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. :)
Saturday, June 21, 2008
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!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Cloudbursts, Comcast, and Culling
Today began with my going out quickly to get my walk done before the rains came. Actually, the walk was cool and pleasant, and I returned in plenty of time. It had not even begun raining when I came out of the house, all showered and ready. (The pets and I are living in the RV -- eating and sleeping. But I am showering in the house, to keep my gray tank from filling too fast.)
Next was my Comcast confrontation. I called first, to see what it was that I had to do in order to disconnect my service. They told me that I would need the converter box, the remote -- which I would have forgotten, and Michael's death certificate, since the cable had been in his name. I unhooked the box and put all the stuff in a plastic bag, against the inevitable rain. Put the death cert into the car with the box, and off I went!
I stopped first at the bank to cash an overpayment check from State Farm. They do this all the time -- send me a bill, which I pay, and then return a bunch of it, telling me that it's an overpayment. Whatever, I'll take it, but it just seems silly.
The woman at Comcast was not very pleasant, particularly when I told her that I wanted to have my service disconnected as of October 25, 2007. I explained my situation -- that I had left in a hurry after Michael's passing, and that I had called from Arizona. I had been told then that I could only disconnect the service if Michael were there in person, which was quite impossible, or if I were there in person, with a death certificate, and the cable box, which was also quite impossible.
The woman told me that I had made a choice to leave, after all, and that Comcast wouldn't be able to refund anything. I explained that I had paid faithfully while I had been away, about $830 in all, so that I wouldn't get bad credit. She said that, yes, that was the right thing to do. Then she offered to get her supervisor.
The supervisor started talking about their "policy" about disconnecting service. That's when I started to stomp my little feet and I told her that the "policy" was MEAN! I said, "Come ON! It would just be NICE to cut someone a break, when their life has been torn apart like this!"
I think that she did not like my foot-stomping, because she very calmly said, "Have a seat over there. We're going to get this done for you." I did, and she did. She returned to me in a few minutes, having talked to her boss. I'll be getting a check in 4-6 weeks! So yay.. Comcast has a heart!
Toward home I went, with rain peppering down, off and on. I went to the grocery, stocking up on some of my favorite things including Rainier cherries, chocolate pudding cups, and Quaker Mini Rice Cakes. I also got another box of Great Grains cereal, making *3* in my RV's cupboard. Sheesh. I think that'll last me a while.
Culling today was mostly in the pantry, and it was difficult again. This was tough because .. what do you do with 8 boxes of Kleenex? I'll use it eventually, but I'll have no place to store it! Same with 6 bottles of Lysol Toilet Cleaner. I think that'll last me the rest of my life, but .. where to put it in the meantime? It's a puzzlement. I think that I'll give a bunch of that to Annette, either to use, or to keep for me in case I ever get a house with particularly dirty toilets.
I also cleaned out one of the cupboards in the wall unit in the music room. This is the one where I discovered Michael had stashed his good ham radio! I'd been looking around for that, thinking that I'd offer it for sale, but then it occurred to me to give it to Ray, a ham friend of ours, who has been very helpful to us over the years. (Thank you, Ray, and may you use the Ten-Tec for many happy years!) I know that Michael would have approved.
I took a few things down from the walls and sort of wandered around a bit, as if lost. I'll attack things with more fervor tomorrow.
I got back into the RV just as the clouds burst again, around 5pm. This time, it really poured down, but there was no wind and the rain didn't last for very long. Now it's calm, dry, and cool! I had pizza and cherries for supper. Mmmm. :)
Next was my Comcast confrontation. I called first, to see what it was that I had to do in order to disconnect my service. They told me that I would need the converter box, the remote -- which I would have forgotten, and Michael's death certificate, since the cable had been in his name. I unhooked the box and put all the stuff in a plastic bag, against the inevitable rain. Put the death cert into the car with the box, and off I went!
I stopped first at the bank to cash an overpayment check from State Farm. They do this all the time -- send me a bill, which I pay, and then return a bunch of it, telling me that it's an overpayment. Whatever, I'll take it, but it just seems silly.
The woman at Comcast was not very pleasant, particularly when I told her that I wanted to have my service disconnected as of October 25, 2007. I explained my situation -- that I had left in a hurry after Michael's passing, and that I had called from Arizona. I had been told then that I could only disconnect the service if Michael were there in person, which was quite impossible, or if I were there in person, with a death certificate, and the cable box, which was also quite impossible.
The woman told me that I had made a choice to leave, after all, and that Comcast wouldn't be able to refund anything. I explained that I had paid faithfully while I had been away, about $830 in all, so that I wouldn't get bad credit. She said that, yes, that was the right thing to do. Then she offered to get her supervisor.
The supervisor started talking about their "policy" about disconnecting service. That's when I started to stomp my little feet and I told her that the "policy" was MEAN! I said, "Come ON! It would just be NICE to cut someone a break, when their life has been torn apart like this!"
I think that she did not like my foot-stomping, because she very calmly said, "Have a seat over there. We're going to get this done for you." I did, and she did. She returned to me in a few minutes, having talked to her boss. I'll be getting a check in 4-6 weeks! So yay.. Comcast has a heart!
Toward home I went, with rain peppering down, off and on. I went to the grocery, stocking up on some of my favorite things including Rainier cherries, chocolate pudding cups, and Quaker Mini Rice Cakes. I also got another box of Great Grains cereal, making *3* in my RV's cupboard. Sheesh. I think that'll last me a while.
Culling today was mostly in the pantry, and it was difficult again. This was tough because .. what do you do with 8 boxes of Kleenex? I'll use it eventually, but I'll have no place to store it! Same with 6 bottles of Lysol Toilet Cleaner. I think that'll last me the rest of my life, but .. where to put it in the meantime? It's a puzzlement. I think that I'll give a bunch of that to Annette, either to use, or to keep for me in case I ever get a house with particularly dirty toilets.
I also cleaned out one of the cupboards in the wall unit in the music room. This is the one where I discovered Michael had stashed his good ham radio! I'd been looking around for that, thinking that I'd offer it for sale, but then it occurred to me to give it to Ray, a ham friend of ours, who has been very helpful to us over the years. (Thank you, Ray, and may you use the Ten-Tec for many happy years!) I know that Michael would have approved.
I took a few things down from the walls and sort of wandered around a bit, as if lost. I'll attack things with more fervor tomorrow.
I got back into the RV just as the clouds burst again, around 5pm. This time, it really poured down, but there was no wind and the rain didn't last for very long. Now it's calm, dry, and cool! I had pizza and cherries for supper. Mmmm. :)
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Hello from Bloomington!
I am in Bloomington! I arrived at about 10am Tucson time, or 1 pm Eastern. I have to get my watch fixed so that I can pull out the crown to reset it to local time.
I am not moving back into my old house. I am living in my RV and clearing and cleaning my old house in order that I may sell it. I don't know if I'll get a new place in Bloomington or if I'll go someplace else, but I do know that I do not want to be in this house on this property so far away from town.
I began today by leveling and hooking up the little RV and getting her A/C going. I have just one 30A outlet and that's in the garage, which is a distance of probably 100 ft from the house. I don't have enough cord to park the RV in the shade by the house. I could park IN the garage and thus have shade, but I enjoy having some scenery! For the nonce, I'll be using the bathroom in the house, and that should work out fine for me. If I were parked next to the house, I have a full hookup for an RV, but it's a hookup for a 50A electric plug, and that I do not have for this smaller RV. Oh well...
After doing the hooking up, I opened mail that had gathered for me and sorted it. Then I made a list of things that I needed to tackle -- rooms that need to be gone through and the sorts of piles that I will make. I intend to go through a room at a time, taking the stuff to donate, recycle, and dump as I get through a room. My goal is to have only what furniture needs to be in there to demonstrate what the room is for -- nothing personal and nothing in any drawers or closets. Big job!
The funny thing is that, upon my arrival here, I mused about the fact that I have everything that I really need with me in my little RV and back in my little Tucson cottage! So everything that's in the house is stuff that I don't really need. Easy, right? Well.... yes, till I start going through things.
I felt plenty of feelings when I went into the house. I halfway expected Michael to be there waiting for me. Instead, there was lots of his stuff. I will see if his children or brother and sister want any of it -- the things that I don't want to keep, that is.
Then I worked a bit in the house, taking things out of my closet. I got all the shelves and drawers emptied, with piles on the floor to go to Goodwill, to the dump, and then a pile (too large) on my bed of things that I want to keep. I have to do my hanging clothes, and then a cupboard and two closets.. oh, and the drawers under my bed! I'd just about forgotten those. I have just a few things in Michael's closet that I need to disburse, because Ann and I had gone through his closet before I left. (That was a good thing, though I didn't feel quite ready then.) Then I'll be able to check off one of my rooms!
One enormous job that awaits me is cleaning out the attic, and I don't look forward to that in this heat! I don't think that it's hugely full, as attics go, but it'll still be difficult, hot, and dirty. And I'll have to be very careful, because I have just a little ladder access through the hall ceiling to the attic. I may see if I can find someone to help me with that.
Maddy and Eddie did great on the ride home and they are happy as can be in here with me now. I'd thought about taking Maddy into the house with me as I clean up, but... I'm not sure if I will do that.
I am not moving back into my old house. I am living in my RV and clearing and cleaning my old house in order that I may sell it. I don't know if I'll get a new place in Bloomington or if I'll go someplace else, but I do know that I do not want to be in this house on this property so far away from town.
I began today by leveling and hooking up the little RV and getting her A/C going. I have just one 30A outlet and that's in the garage, which is a distance of probably 100 ft from the house. I don't have enough cord to park the RV in the shade by the house. I could park IN the garage and thus have shade, but I enjoy having some scenery! For the nonce, I'll be using the bathroom in the house, and that should work out fine for me. If I were parked next to the house, I have a full hookup for an RV, but it's a hookup for a 50A electric plug, and that I do not have for this smaller RV. Oh well...
After doing the hooking up, I opened mail that had gathered for me and sorted it. Then I made a list of things that I needed to tackle -- rooms that need to be gone through and the sorts of piles that I will make. I intend to go through a room at a time, taking the stuff to donate, recycle, and dump as I get through a room. My goal is to have only what furniture needs to be in there to demonstrate what the room is for -- nothing personal and nothing in any drawers or closets. Big job!
The funny thing is that, upon my arrival here, I mused about the fact that I have everything that I really need with me in my little RV and back in my little Tucson cottage! So everything that's in the house is stuff that I don't really need. Easy, right? Well.... yes, till I start going through things.
I felt plenty of feelings when I went into the house. I halfway expected Michael to be there waiting for me. Instead, there was lots of his stuff. I will see if his children or brother and sister want any of it -- the things that I don't want to keep, that is.
Then I worked a bit in the house, taking things out of my closet. I got all the shelves and drawers emptied, with piles on the floor to go to Goodwill, to the dump, and then a pile (too large) on my bed of things that I want to keep. I have to do my hanging clothes, and then a cupboard and two closets.. oh, and the drawers under my bed! I'd just about forgotten those. I have just a few things in Michael's closet that I need to disburse, because Ann and I had gone through his closet before I left. (That was a good thing, though I didn't feel quite ready then.) Then I'll be able to check off one of my rooms!
One enormous job that awaits me is cleaning out the attic, and I don't look forward to that in this heat! I don't think that it's hugely full, as attics go, but it'll still be difficult, hot, and dirty. And I'll have to be very careful, because I have just a little ladder access through the hall ceiling to the attic. I may see if I can find someone to help me with that.
Maddy and Eddie did great on the ride home and they are happy as can be in here with me now. I'd thought about taking Maddy into the house with me as I clean up, but... I'm not sure if I will do that.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
June 10 in Louisville
Yes, I arrived in Louisville yesterday afternoon at 4:30. Becky, Angie and I caught up for awhile before we left for dinner. KT's served us a fine dinner of prime rib (them) and chicken tortellini (me). Afterwards we went for pie and ice cream at the Pie Kitchen.
I slept in the cool of the house and missed the rain! In fact, I didn't even know it rained till I went back out to the RV this morning, discovering wetness on the couches and floor. Like a doof, I'd left the windows and vent open. Everything will dry today, though, in the sunshine.
Eddie slept fine in the RV and Maddy stayed with me in the coolness of the basement apartment.
So then I awoke fairly early (4:30 Tucson time!) to get ready for my day. Angie and Becky drove me to Don, my accountant's, so I could ask and answer some questions.
I walked back here from there, about 3.5 miles. It was a mostly pleasant walk, though there was lots of loud traffic for parts of the walk. Hot today, but cool in the shade. And the humidity feels um... not wonderful, but not as awful as it could. It actually feels kind of good for my face, and my hair isn't staticky for a change!
I slept in the cool of the house and missed the rain! In fact, I didn't even know it rained till I went back out to the RV this morning, discovering wetness on the couches and floor. Like a doof, I'd left the windows and vent open. Everything will dry today, though, in the sunshine.
Eddie slept fine in the RV and Maddy stayed with me in the coolness of the basement apartment.
So then I awoke fairly early (4:30 Tucson time!) to get ready for my day. Angie and Becky drove me to Don, my accountant's, so I could ask and answer some questions.
I walked back here from there, about 3.5 miles. It was a mostly pleasant walk, though there was lots of loud traffic for parts of the walk. Hot today, but cool in the shade. And the humidity feels um... not wonderful, but not as awful as it could. It actually feels kind of good for my face, and my hair isn't staticky for a change!
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