) they will be pouring the front porch, walkway, driveway and sidewalk!

Tuesday

Last post I speculated what would be next.  Well, here is the answer.  And they got a lot done in two days! Most of the laminate flooring is in.  The light fixtures are up.  The electrical covers on.  And the cabinets in the kitchen and the bath went in today.  They were working on the back patio tonight.

 and the start of tile in the bathroom. 

Finished Brick and Trim

Didn't realize that I had not posted a pic of the finished brick, rock and trim.

Painting and Trim

No pics today. Every time we go by the house, the workers are there. The outside rock and brick and trim is finished. Since the last post... they finished the drywall, taped and mudded. Painted the ceilings. Painted the walls. Trimmed the windows. Installed all of the crown moulding, baseboards and the doors. It is going really fast!

Not sure what will be next. Probably flooring. Then cabinets. Bathroom necessities. Then lights. And appliances. front and back concrete patios. Dirt, sod and bushes. Just a guess.

Kind of sad, this is our last week in the old house. We've had good times here. Of course, the memories will stay with us. It is exciting to start a new chapter!

All the way!

So...we have a little over a week before we bail out. I've been feeling like a Waffle House order of hash browns: scattered, smothered (onion), covered (cheese), chunked (ham), diced (tomato), peppered (jalapeño), capped (mushroom), topped (chili), and country (sausage gravy). Or just all the way! Moving is definitely not for sissies. And we are just staying in the same area. I can't imagine moving across the country or globe. I must be getting old 'cause I just don't roll like I used to.

I did find us a place to stay in May. And I've contacted all of the utilities and such. They have all been really nice about putting the account on hold while we get situated. Of course it helps that I've been a faithfully paying customer since 1988!

I'm just praying for smooth sailing without hiccups.

Monday (15th) Brick!

Saturday night.  We took measurements.  The drywall is up and taped!

 The bricks, including the house number, are ready to go.

Monday night...looks like they are about halfway with the bricks and have started on the stonework.  It is really starting to look like a house now!

We move in two weeks.  Everything is pretty much packed.  Just waiting on the ok for the inspections.  I'm ready to go!

Friday 12th: sheetrock

We have shingles!  And the guys were working on putting up the sheetrock.  I think by Monday, we will have it bricked, drywalled and mudded.  They are moving fast!  They just might have it finished by the 10th of May!  I'm getting more excited :)

Still fixing the old place.  These buyers are driving us nuts.  But it will all be done in about two weeks.  Then I'll breathe easier.

Financial Horder?

I know, you can't believe that I still have this.  Actually, I was disappointed that I didn't have the first one: 1978.  Well, I bought a shredder, so two boxes worth are going bye bye.

Roof or Ruff?

Roof or ruff...however you pronounce it....we have one!  And the plumbing and electrical and a/c duct work are in!  You can tell where the rooms are and it is starting to look like a house! 

Fluffy

I'm gonna miss Fluffy.  I hope the new owners (and their five kids!) don't distrupt Fluffy's life too much.

Framing and Decking

By the end of Saturday... the roof trusses started going up...

And by Sunday evening, they had decked the roof!

And by Monday evening... wrapped and roof felted and...WINDOWS!

I think the next step is shingling the roof!  Hopefully all of the outside work (except bricking) is almost done.  They are moving along.

T minus 20 til we move out.  A tad stressful.  Moved more boxes this week.  Feeling a tad bit more prepared.

Still(!) not there yet

It is sad how fast jealousy can rear its ugly head. I should know better than to compare! I should know better than to count another's blessings! I should know better than to silently compete!

This exercise in futility will never be a positive one. I don't even know what this person is doing. I haven't seen her in years. So why do I do this to myself? Do I feel that I need to remind myself that I don't measure up? Such a rotten attitude. Just shows that my maturity level is not there yet.

Home where your story is told

"Your home should tell the story of who you are and be a collection of what you love brought together under one roof." (Nate Berkus)

Your home tells the about the journey you have been on and what you cherish enough to keep.  The contents that fill the walls and shelves should have meaning. They should tell your story.

This spoke to me especially after moving from Golden to Greeley to Anchorage to Harvest to Huntsville to Hazel Green to Meridianville and now back to Hazel Green.  Moving around as much as we do these days...you really have to love your items to pay to drag them around!

As I pack boxes and reminiscing about each item, I realize that each piece is a part of me. A pursuit (art) or a souvenir from the places I have been, even people I have known. It is cool to me to have my Grandmother's Hoosier cabinet (born in the late 1800's). The rocking chair my dad was rocked in as a baby (1920's). The table my mother and I retiled. My parents chair (1950's). An eclectic mix of old and new. The story of me.

We have been here a decade. Exciting to see what the next decade will bring. What new chapters will appear on the shelves and walls.

Framing

Amazing what they can do in one day!  I took the dry concrete pictures yesterday.  They did all of this framing in one day.  The foreman told Cletus that the trusses and the decking for the roof should be done by the end of the day on Monday.  So exciting!!  You can start to tell where everything will go. Yay!!

Concrete

Went out Friday and we have dry concrete (it rained on Thursday)!   And a large amount of lumber.

 Cool treatment they did to the garage.

Highs and Lows

I never know what the day will bring. 

 

 Yesterday, we were all day at Crestwood Hospital with Cletus' second surgery.  It went much better than the first.  I certainly hope he is finished with kidney stones!

 

After I got Buddy on the school bus this morning, I went back to sleep.  I was feeling guilt for lazy/slothfulness.  But figured that my body needed it.  Turned out to be a really good idea.

 

I got up after a good three hour nap, took a shower and Cletus and I went to look at the house:

 

 

We have concrete!  And hopefully on Thursday (if it doesn't rain), they will start framing!

Then we stopped for lunch.  I got a text from Tdawg.  He had skipped class.  Was feeling miserable and was at the campus nurse.  He tested negative for rapid strep.  But they were sending him to an ENT because of his 103.5 fever.  He asked me to come down.  So, I hopped in the car and drove the 70 mile one way trip.  I, of course, got lost.  Yes, I have a GPS.  But I still didn't end up at the right building. 

I found Tdawg.  He was a mess!  He was delirious and felt very hot to the touch.  He tested positive for flu.  Oh dear!  Good thing I went down!  I got his Tamiflu (BCBS wouldn't cover it?!?) and we came back home. 

Now that the house is quiet...I can say: thankfully, Cletus is feeling much better.  He is going to work tomorrow.  And Tdawg is fed, medicated and crashed.  Hopefully by the weekend, he will be feeling much much better. 

Once again, if I knew what the day held....I don't think I would have gotten out of bed!