JUST kidding! Actually I've been working my butt off for 3 weeks and a day on this house project. Ydy and today DL and 2 of here friends worked on power washing the deck, the house, and the garage. Huge job, and huge improvement! I took some "before" pics, and I'll post them with the "after" pics, when I get them taken.
I've taken tons of stuff to the recycling and dump, and ydy I took a car FULL to Goodwill. But essentially I'm getting down to the little things. I have a few piles to get through in my office room, and then that will be ready for painting. The kitchen is done, with just some piles to go to be donated, and the Haviland ready to be ... whatever I decide to do with that.
I'm disenchanted with eBay. I made about $110 on the 7 items I sold, but that's just a small percentage of what I feel that they were worth. Surely it was not worth all the time that both Annette and I put in on the effort. But that's just my thinking. Maybe with practice and with more time, that could be a fun pursuit, but not right now.
I'm getting close to seeking an appraisal on the house and 33.4 acres upon which it sits. After that, I'll put her out there for interested parties. I have a few people interested already, and I have not even shown it yet!
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Trees and Memories
The work on the house is coming along fine. There was a lot of stuff, as you can well imagine, from 20 years of two lives having been lived there, and artifacts from our lives before we moved here, as well. I have gotten rid of many pounds of things; I was going to say "a ton," but I suspect well OVER a ton has left here in one pickup truck or another.
Today DL cut down some trees that were actually damaging my garage -- just saplings -- and she took a truckload of stuff that she'd culled out of the garage and thought she would find useful. These are culled from things that I did NOT want to ever see again. She will donate some of the items on my behalf, too.
Annette also took a truckload of stuff. Part of her load was boxes of things that I had thought that I'd sell on eBay, but... I've since thought better of it. I just don't have the time, energy, or patience for that sort of pursuit right now. Another day I might find it fun, but .. not now. I told her to take the stuff, that I never wanted to see it again, and that she could pocket the proceeds. I'm happy. She's happy. And whoever might buy the stuff will be happy. Doesn't get better than that!
Now I have to go through the rest of my office, finalizing my piles of things. The most important piles for me are the piles of things that I am going to keep, either stored in Annette's house, or brought back to my Tucson cottage in this little RV. That pile, obviously, must be quite small, since there is a limited amount of space and cargo-carrying capacity in this RV. I am choosing things to keep, as if I'm shopping within my house, picking out the things that I love the most and will use the most. Or that mean the most. I am keeping a couple of small boxes of things that are just simply memorabilia.
I'm giving things not only to my friends but also to charities around town. Teachers' Warehouse, Red Cross Book Fair, Community Kitchen, Goodwill, and Backstreet Mission have all benefited from my purge. Oh.. and Amos at the Recycling and Solid Waste Center has benefited too! When I went in there today with a car FULL of stuff, he helped me to offload it and then HE thanked ME! He said that I'm helping him to keep his job! LOL! I just love Amos.
Last night we had a storm! It actually was so windy and branches were snapping with such urgency that I opted to go into the nailed-down house for a bit. I used the time to shred some paper. My power did not go out (thank you REMC Bloomfield!) but it did flicker once. I returned to the RV at about 9:15, I'd guess.
Neither Maddy nor Eddie gets scared of storms, thankfully. I had one dog, a silver mini poodle named Alex, who would go nuts when it stormed. The only way he could be calmed was to be put into our bed. I was reminded of this when I found a card today that Michael had given me. It was from the pets, and Alex had "signed" it and thanked me for sharing our bed when it stormed.
I'm exhausted today. Oh.. and I just realized that I have not had dinner, and have not fed my pets, either! I'll feed them first. ;)
Today DL cut down some trees that were actually damaging my garage -- just saplings -- and she took a truckload of stuff that she'd culled out of the garage and thought she would find useful. These are culled from things that I did NOT want to ever see again. She will donate some of the items on my behalf, too.
Annette also took a truckload of stuff. Part of her load was boxes of things that I had thought that I'd sell on eBay, but... I've since thought better of it. I just don't have the time, energy, or patience for that sort of pursuit right now. Another day I might find it fun, but .. not now. I told her to take the stuff, that I never wanted to see it again, and that she could pocket the proceeds. I'm happy. She's happy. And whoever might buy the stuff will be happy. Doesn't get better than that!
Now I have to go through the rest of my office, finalizing my piles of things. The most important piles for me are the piles of things that I am going to keep, either stored in Annette's house, or brought back to my Tucson cottage in this little RV. That pile, obviously, must be quite small, since there is a limited amount of space and cargo-carrying capacity in this RV. I am choosing things to keep, as if I'm shopping within my house, picking out the things that I love the most and will use the most. Or that mean the most. I am keeping a couple of small boxes of things that are just simply memorabilia.
I'm giving things not only to my friends but also to charities around town. Teachers' Warehouse, Red Cross Book Fair, Community Kitchen, Goodwill, and Backstreet Mission have all benefited from my purge. Oh.. and Amos at the Recycling and Solid Waste Center has benefited too! When I went in there today with a car FULL of stuff, he helped me to offload it and then HE thanked ME! He said that I'm helping him to keep his job! LOL! I just love Amos.
Last night we had a storm! It actually was so windy and branches were snapping with such urgency that I opted to go into the nailed-down house for a bit. I used the time to shred some paper. My power did not go out (thank you REMC Bloomfield!) but it did flicker once. I returned to the RV at about 9:15, I'd guess.
Neither Maddy nor Eddie gets scared of storms, thankfully. I had one dog, a silver mini poodle named Alex, who would go nuts when it stormed. The only way he could be calmed was to be put into our bed. I was reminded of this when I found a card today that Michael had given me. It was from the pets, and Alex had "signed" it and thanked me for sharing our bed when it stormed.
I'm exhausted today. Oh.. and I just realized that I have not had dinner, and have not fed my pets, either! I'll feed them first. ;)
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
One for You and One for Me
Work, work, working for the last few days on the house. Yesterday I caught a break by accepting a dinner invitation from Andrew and Veronica to go to Chapman's, a wonderful eastside restaurant. I had the mahi-mahi with papaya salsa -- delicious, and so beautiful that I longed for my camera.
Andrew got to demonstrate for me, much to Veronica's chagrin, how he humiliates people who ask him where he's from, based upon his accent. What he did was to try to make her guess, and then he teased her with "south of there" and "a bit east of there." This assumes, of course, that his victim knows enough of European geography to make a cogent next guess.
On the subject of geography, go on and take a test and see how *you* do on European geography, or any of the other continents. I .. um.. did not fare well with Europe. I do ok on Canada, though!
Anyway, the dinner with A & V was lots of fun.
So it was back to the salt mines for me today, as I finished up my work in my bedroom! I got the last of the clothing sorted out and boxed or taken out here to the RV. Having such a small place in which to live does limit what I can keep! I also boxed up some things to give to Kelly and David and prepared some things to give to George.
I shredded another 4 bags of papers that Ann had culled out ydy. And I worked in the office closet, pulling things out of there.
Suzanne came to help this afternoon, and she helped me with sorting out more things in the office and boxing things for Goodwill. They are doing very well from me!
Then at 6, DL came with a guy who's going to estimate on powerwashing the deck and the house and staining the deck with a sealant product. He is also going to estimate on painting the doors and washing the garage. All of the above are covered in green algal growth, as if they had been underwater!
DL and I worked then in the garage. She moved a bunch of things, taking a load of things that I didn't want to see again in her truck to give to people. I loaded my car to the gills with trash and recycling. That will all go tomorrow, since they take trash/recycling only on Wed and Sat. I'll also make a Goodwill run tomorrow. I miss Steve and his truck on these runs!
I am finally getting a few bids on some of my auction items! Woo hoo! I'm wondering if it would be ok to pop some "extras" into the box when someone buys something. Like.. maybe a box of Pyrex pie pans with purchase of a crystal apple? LOL!
There is a June bug outside on the screen torturing Eddie! He is so funny batting at it! LMAO! Having never been an outside kitty, he probably just thinks that they are there for his amusement.
Maddy's looking good and feeling good these days. She's lost enough weight that she has a noticeable waist now, and her ribs are palpable. She does so much better when she walks daily! (I have always walked (or cycled or hiked) daily, but on those cycling or hiking days, Maddy doesn't get to go!
Andrew got to demonstrate for me, much to Veronica's chagrin, how he humiliates people who ask him where he's from, based upon his accent. What he did was to try to make her guess, and then he teased her with "south of there" and "a bit east of there." This assumes, of course, that his victim knows enough of European geography to make a cogent next guess.
On the subject of geography, go on and take a test and see how *you* do on European geography, or any of the other continents. I .. um.. did not fare well with Europe. I do ok on Canada, though!
Anyway, the dinner with A & V was lots of fun.
So it was back to the salt mines for me today, as I finished up my work in my bedroom! I got the last of the clothing sorted out and boxed or taken out here to the RV. Having such a small place in which to live does limit what I can keep! I also boxed up some things to give to Kelly and David and prepared some things to give to George.
I shredded another 4 bags of papers that Ann had culled out ydy. And I worked in the office closet, pulling things out of there.
Suzanne came to help this afternoon, and she helped me with sorting out more things in the office and boxing things for Goodwill. They are doing very well from me!
Then at 6, DL came with a guy who's going to estimate on powerwashing the deck and the house and staining the deck with a sealant product. He is also going to estimate on painting the doors and washing the garage. All of the above are covered in green algal growth, as if they had been underwater!
DL and I worked then in the garage. She moved a bunch of things, taking a load of things that I didn't want to see again in her truck to give to people. I loaded my car to the gills with trash and recycling. That will all go tomorrow, since they take trash/recycling only on Wed and Sat. I'll also make a Goodwill run tomorrow. I miss Steve and his truck on these runs!
I am finally getting a few bids on some of my auction items! Woo hoo! I'm wondering if it would be ok to pop some "extras" into the box when someone buys something. Like.. maybe a box of Pyrex pie pans with purchase of a crystal apple? LOL!
There is a June bug outside on the screen torturing Eddie! He is so funny batting at it! LMAO! Having never been an outside kitty, he probably just thinks that they are there for his amusement.
Maddy's looking good and feeling good these days. She's lost enough weight that she has a noticeable waist now, and her ribs are palpable. She does so much better when she walks daily! (I have always walked (or cycled or hiked) daily, but on those cycling or hiking days, Maddy doesn't get to go!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Blood, Sweat, and Tears
... Sweat and Tears, anyway! I've been working so hard on my house and getting out of it. Yesterday I worked with Ann on the bakery/office room. Ann was working on the files and I was in the closet. She had one small box of files that I need to keep, and the rest of the stuff ended up being shredded or recycled as is.
I took out dozens of cardboard boxes in all shapes and sizes, and all ended up broken down to recycle. More stuff for Goodwill. Computer programs and assorted disks sorted to donate or trash.
I went into town for our walk this morning, stopping for mail and at CVS. Now I'm sort of chilling. catching you up, but getting ready to go back in to work. I'm soooo ready to get this done and to get out of here. Every step of the way is emotionally draining and physically exhausting.
I took out dozens of cardboard boxes in all shapes and sizes, and all ended up broken down to recycle. More stuff for Goodwill. Computer programs and assorted disks sorted to donate or trash.
I went into town for our walk this morning, stopping for mail and at CVS. Now I'm sort of chilling. catching you up, but getting ready to go back in to work. I'm soooo ready to get this done and to get out of here.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
All alone, vulnerable... and frightened
LOL not really! But it sounded good. I am all alone today, though. The only people I've talked to -- real people -- have been Jack on the phone, Amos the recycling guy, and the guy at the hazardous waste place.
I loaded up and took 3 loads in my car before exhaustion and rain overtook me. I think that it was just handy for me that it rained when it did, because I was hurting because I was so tired. I took probably 8 orange bags of trash, two boxes of magazines (goodbye Photoshop magazine collection!), two boxes of office paper, a big bag of shredded office paper, and one of my black recycle bins stuffed with cardboard and office paper.
Those went on 2 of my runs. The third run was to the Haz Mat disposal place on S. Walnut. There I took a scanner, 2 monitors, a computer, a keyboard, and a bunch of fluorescent tubes. They charge to take stuff there, but that's the only way you can get rid of those things legally. $40 for the lot of it. Then I got home and found...another computer, another monitor, and another printer. I still don't know what to do with Michael's laptop. I'll surely have to take a hammer to it when I get rid of it, because of all the financial data locked within.
The good news is that I am beginning to be able to see the carpet in spots. There is still a ton of stuff to go through, but mostly it's office paper to be shredded and stuff to just disperse among the agencies who are benefiting from my stuff.
Steve, Annette, and Ann were here ydy helping me with my stuff. Ann took a ton to the Teachers' Warehouse, and I'll probably have another box at least to go there. She also brought lunch for us! :)
Annette and Steve and I went off on a big dispersal run, taking things to the Animal Shelter (the whole back of his truck was full of dog crates, X-pens, food bins, litter boxes, you name it.), the Backstreet Mission, and books to the Red Cross. All of these people were very happy to get the stuff, and I was happy to give it.
My eBay stuff is being largely ignored, much to my consternation. Annette tells me to relax, that things mostly are bidded on, on the last day. And SHE bid on one of my things! LOL I think that she feels sorry for me, dontcha, Nananet?
DL told me that we don't lose friends. People who are our friends don't *get* lost. I was thinking about this while I was on my walk on campus this morning. I had become a little sad remembering a person I had walked the campus with before. I had thought he was my friend, but he has decided not to be. We don't lose friends, so I shouldn't be sad. What I need in my life I have many of. That is good, real friends. :)
I loaded up and took 3 loads in my car before exhaustion and rain overtook me. I think that it was just handy for me that it rained when it did, because I was hurting because I was so tired. I took probably 8 orange bags of trash, two boxes of magazines (goodbye Photoshop magazine collection!), two boxes of office paper, a big bag of shredded office paper, and one of my black recycle bins stuffed with cardboard and office paper.
Those went on 2 of my runs. The third run was to the Haz Mat disposal place on S. Walnut. There I took a scanner, 2 monitors, a computer, a keyboard, and a bunch of fluorescent tubes. They charge to take stuff there, but that's the only way you can get rid of those things legally. $40 for the lot of it. Then I got home and found...another computer, another monitor, and another printer. I still don't know what to do with Michael's laptop. I'll surely have to take a hammer to it when I get rid of it, because of all the financial data locked within.
The good news is that I am beginning to be able to see the carpet in spots. There is still a ton of stuff to go through, but mostly it's office paper to be shredded and stuff to just disperse among the agencies who are benefiting from my stuff.
Steve, Annette, and Ann were here ydy helping me with my stuff. Ann took a ton to the Teachers' Warehouse, and I'll probably have another box at least to go there. She also brought lunch for us! :)
Annette and Steve and I went off on a big dispersal run, taking things to the Animal Shelter (the whole back of his truck was full of dog crates, X-pens, food bins, litter boxes, you name it.), the Backstreet Mission, and books to the Red Cross. All of these people were very happy to get the stuff, and I was happy to give it.
My eBay stuff is being largely ignored, much to my consternation. Annette tells me to relax, that things mostly are bidded on, on the last day. And SHE bid on one of my things! LOL I think that she feels sorry for me, dontcha, Nananet?
DL told me that we don't lose friends. People who are our friends don't *get* lost. I was thinking about this while I was on my walk on campus this morning. I had become a little sad remembering a person I had walked the campus with before. I had thought he was my friend, but he has decided not to be. We don't lose friends, so I shouldn't be sad. What I need in my life I have many of. That is good, real friends. :)
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Fire in the Hole
What a pretty day this was! I began it by walking up Holland Hill with Maddy, who is looking downright svelte, since I've been walking her every day instead of biking on some days and hiking on others without her. She has a noticeable waist now. I'll take a photo one of these times.
Steve came down and we worked more in the kitchen, boxing up stuff for "when Janee is no longer homeless" and bagging and boxing things for Goodwill. We made a Goodwill run, and then went to the Dollar Tree and found a bunch of boxes in their dumpster. Wooo hoo!
Steve left at about 12:30, charging me with listing some of my items for sale on eBay. I'd never done eBay before, but I had little trouble figuring out the basics of how to sell something. I don't know if it'll work or not -- if I'll actually sell anything -- but the only stuff that I'm selling is my really good stuff that I no longer need/want/have room for, so I obviously think that it'll sell.
So my auctions are HERE! This is my first go at this, so check 'em out and tell me how I can improve upon my listings. :)
This evening, DL came over and we burned a bunch of paper stuff that I would have had to shred otherwise. I'm not a fire person, but DL is! She dug a pit and kept stirring the fire with a shovel. Fire scares me, I have to say, but this wasn't too frightening.
After the fire was buried, we went to Lennie's and enjoyed a pizza, and it was great! I didn't get back home till 11pm. DL likes to eat supper late! Thing is, though, with it getting dark at close to 10 pm here these days, it's hard to think about supper when it looks like 3:00 outside.
Steve came down and we worked more in the kitchen, boxing up stuff for "when Janee is no longer homeless" and bagging and boxing things for Goodwill. We made a Goodwill run, and then went to the Dollar Tree and found a bunch of boxes in their dumpster. Wooo hoo!
Steve left at about 12:30, charging me with listing some of my items for sale on eBay. I'd never done eBay before, but I had little trouble figuring out the basics of how to sell something. I don't know if it'll work or not -- if I'll actually sell anything -- but the only stuff that I'm selling is my really good stuff that I no longer need/want/have room for, so I obviously think that it'll sell.
So my auctions are HERE! This is my first go at this, so check 'em out and tell me how I can improve upon my listings. :)
This evening, DL came over and we burned a bunch of paper stuff that I would have had to shred otherwise. I'm not a fire person, but DL is! She dug a pit and kept stirring the fire with a shovel. Fire scares me, I have to say, but this wasn't too frightening.
After the fire was buried, we went to Lennie's and enjoyed a pizza, and it was great! I didn't get back home till 11pm. DL likes to eat supper late! Thing is, though, with it getting dark at close to 10 pm here these days, it's hard to think about supper when it looks like 3:00 outside.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
One fine day
Today I worked in the garage till about 2, when Jim from Carmel came to visit. Jim's one of my MySpace friends, whom I had not met before. He brought me daisies, and after I found a vase for them (not easy! LOL), I gave him the 10 cent tour and then we headed out for some lupper. We went to MCL, which was deelish!
After some conversation there, we took off and drove all around the town, and I pointed out the sights as we went. We returned here for more talk on the deck, before he had to leave. I think that we both had a good time. I know I did!
After some conversation there, we took off and drove all around the town, and I pointed out the sights as we went. We returned here for more talk on the deck, before he had to leave. I think that we both had a good time. I know I did!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
DL and me in the Garage
It turned out that I was not all alone today, after all! My friend DL came over and helped me out in the garage. We got about 1/3 of the way through it, getting to some really difficult piles of dirty stuff. I've learned that mice will nest in anything. and they will make their nests out of anything, too! We found one mouse nest that was lined with lots of fuzzy stuff, bits of paper, and... shed snake skin! I figure that the snake probably saw his skin in there and then ate the mice.
We found Michael's tax records from 1973. I found lots of Grandpa's rocks, wrapped carefully just as I'd left them.. 20 years ago. I need to find a good way to put this beautiful rock collection to use. And I found a padlock with the key locked into it. That made me laugh.
Ok.. hitting the rack now! Tomorrow's another day!
We found Michael's tax records from 1973. I found lots of Grandpa's rocks, wrapped carefully just as I'd left them.. 20 years ago. I need to find a good way to put this beautiful rock collection to use. And I found a padlock with the key locked into it. That made me laugh.
Ok.. hitting the rack now! Tomorrow's another day!
The Itchy and Scratchy Show
Yes, my beautiful AZ tan has been supplanted by itchy rashy skin on my arms and legs! Eeek! I figure that it must be from the insulation in the attic, because the rash started yesterday, the day after I did my last attic work. And I found out what heat does to cortizone cream, too -- melts it so that it is like milky water! And it loses all efficacy, too. Sheesh. I have to go and buy some more, I guess.
Today I've spent so far doing business work. I had to make some calls about name changes and medical/insurance chasing. I paid the Yale New Haven bill for Michael's July 2007 MRI, which the insurance company finally paid on and told me how much I owe. That figure is different from what the hospital had turned over for collection (never-ending pita) but I'm paying what the insurance co told me I owe.
And I paid some bills and took the ones that had to be mailed in to the Post Office.. and I did my walk on the IU campus! I even visited Paper Clip Bend, but saw NO paperclips. And I had none to drop, either, because I had forgotten to bring some.
The flowers are blooming all around, everything is green, and the day is lovely -- 70° right now, here and 96° in Tucson. And I'm going to have some lunch and then hit the garage, I believe. I'm on my own today, so I am feeling sort of lazy!
Today I've spent so far doing business work. I had to make some calls about name changes and medical/insurance chasing. I paid the Yale New Haven bill for Michael's July 2007 MRI, which the insurance company finally paid on and told me how much I owe. That figure is different from what the hospital had turned over for collection (never-ending pita) but I'm paying what the insurance co told me I owe.
And I paid some bills and took the ones that had to be mailed in to the Post Office.. and I did my walk on the IU campus! I even visited Paper Clip Bend, but saw NO paperclips. And I had none to drop, either, because I had forgotten to bring some.
The flowers are blooming all around, everything is green, and the day is lovely -- 70° right now, here and 96° in Tucson. And I'm going to have some lunch and then hit the garage, I believe. I'm on my own today, so I am feeling sort of lazy!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Surprises in the Attic
Yeah! Today I tackled the attic. Steve and Annette were here helping me. I was the one IN the attic, Steve caught the stuff as I pitched it to him, and Annette caught it and arranged it when he pitched it to her. There was a TON of junk up there.
I would like to tell anyone who has an attic to go tomorrow and get all of the stuff out of there, and vow to never ever put anything into your attic again. There was almost nothing there that I ever want to see again, and I would bet that your attic is the same way. If you're not using it now, you'll never use it.
So what was in my attic? The only things I kept were a box of mementos from my childhood/high school years, some art supplies that I'll take to Teachers' Warehouse, and some good bakery trays and such that I'll sell on ebay.
The junk? Four years of lesson plans and photocopies of tests and projects. Photocopied graph paper and dot paper. Photocopied mazes. Tons and tons of photocopied puzzles to have students make.
And the bakery stuff... I had probably 200 large catering trays -- the kind you'd put carrots and celery on -- with lids. Of course these were unusable, because they are plastic and dirty. Cardboard rounds for cakes. Again, opened boxes, and therefore unusable. Boxes for cakes... hundreds upon hundreds. And Pyrex pie plates.. Michael if you're reading my blog, you are laughing down on me I hope! I expect there were 80 or 100 more pie plates.
There was a nice Cambro coffee server, three beautiful plexiglass covered catering trays, a punchbowl with a million glass punch cups, and some pretty cut plexiglass serving trays, upon which sat a myriad cookies in their time.
And there were two old computer monitors, including my very first monitor -- amber -- which was very cutting-edge in 1985. An Okidata printer. A Leading Edge computer, which was an early IBM PC clone. Christmas stuff .. tons of it.
So today I spent hours up there, sweat dripping off of me, working by the light of a battery-operated Coleman lantern, gritty sawdusty stuff on the plywood planks that line the attic, cobwebs.. throwing these boxes to Steve to Annette... it was awful. But it's all done now. The attic is empty.
I should have taken a before and after photo of the attic. But instead, I'll show you a scene from my RV today. You're looking at the front of the RV, where my driver's seat is. The passenger's seat is swiveled around and that's where I'm sitting now, as I type. The windshield and side windows are covered with insulating covers that stick on with suction cups, and do an excellent job of keeping the coach cool in hot weather. The overcab bed is in its usual "up" position, and Eddie's in his usual napping position:
I would like to tell anyone who has an attic to go tomorrow and get all of the stuff out of there, and vow to never ever put anything into your attic again. There was almost nothing there that I ever want to see again, and I would bet that your attic is the same way. If you're not using it now, you'll never use it.
So what was in my attic? The only things I kept were a box of mementos from my childhood/high school years, some art supplies that I'll take to Teachers' Warehouse, and some good bakery trays and such that I'll sell on ebay.
The junk? Four years of lesson plans and photocopies of tests and projects. Photocopied graph paper and dot paper. Photocopied mazes. Tons and tons of photocopied puzzles to have students make.
And the bakery stuff... I had probably 200 large catering trays -- the kind you'd put carrots and celery on -- with lids. Of course these were unusable, because they are plastic and dirty. Cardboard rounds for cakes. Again, opened boxes, and therefore unusable. Boxes for cakes... hundreds upon hundreds. And Pyrex pie plates.. Michael if you're reading my blog, you are laughing down on me I hope! I expect there were 80 or 100 more pie plates.
There was a nice Cambro coffee server, three beautiful plexiglass covered catering trays, a punchbowl with a million glass punch cups, and some pretty cut plexiglass serving trays, upon which sat a myriad cookies in their time.
And there were two old computer monitors, including my very first monitor -- amber -- which was very cutting-edge in 1985. An Okidata printer. A Leading Edge computer, which was an early IBM PC clone. Christmas stuff .. tons of it.
So today I spent hours up there, sweat dripping off of me, working by the light of a battery-operated Coleman lantern, gritty sawdusty stuff on the plywood planks that line the attic, cobwebs.. throwing these boxes to Steve to Annette... it was awful. But it's all done now. The attic is empty.
I should have taken a before and after photo of the attic. But instead, I'll show you a scene from my RV today. You're looking at the front of the RV, where my driver's seat is. The passenger's seat is swiveled around and that's where I'm sitting now, as I type. The windshield and side windows are covered with insulating covers that stick on with suction cups, and do an excellent job of keeping the coach cool in hot weather. The overcab bed is in its usual "up" position, and Eddie's in his usual napping position:
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Plans for Today
I was thinking that it's time that I set out some goals. These are very general, but I think that I need to start thinking in the right direction:
For Today
In the attic, I had stashed a bunch of bakery-related things -- glass pie plates (yes, more of them!), muffin pans, springform pans..on and on. And I had four years of wonderful and creative lesson plans. And many pounds of materials that I had used with my students, projects that they had made, etc.. The lesson plans are at the recycling facility. The materials are going to Teachers' Warehouse, and I hope that some teacher finds them as fun as I once did.
I'm not sure what I was thinking when I put these things into the difficult-to-access attic, but I believe, at my tender age of 38, I thought that I might someday return to teaching high school mathematics. I think that I believed that life is long, and our desires go through cycles. There is no way that I could ever live long enough to teach high school math again.
And I went through some of my books. Books become like friends, and it seems inordinately difficult to get rid of them. How could I toss "The Pearl," "Night in Funland," or "In a Sunburned Country?" I didn't. I did put some books into a pile to give to the Red Cross, which has a book sale annually. I hope they want them.
More books -- the rarer and older ones -- will be put up for sale on Amazon. This saddens me deeply, but simplifying is what I want to do now, and this is the way to do it. If I didn't do it now, someone would be tossing my life's collections after I die, and they would just laugh at my things.
I boxed up my puzzle collection, too, but these -- my favorites from my collection -- will be going with me to Tucson. I'm not sure where I'll put them there, but I do love my puzzles. Only if I use it, need it, or love it, is it eligible to stay with me. And I have to answer honestly about each item.
We had lunch at MCL and it was gooood! Now it's time to play some games. I think that online Boggle will be my game for tonight. I play at WordsPlay. I consider myself a winner if I place in the top third; that's how good these folks are!
For Today
- I believe that I can get through this.
- I will take care of business.
- I will do things that I want to do.
- I will ask for what I need.
- I will learn something new.
- I will cry only for a reason.
- I will laugh for no reason.
In the attic, I had stashed a bunch of bakery-related things -- glass pie plates (yes, more of them!), muffin pans, springform pans..on and on. And I had four years of wonderful and creative lesson plans. And many pounds of materials that I had used with my students, projects that they had made, etc.. The lesson plans are at the recycling facility. The materials are going to Teachers' Warehouse, and I hope that some teacher finds them as fun as I once did.
I'm not sure what I was thinking when I put these things into the difficult-to-access attic, but I believe, at my tender age of 38, I thought that I might someday return to teaching high school mathematics. I think that I believed that life is long, and our desires go through cycles. There is no way that I could ever live long enough to teach high school math again.
And I went through some of my books. Books become like friends, and it seems inordinately difficult to get rid of them. How could I toss "The Pearl," "Night in Funland," or "In a Sunburned Country?" I didn't. I did put some books into a pile to give to the Red Cross, which has a book sale annually. I hope they want them.
More books -- the rarer and older ones -- will be put up for sale on Amazon. This saddens me deeply, but simplifying is what I want to do now, and this is the way to do it. If I didn't do it now, someone would be tossing my life's collections after I die, and they would just laugh at my things.
I boxed up my puzzle collection, too, but these -- my favorites from my collection -- will be going with me to Tucson. I'm not sure where I'll put them there, but I do love my puzzles. Only if I use it, need it, or love it, is it eligible to stay with me. And I have to answer honestly about each item.
We had lunch at MCL and it was gooood! Now it's time to play some games. I think that online Boggle will be my game for tonight. I play at WordsPlay. I consider myself a winner if I place in the top third; that's how good these folks are!
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