Realtor or Fake?

So on my neighborhood group FB page a woman said "Please help, are any of you in the patio homes selling your house before May?  I have clients wanting to buy.  Please let me know..."

So I responded telling her I would send a text.  So I texted indicating that we indeed have a patio home (with a water view!) and we would be listing in April.  She then responded that her clients budget prob would not reach the patio homes, but she felt once she showed them a patio home, they would be convinced they needed to increase their budget and buy one!  Oh, and BTW, what was my asking price?  So I tossed out a number of what my husband and I had considered starting at and she said "out of my client's budget, but maybe next time!".

Wait?!  What just happened here?

Sometimes the "Interwebs" Help

I just read a column by "Ask Amy" and learned about a concept that was helpful.  It has been around a while, but I had not heard of it.

The Ring Theory, as started by a pair of professionals/writers in Psychology Today article.  The people closest to the person having a problem receive comfort and support from outer circles.  The circles outward represent next of kin, closest family, closest friends, distant family, etc.  If someone needs to vent, they pass it outward.  Support and comfort in, bitching out.  Totally makes sense.  Stuff like this, you learn from your support system.  My mother passed away when I was 24 and I miss out on stuff like this.  Now, I will pass this on, implicity or explicitly. 

My sister and I experienced this in practice when my mother was dying and we were present with my father in a little tightly wound ball.  Boundaries to this day questioned by my aunt.  My mom's sister.  It goes a little like this...my father, my sister and I were deciding whether to take my mother off of life support.  My mom's step father, whom she was not close to, offered stories of his ailments during a time that we just needed to process what to do about our mom.  My father was swift and sure in his recoil.  My sister and I more confused and in a daze, we were too young to understand.  This may have had a more slow, long term and sustained effect on us.  Sometimes I think this is just one way men and women differ...in how things affect us.  My dad did not miss a beat, he felt a certain way and just moved threw life and I was more questioning always.  I have been like this forever.  Maybe not as much now. 

My mother passed at peace and having forgiven and accepting her step father.  For what?  I am not sure and will never really know...but I know my mom's mind was at ease. 

My mom's step father has a child that I cherish today.  She is my mom's youngest sister.  Same mother.  She is one of my favorite people in the world.  Another such treasured person is her sister, my mother's next youngest sister, same father as my mom.  She and I have been close since I was one year old.  These two sisters see things and express themselves differently.  The sister who shares my mother's father...she sees things one way.  The sister who had same father, sees things differently.  Aunt who is more outspoken, she felt slighted about her mother being placed very deliberately - by my father, into the next outer layer of "The Ring".  I have heard this feedback over the years 100 times.  I have gone the gamut of horrified outcry...over to a much milder form of understanding...about this situation.  Weathered by age, experience and just plain knowledge about perspective and life-position.  I may think about this more...but I probably will not change much in my understanding about it, from this moment forward.  The internet helped me today.

Father Birthday

Today is my father's birthday.  I have no energy today to think of him much.  He passed in 2014.  Days like today, I feel nothing much.  Or maybe it is suppressed.  I feel sad for my DGM and my dad's son.  I know my niece and nephew got the short end of the grandfather stick.  I don't think they really think of it much at all.  This I believe because I doubt my sister thinks of it much.  She and i don't talk about it much.  At least my niece is enjoying a trip to Las Vegas today.  Good for her.  I wrote her a page of things I have done there.  I did not go there until my early 30's, then I managed about 10 trips there somehow.  So, I have been all around and seen a lot of things to enjoy.  Few ways to save, few ways to splurge.  I hope she is having fun.  The weather is beautiful here yesterday and today.  Sunny and 50's/60's.  I enjoyed a 4 mile walk yesterday.  Was good for me.  Happy Monday!

Photo Phun

I just sent DH 2 photos I want him to recreate with me...one of a woman in a long gown standing on a gravel road at sunset by a classic car and another a shot of 3 women dressed up in their gear riding their bikes toward the camera.  Fun!  Live it up!

I can't wait to see how I will not sit still while I can do whatever I want.  I am going to conquer the world...or at least get some cobwebs cleaned out!

Did early free lance appt Sat am.  Had to get up early AND dress up.  Waaaaaaa.

I am SO proud of my spouse...he bought a pry bar to take off moulding at RH next weekend, with no reminder/request/bossing from Me!  Amen.  I gave away some bar stools, clothes, motorcycle bag to some friends, large dog bed, etc.  I was restless, so I touch up painted downstairs bath and worked on magic sponge in downstairs master closet.  Downstairs looking good!  Carpet clean, stretch and couch to be taken down and loveseat brought up, and touch up trim...and it will be good to go!

On our day off from snow last week, I made a meal out of spaghetti squash and used sauteed mushrooms and jar sauce/pre made meatballs...it was SO good.  Fairly healthy and very filling.  Will be much healthier when I do sauce  from scratch.

I am going to do more adjustments like this.  Husband eats anything, more veggies than I.  But smaller meals, spinach smoothies, supplements and no morning/night eating have helped my tummy.

Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!  I am going to take a walk...is cool, but Sun is finally out.  Thank Him!

I Can Handle Week Like This!

Off  Monday.  Worked Tues and Wed.   Off Thursday.  Work Friday.

Happy dance, until I get my paycheck next week.   Waaa wah.
 

I did some fun staging for CH yesterday.  Then we heard a loud thud last night.  A wire holding a mirror I put up sheared right in half...the mirror fell straight down and cracked but did not escape it's frame and a large pottery vase (like 20-24 inches high) that was sitting in front of and below mirror was not disturbed!  That part is amazing!
 

Guess the old adage is not true...or just depends on how one looks at it.  That...and I better watch out next few days.  Oh pooh, I don't believe that.
 

Have a couple friends my age, hell bent on self destruction.   It is just so sad.  Moving will sort of be helpful time for me to incorporate a little 'insulation' into my life.  I don't nec mean to put up impenetrable wall, but I can decide how involved I want to me.  I may invite you in through the gate...not let energy depletion seep in through the windows...attic...basement...internet?
 

How do you handle such friends?  I don't have the power.  He does.

Hot Tea Sort of Afternoo n

Jasmine tea in the winter.  Yummy, reminds me of summer Jasmine growing. 

So i had $90 credit in PM.  I went ahead and pulled the trigger on pair of rain booties and a light rain coat.  The boots were used Bean Boots, rubber duck boot bottom and leather lace upper.  Great condition, i got them for $60!  And for $22, a light waterproof Lands End coat.  I decided my golf rain jacket was not ideal since I had nothing with a hood.

So, all I have bought this year are hiking boots, 4 flannel shirts and 4 sweaters/1 sweat shirt and rain gear.  I was a bit tempted to see what spring stuff coming out, but i feel so pleased about my curating, I really think I wont buy anything else until I am actually living the lifestyle I can only imagine now.  What a great strategy!  I am having as much fun purging as I used to have acquiring.  If you have not tried it, just try it.  It is habit forming.

Today I did not go in to work, ice storm.  I don't think it's as bad as predicted.   But that's ok.  I cleaned, purged, rearranged, packed some stuff to take to Retirement House, some to give away to charity, crime to give to friend's and couple barstools to put on the curb.  I found a friend with a large house to take my giant 7 foot tall corn plant (tree).

Be careful out there! 

Winter is not Finished Yet!

So I got up Monday (Presidents Day holiday, I DONT get paid for).  Walked 3 miles, it was 60 degrees.  Then 12:20pm we golfed, just DH and I.  Had dropped to high 40s, then quickly low 40s, then drizzle.  But only for like 4th or 5th hole.  But then I was little wet and chilly and my hands never totally warmed back up.  Plenty of layers up top, not sure why I didn't double up layers on legs, guess cause I was so warm on my walk.
 

Anyway, my game suffered.  But I still feel I am making progress.  I need practice on my putting big time.  It was obviously overcast mon and tues (ice storm, yay good times), but it stayed light till well after 6.  I had friends over coffee 6pm monday.  I really worry about one friend there.  I worry about some not there and sev family members too.  But my plate us full of planning, executing and purging for our move.  I ask God to carry the burden.  He is the One who can do it. 
 

Have a fierce week.  Try to limit news consumption, it is too depressing.  I focus on good news and gratitude.  Next week might be in the 50's!  We can do this!
 

P.S.  I found a home for my 7 foot tall inside corn plant (tree - no room at RH!).  Sure wish I could should you a picture!  HAHAHA.  Maybe I can talk her into a couple others.  My gardenia in pot inside is hanging in there, but is sure not exactly thriving!  Could not tell if my fig and catalpa trees planted ouside at RH will make it when I was down there.  Guess we shall see!  I also gave my old phone to my friend to give to her mother.  I made her mother and sister afgan's last year and early this year.  They loved them so much, her mom sent me nice Hobby Lobby gift card.  I used it to pay for custom framing for an embroidery of 2 cardinals my sister in law gave me.  I will look at that embroidery and think of my sister in law and my friend and her mom/sis whom I made afgans/got the gift card...funny who love/giving "goes around". 

What Day is it?

Feels like Sat or Mon, but not Sunday.  Have another day off tomorrow, then holiday desert till May!  Our lives could be very diff by May...IF we sell City House.

 

Got bookcases unloaded, all books stacked in hall closet and larger guest room.  But they are ALL MOVED! Woopie!  We measured and literally are an inch off from putting all 4 white bookcases along one wall of dining room.  So...we are gonna see if removing chair railing moulding will work.  So, in 2 weeks we come back with 2 last solid wood bookcases and I can put all the books away!

Beautiful weather this long weekend.  We are switching DH phone over today...we will save $87/month.  We have long talks with inlaws (retired many years) and SIL/husband who are on similar track and timeline as us.  When not discussing heavy topic, we played a fun board game last night.  God is good!  My SIL husband got a new job.  Was at his last employer 20 years.  He taking less pay, but home more.  We are so relieved for him. 

 

Oh, and I transformed smaller guest room closet to an office.  I will learn how to add photos one day.  The small guest room has sleeper sofa so i can watch tv or sew or do crafts.  The office/closet is for household business/bills/records, memory boxes/photos and gift wrap.  One must be creative when rightsizing!  Have a wonderful long weekend, enjoy last week of the Olympics!

My Eyes are Bigger than My Suburban

So, we had more confidence in the cargo abilities of the suburban than it actually has.  We could only fit 2 of the bookcases in, but we got all the last of our books loaded too!  Next time we go down, in 2 weeks, we can take the other 2 bookcases.  DH was disappointed, but I reminded him how great it was that after this load we will have all our books down at RH.  And the only thing worse than books, might be hanging clothes to move!

 

Anyway, we have a plethora of books.  But my DH loves books and has a nice collection of encyclopedias and was not even open to consider getting rid of them.  Also we both love similar mystery/crime novels and have a nice collection of fiction and so we have allowed for half and half.  I truly do plan to get back into reading in earnest once we are retired and I am not reading at work every day.  I have an advanced degree which required a lot of boring reading and I dreamed of the day when I would be able to read fiction.  That day is close!  And not a moment too soon.  I truly am getting to a place where my age and chronic condition are making me feel like I could not continue to work much longer, even if I wanted to!  I am sure it is just a culmination of the past year stress and intensifying that I know we will literally be unable to avoid as we continue to move stuff, finish fixing up projects of RH, fix projects of CH we are selling, list/show/sell CH, live in temp location while DH finishes his last few months, get all my licenses/CE moved to retirement state, finish taxes, worry about my DGM and the effect of all this on her, continue to help her with her books, etc.  My stomach just hurts thinking about it.

 

So, I take a deep yoga breath.  Practice my meditation.  Continue my walks (I walked after work yesterday!).  And do the little day to day steps to help all this happen.  I.E.  we are following the money we are waiting on from the sale of our expensive car - we are using it to pay off our phones and other costs, like the expense of getting our downstairs CH carpet stretched and cleaned.  In this same month we have gone from expensive service with large cellular provider to the plans at WM.  Going from $207/month to $120/month.  But, we did have outlay of significant costs of my new phone and DH year old phone he had to pay off.  My intention is to wean off my phone more, of the couple year life that these phone essentially have.  After 2 years both my last 2 models got very slow and do not hold a charge.  I do not have IPhone, which was what the media focused on few months ago - but I seriously doubt this problem/feature/design is limited just to iphones. 

 

One of the big reasons I have been tethered to my phone was the constant activity required to sell stuff.  I am finished doing that.  Although the cash was nice, it came with it's own cost (serious time drain!).  I have pretty much officially changed over my wardrobe to what I think will be useful casual (daily stuff, walking, yoga, kayaking, hiking and golf), from my corporate wardrobe.  I hope to never look back, but if I do, I can buy new stuff!  Just last night I used my last credits from clothes we sold to buy a 2nd hand hooded raincoat and a pair of slightly used Bean boots.  I am so excited!  I just go through in my mind what I will get rid of...and I will prob get rid of a couple coats that are duplicative and sort of dressy that lack waterproof/hood.  I will also get rid of pair of cheap/non waterproof boots and a pair of slippers to make room for new. 

 

So, that are some things that make me happy while I am dreading/anxious about my looming to-do list.  Hope you all have a great Friday.  I will have a great weekend, but I will be tired from loading and unloading, a little unsatisfied we could not get all the bookcases and starting a strick elimination diet due to my stomach issues I have had for over a week.  I just have to focus on my gratitude, my God and His plan.

Happy Valentines Day/Ash Wednesday

This title of my post today really gets to the heart of what is important in my life today.  Celebrated Fat Tues last night with yoga and a spinach smoothie, then asleep before 9pm! 

 

This weekend we are taking 4 large bookcases to RH to start our "library".  We are maybe the most excited about this aspect of our Retirement Home.  Well...that and my yarn closet (stay tuned for photos). 
 

I went back and reviewed how much money I have made selling just on ebay.  Since April 2015 I have put over $5,000 into my bank account just from reducing stuff we don't need/have room for by selling on ebay.  This does not count FM Marketplace (not that much) and CL - even less.  But, should not be too hard to get guestimates in those areas either...I checked FB...made about $1500.  CL I made about $700.  PM my grand total after only one year is $2378.  I spent quite a bit of the PM amount, and a little of the ebay proceeds also.  This was mostly spent on items to redo mine and my husband's wardrobes from business/dressy to casual wear.  Things like hiking boots, snow boots, rain/work boots, comfortable motorcycle boots (took me couple years to find the right pair after my last pair wore out) and rain coats/warm utility coats for both of us also "re-tooling" our golf club inventory!  I have decided I am not going to try to buy a daypack for hiking sight unseen, but instead go into the sporting goods store and talk to people who know what the options are and have used one or more.  But that will be fun!

Just for Fun

I saw this on a friends FB post: 
Valentines Day is just around the corner.  Let's see couples put this as their status and answer honestly. ❤️❤️❤️

•Husband or Boyfriends' Name: husband D******
•How did we meet?  Friend of a friend
•Who is older? Him
•Who was interested first? He was sure enough for both of us
•Same high school? No
•Did you know each other in high school? No
•Born in same state? No, but almost, neighbor states
•Worst temper? Toss up
•More organized?  We are both about the same, sometimes good, sometimes not!
•More social? Me, but I am changing to reclusive
•Most stubborn? Him
•Wakes up first? Me
•Bigger Family?  Him
•Eats the most?  Him...
•Who said I love you first?  He did
•Who's the better driver?  Him
•Better cook? Me
•Ever broken up? No comment
•Any kids together? No
•Anniversary? 7.28.07
•How long have we known each other? 13 Years
•Who sings better? Me
•Who has the most tattoos? Him
•Who's the bigger sports fan?  Both, prob him.  But I do like college football more than he does

Super Slow Sunday

Well, i ran around like crazy Fridsy after half day at wotk...donating, taking couple valuable items to our nephews they could use, clothes to consignment.  Did some free lance work.  Shopped for groceries, cleaned house.  I had company fri sat nights.  Our school chum lost her mom.  We went to funeral.

I cook sat night, lots of veggies...one friend has gone vegan.  They left early to get home sunday.  House clean, the bad weather to north and south of us.  I finished baby afgan my friend commissioned (pictures would be good here!  Stay with me people.  One day...I promise I will learn).  I relaxed and had much needed downtime...oh, and i closed out my PM closet and deep cleaned my kitchen...move some art around...packed some nick nacks...think one of my friends is going to take my cat in march after her cruise.  Things moving right along toward listing house!  Cant wait!

Downsizing the Family Home

I just read this book by Marni Jameson.  I really liked it.  Thought it had some good ideas in it.  I like that she shares her personal experience with her parents/her childhood home as well as her own personal downsize and move.  She also has many experts weigh in.

She wraps up her experiences by calling it downsizing up "...living better because you have freed yourself of excess".  I have come to think of it as "rightsizing".  Plus it sounds nicer than Swedish Death Cleaning.  Haha

Stuff Stabilizing

At least clothes and personal effects, sporting goods, nick nacks.  I have about 4 suits, incl my husbands tux that i am taking to consignment this week.  They did not sell on PM.

Other than large furniture items, about half I am giving to friends that come pick them up, after City House sells...i am about to the point where everything will be moved.  Then prob some final purging to charity will happen.

 

Last weekend I sold my luxury suv.  While going thru this uncomf process and also tackled a new cell phone thru Straight Talk at Walmart.  I took off $10 old outdated tablet too.  We had to pay $650 for phone up front and only saving 41 - 105/month at Verizon.  My phone service at WM costs 60/month after fees/taxes.  So we are either paying 19 dollars more for brand new phone or saving $41...the kicker is, we have had Verizon tell us 4 diff amounts my husbands single phone will be now.  We agree that given this run around, he will likely pay his $472 left on his phone and switch also, bringing monthly cell phone tital to $120 (versus $207 at Verizon).

Then, as long as i was in a really frustrated beat down state of mind i took my 4 year ink jet HP pos printer to Office Max along with $60 worth of ink i bought thinking that was the problem (ink being out/bad) and bought a Brother floor model laser printer for $75, extra ink for $45 and new version of Microsoft office for $150 so i can do some side free lance work.  Now I finally have working computer, printer and updated phone.  Maybe next I can learn to add photos here!

Tonight we are frantically cleaning out half of our garage in 30 degree temps so our new toyota truck can fit in!

Oh well, we have to do it sooner or later anyway.  At least we didnt get the snowpocalypse forecast earlier in the week!  But it sure is cold!

Superb Owl

I saw this heading in a post about an owl.  Cute.  The ads arent that great anymore.  At least JT was halftime show.  I like him.  And Twitter is hilarious.  Times change, I guess.  Today i took my friend to airport 6.30.  Had coffee and burrito for him.  Soup last night I deliv to my aunt and failing uncle, along with some more apple butter.  Then soup to Granny.  And soup, bread and fruit to my cousin.  Shared my honey nut crockpot chex mix with my neighbors we love. 

Roads were crazy early.  Bad accidents all over!  Had to call my granny to tell i was back home safe.  She still looks at me as her little grand daughter.  Be careful and stay warm.  Winter 6 more weeks.  I will focus on enjoying my new to me sweaters and flannel shirts (well, one of each were new).  Live in the now they told me at coffee this morning.