I have packed and packed and so has my old college roommate. She came to help. In five years she had never visited me. I have gone to see her. She wanted to see the house before we moved. We are packed to about 90%. What isn't packed we can come back for next week. A few drawers in the bathroom, perhaps some dresses in my closet, stuff I can carry myself.
My girlfriend had a glass half full moment. She poked her head out a doorway at me and said "Hey, this is the first move I have packed where someone isn't dead." She worked on the kitchen. We didn't get to the everyday dishes cupboard, but I will be back.
Tom called with a list of things he wanted in the car, air compressor, spray painter among others. I called back and told him I could do one better. I remembered Tom Sr. in the closet. Wouldn't want to lose Grandpa in the move. He now is in the back seat of the car waiting to go.
The boys tried hard. Focus is always an issue. They lasted in spurts. They were good for runs of garbage out to the cans outside. Tom had spoken to them so they were great, answering when called and doing the tasks assigned.
We will see how the chaos goes tomorrow. Movers arrive at 8:00am.
The fridge was cleaned today. My girlfriend took the interior apart and scrubbed everything. I turned on the upper oven to start the clean cycle. Tomorrow I will do the lower oven. The stove only lets you do one oven at a time. I cant wait to vacuum and steam the carpets now. Just having these couple of chores done gives me hope that we will achieve the rest. I have scrubbed out some drawers as they became empty, but there are many to go.
Tom reminds me we have time this time. We are not being pushed out with a twenty four hour turn around like most people. I am even loving the moving date, just to get it done. I only wish I had more time to get the new house even cleaner in the basement for all the furniture coming.
The basement may not be beautiful now, but it will be eventually. Tom meanwhile is having his own dreams of how the spaces will go. He loves the basement for a work shop. He has ideas for the kitchen. It is going to be fun.
Tomorrow my computer will be unplugged and I wont be up and running again until Monday when the phone company connects our Internet. I need to cancel the old house phone tomorrow.
I understand electric and gas just get transferred to the new tenant's names. We'll figure it out as we go.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
TV
Tom called me a wimp. He wants the TV so bad he can taste it. I am to call and say if Direct TV can't set up on Saturday we'll go with Comcast. Right. I'll make the call. You never know, maybe they do set up on Saturdays. Poor Tom. He is having withdrawals. He has to go home to his little apartment because he doesn't have a TV in the house yet. Patience.
My mom rocked and rolled yesterday. The garage is about done. What a mess that was. She got it all boxed. I would bring out lemonade smoothies for her to keep her hydrated. We were both sweating in the heat and with work.
Trevor goes to conditioning today. Riley is going to mow the lawn then move the food from the fridge we are leaving for the rental to the fridge that we are putting in the garage at the new house. Neither fridge is small enough for the space the new kitchen has for a fridge. On my to do list is to get a fridge that fits. I am torn though since we will be remodeling. We will probably make a space for a large fridge.
OK enough typing back to doing.
My mom rocked and rolled yesterday. The garage is about done. What a mess that was. She got it all boxed. I would bring out lemonade smoothies for her to keep her hydrated. We were both sweating in the heat and with work.
Trevor goes to conditioning today. Riley is going to mow the lawn then move the food from the fridge we are leaving for the rental to the fridge that we are putting in the garage at the new house. Neither fridge is small enough for the space the new kitchen has for a fridge. On my to do list is to get a fridge that fits. I am torn though since we will be remodeling. We will probably make a space for a large fridge.
OK enough typing back to doing.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Renters what a pain
My property manager left me a message to call her yesterday. By the time I listened to it it was too late to call her back. I didn't sleep well wondering what she wanted. I knew it wouldn't be good news and it wasn't. The renters, She has hired an attorney to sue for breach of contract. She canceled. I spent all morning stressing and getting nothing else done. I typed up a letter regarding our conversations for our attorney. Nice having a good lawyer in the family. I passed the letter on to Tom. He said he would deal with it.
I get the feeling the wife didn't tell her husband about her phone calls with me, otherwise he would have realized she screwed up, and there isn't anything to sue over, since she canceled and I accepted, OOps. I am not very sympathetic, with the move literally on right now. More threats just makes me feel like we made a good escape from that family. Tom and I are in agreement that they are the last people we want to deal with as renters, or at least the wife. I only met or spoke to the husband once. On the other hand Tom is looking for a good legal battle. He has been wanting his day in court over so many things that have gone wrong in our lives that we have just had to swallow because they weren't worth fighting over. He would love to play lawyer. He likes to argue and is good at it.
If law school didn't cost so much he probably would have made a great lawyer. He likes to read anything and everything. That is what law is, knowing the law having read the precedents.
We have just taken our lumps in the past. We will come back fighting this time. We got our dream house. It can't be all bad.
This week will pass. I am earning my keep the hard way, through stress. IRS also wants another chunk out of us. I had to put an adjusted return together for some stock basis that were missing two years ago. I love how they wait two years and then notify you and charge interest and penalties when you didn't even know there was a problem. Just pile it on. I might as well get it all over with at once.
So ex renters are trying to sue. Maybe they really love our house as it is and want it still. But this isnt the way to get what they want. IRS says they want more of our money also. The movers are coming Friday. My mom went around the house choking back words as she realized how much I still have to do.
Positive Vibes Baby, Positive Vibes.
Lets Party Saturday. I am going to need a little comfort and love. Bring me a good bottle of Red. I might even be able to afford the hang over on Sunday, as my day of rest. Monday the phone company comes, and Tuesday the TV gets hooked up. Tom will be thrilled.
Wednesday, I will start cleaning the rental. What do you think, two days to get it cleaned? I will sleep in a sleeping bag and get it done fast.
I get the feeling the wife didn't tell her husband about her phone calls with me, otherwise he would have realized she screwed up, and there isn't anything to sue over, since she canceled and I accepted, OOps. I am not very sympathetic, with the move literally on right now. More threats just makes me feel like we made a good escape from that family. Tom and I are in agreement that they are the last people we want to deal with as renters, or at least the wife. I only met or spoke to the husband once. On the other hand Tom is looking for a good legal battle. He has been wanting his day in court over so many things that have gone wrong in our lives that we have just had to swallow because they weren't worth fighting over. He would love to play lawyer. He likes to argue and is good at it.
If law school didn't cost so much he probably would have made a great lawyer. He likes to read anything and everything. That is what law is, knowing the law having read the precedents.
We have just taken our lumps in the past. We will come back fighting this time. We got our dream house. It can't be all bad.
This week will pass. I am earning my keep the hard way, through stress. IRS also wants another chunk out of us. I had to put an adjusted return together for some stock basis that were missing two years ago. I love how they wait two years and then notify you and charge interest and penalties when you didn't even know there was a problem. Just pile it on. I might as well get it all over with at once.
So ex renters are trying to sue. Maybe they really love our house as it is and want it still. But this isnt the way to get what they want. IRS says they want more of our money also. The movers are coming Friday. My mom went around the house choking back words as she realized how much I still have to do.
Positive Vibes Baby, Positive Vibes.
Lets Party Saturday. I am going to need a little comfort and love. Bring me a good bottle of Red. I might even be able to afford the hang over on Sunday, as my day of rest. Monday the phone company comes, and Tuesday the TV gets hooked up. Tom will be thrilled.
Wednesday, I will start cleaning the rental. What do you think, two days to get it cleaned? I will sleep in a sleeping bag and get it done fast.
packing
Mom came over yesterday. Every time she walked into a room I could her the expletive. There is a lot to do. She dug right in. A lot of it is just first impression mess. I kind of grazed through each room but not fully packing any. She fully packed the front room. She also took the fragile China with her to make sure it was delivered un broken.
She tackled the garage with me. We still have more to do. She said she would try to be back today, but has a dental appointment. I doubt that she will feel up to it after having her teeth drilled. Her back was hurting her from all the lifting and stooping while sorting and cleaning yesterday.
By four yesterday we were ready to call it a day. She treated the boys and me to dinner out. Trevor had a buffalo burger with a shake and fries. He then said he was still hungry. Against my advice Mom bought him another dinner of chicken strips and fries. Riley added a cup of soup to his meal. I had a chicken salad. Riley criticized the food until he was told that was very rude when someone else was buying. I appreciate my mom telling him, if I had told him to stop complaining it would have gone in one ear and out the other.
He took it to heart when the reprimand came from Gigi. I could see he was listened. He loves and respects his grandparents and appreciates the treats. He and Trevor wouldn't want to lose out on seeing them, or the treats. The boys have been asking all summer for their annual trip to the beach. I just haven't been able to schedule it with the hold up on the house. I don't even know if it will happen with the need to get moved and the old house cleaned and ready for tenants.
I will be so glad when this is all done. I just want to sleep a day away. Right now I can barely sleep at all with my mind going in a thousand directions. The property manager called and left a message for me to call her. I worry it is another problem. I can't move any faster than I am going. I am the homeowner aren't I? To put myself in a better mood I remind myself I am a woman of property, two properties to be exact. I am proud of that accomplishment.
Tom texted me that he loves the new house. I hope so, we sweated a lot of stress over the four months it took to get it. I still can't get over the view. the lights at night are beautiful. during the day the trees are so bushy with leaves the view is obscured in the summer. You have a complete sense of privacy. When you look out the windows there is not a house to be seen out back. The lot is twice as big as our old house. It feels monstrously huge, as the lot below us is also long and deep, giving the illusion of a much bigger back yard.
I can't wait to get the blackberries dealt with and begin landscaping. I can afford mowing the lawn. I may need another lawn mower, as I debate whether I need to leave one at the old house for the new tenants, or just keep it handy while I maintain the yard until the place is rented out. I am so thrilled with the new house and that potential basement space. Time is going fast now as the big truck is expected on Friday.
She tackled the garage with me. We still have more to do. She said she would try to be back today, but has a dental appointment. I doubt that she will feel up to it after having her teeth drilled. Her back was hurting her from all the lifting and stooping while sorting and cleaning yesterday.
By four yesterday we were ready to call it a day. She treated the boys and me to dinner out. Trevor had a buffalo burger with a shake and fries. He then said he was still hungry. Against my advice Mom bought him another dinner of chicken strips and fries. Riley added a cup of soup to his meal. I had a chicken salad. Riley criticized the food until he was told that was very rude when someone else was buying. I appreciate my mom telling him, if I had told him to stop complaining it would have gone in one ear and out the other.
He took it to heart when the reprimand came from Gigi. I could see he was listened. He loves and respects his grandparents and appreciates the treats. He and Trevor wouldn't want to lose out on seeing them, or the treats. The boys have been asking all summer for their annual trip to the beach. I just haven't been able to schedule it with the hold up on the house. I don't even know if it will happen with the need to get moved and the old house cleaned and ready for tenants.
I will be so glad when this is all done. I just want to sleep a day away. Right now I can barely sleep at all with my mind going in a thousand directions. The property manager called and left a message for me to call her. I worry it is another problem. I can't move any faster than I am going. I am the homeowner aren't I? To put myself in a better mood I remind myself I am a woman of property, two properties to be exact. I am proud of that accomplishment.
Tom texted me that he loves the new house. I hope so, we sweated a lot of stress over the four months it took to get it. I still can't get over the view. the lights at night are beautiful. during the day the trees are so bushy with leaves the view is obscured in the summer. You have a complete sense of privacy. When you look out the windows there is not a house to be seen out back. The lot is twice as big as our old house. It feels monstrously huge, as the lot below us is also long and deep, giving the illusion of a much bigger back yard.
I can't wait to get the blackberries dealt with and begin landscaping. I can afford mowing the lawn. I may need another lawn mower, as I debate whether I need to leave one at the old house for the new tenants, or just keep it handy while I maintain the yard until the place is rented out. I am so thrilled with the new house and that potential basement space. Time is going fast now as the big truck is expected on Friday.
Our first neighbors
I am in the kitchen doing dishes at the sink. Bucky starts barking. I look over. His head is turned to the interior garage door. I peak around the corner to see what he is barking at, a little concerned it might be a mouse . A big beautiful brown boxer is standing there with a miniature toy poodle. The boxer is wearing a diaper. Their tails are wagging. As soon as they see me, that seems to give them permission to enter the house. They wander into the kitchen and sniff tails with Bucky, whose tail is hesitantly wagging.
I am not about to upset that boxer by throwing everyone out right away. I want to make sure everyone stays on friendly terms. Tom had a boxer once. He tells the story of how she got mad at a neighbor golden retriever while he was at work. The two dogs fought to exhaustion and an expensive vet bill.
Once sniffing is over tails wag heavily. I shoo them all outside, where I start pulling weeds while supervising the friendly visit. They run around peeing on the bushes, marking their territories. After a few minutes a voice calls out and the two visiting dogs romp home across the street.
The next day, I am out gardening with Bucky in the front yard. I look up to see my visitors from the day before, the boxer and the miniature poodle, returning with another friend, a Chinese pug. The boxer no longer has her diaper on. Again, there is the doggy meet and greet. I am glad Bucky is such a cute Cavalier. He is hanging with a pedigreed crowd. I watch the other dogs leave, the three neighbor dogs continue to trot down the street to check out the rest of the neighborhood. I make Bucky come inside with me.
I am not about to upset that boxer by throwing everyone out right away. I want to make sure everyone stays on friendly terms. Tom had a boxer once. He tells the story of how she got mad at a neighbor golden retriever while he was at work. The two dogs fought to exhaustion and an expensive vet bill.
Once sniffing is over tails wag heavily. I shoo them all outside, where I start pulling weeds while supervising the friendly visit. They run around peeing on the bushes, marking their territories. After a few minutes a voice calls out and the two visiting dogs romp home across the street.
The next day, I am out gardening with Bucky in the front yard. I look up to see my visitors from the day before, the boxer and the miniature poodle, returning with another friend, a Chinese pug. The boxer no longer has her diaper on. Again, there is the doggy meet and greet. I am glad Bucky is such a cute Cavalier. He is hanging with a pedigreed crowd. I watch the other dogs leave, the three neighbor dogs continue to trot down the street to check out the rest of the neighborhood. I make Bucky come inside with me.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Moving
The movers kept our date 5/6. No one bumped us. We are moving Friday and delivery will be before the party. Well, we do like to provide entertainment of some sort. It is going to be fun. Tom thinks that we can have the furniture in place before the party starts. I am just laughing. It will get done one way or another.
Exhaustion
The boys were amazing getting the u haul loaded and un loaded at the other end. It was a mad dash to get to Longview with enough stuff so we could stay in the new house and start cleaning. The truck had to be returned by 4:00 pm the next day. We loaded until dark the night before then I had everyone up early and finished shoving in what ever would fit just to get it loaded.
As soon as the truck was unloaded the boys felt their work was done. They disappeared into a corner with the lap top computer to play spor, the only game Riley has on his computer that doesn't need Internet.
I returned the truck without incident. We were all starving since it was almost 3:00 pm and all we had was breakfast cereal before we left the old house that morning. The vote was for Izzy's, a good choice as it has a salad bar for me, and all you can eat for Trevor, and a huge selection so Riley can sample and find something he likes.
I had not been able to bring up anything but twin beds and frames. As a result we were short mattresses. After our early dinner we swung by a mattress store and the boys picked out two more mattresses they liked. It was after 5:00 pm so they wouldn't be able to deliver. As a result we went to the warehouse ourselves. By laying down the back seats in the jeep we were able to get the two mattresses into my car. It was a perfect fit. I swear the furniture people and the car people are in cahoots designing both to accommodate the other.
I had to leave Riley sitting under a shade tree by the warehouse while Trevor and I drove to the new house with the mattresses tied down in the back with the trunk hanging open. The town is not that big so Riley only had to wait 15 minutes in the shade. He opted for that rest opportunity. Trevor and I unloaded the mattresses and left them leaning against the house, while we went back to get Riley.
We then swung by Walmart to get some staples. I didn't have soap or shampoos or some cleaning supplies. We also needed snack food. There is no refrigerator so the boys were instructed not to get anything that involved needing to be kept cold. Fiber One bars and oatmeal packets were on the menu. Riley also picked up yogurt. I figured it would survive a couple days un refrigerated if it didn't get too hot.
We almost forgot our most important purchase. We had to go back into the store and pick up a microwave. Canned soup was a good choice with the mice fighting for residency.
We did all this on Friday. Once we got home and were semi set up for residency and I had scrubbed out most of the kitchen with cleanser then gone back over it with Clorox wipes to make sure it was sanitary, I called Tom.
Tom was at the club. In a big annual weekend golf tournament involving much partying and out of town guests. He asked me to come up. I told him to give me half an hour. I needed to shower and change.
When I arrived at the club, the music was playing. Tom was so happy to finally know we got the house we wanted and are now back in town, he glowed with contentment. The owner of the Title company we used bought us a bottle of wine as congratulations. Tom asked me to dance. It was after 11:30pm before we knew it.
I had a big day the next day of tackling more of the house cleaning. I still had to clean the bathrooms upstairs. Tom had an early tee time. We each headed home, Tom staying at his little apartment next to the club for convenience.
I opened enough boxes to get the beds made and some dishes out before crashing onto the twin bed that had been set up in the master bedroom with the new mattress. It will go to the guest room eventually, once the rest of our furniture arrives. It was an incredible first day. I was amazed at how much I achieved.
Saturday, I spent cleaning, then weeding when I got too disgusted with the yucky mice droppings in the kitchen. I would change chores to keep myself fresh and on task. Which also meant everything took forever to finish. The boys did not help. They played. I took them up to the club to swim in the afternoon. Trevor had an old friend with him.
The boys put on sun block but they still were really sunburned by the time I came back for them. I had told them to swim in t shirts, but neither wanted to wear them. I asked the life guards how the boys behaved. I was told they were a bit enthusiastic at first, but they did listen to the life guards. They had a football confiscated when Trevor ran into another swimmer one too many times. They were playing water basketball when I arrived to get them. Tom had finally noticed them out in the pool. It was time to take Trevor's friend home. His friend had an evening obligation. I was due back at the club for the tournament end banquet.
I only lasted until 9:30 pm. I was careful about how much I drank, one glass of wine and a bailey's coffee for dessert. Tom and I danced to the karaoke. He spun me and dipped me. It was wonderful to have a social life again. But I had been bitten by a spider while gardening and I wanted to take some benidryl for the itching and swelling. I knew it would knock me out when I took it. So with Tom giving me a sad pout look I slipped away. The mini mart at the bottom of our hill was still open. I got some benidryl and antisporin to help with the bites. I was in bed asleep by 10:30 pm.
I had told the boys they could go to the fair on Sunday. Trevor wanted to take his friend. I finished the house in the morning to the point where I felt comfortable having our open house party next weekend to celebrate. My sister from New York said she would drive up and see the house and go to the fair with us. Sunday is demolition derby. She didn't think she had ever been to one before.
I showed her the new house. She said it was her favorite of all the houses we have owned. We laughed as she pointed out that her 900 square foot apartment cost the same amount as our 5000 square foot beauty, location, location, location.
We arrived at the fair grounds. I was running on fumes of energy. The fair only took cash and I had nothing. Tom called in the middle of my dumping my purse out on the grass to see if I had a buried $20 in the bottom. He could tell I was needing a little love. He hopped in the car and drove over from his apartment to share some of his cash golf winnings with me. He is still staying in the apartment since we don't have a TV set up yet, or a big bed for that matter. His effort gave me just the extra energy I needed to get through the rest of the day.
My four year old nephew was enthralled by the derby. The derby had a slow start but the finally was as good as ever. The car he chose though, did not win, which caused him great tears of grief over its demise. He had become very attached to number 711.
I had given Trevor a little money to be shared with his buddy. They were able to do a couple of rides before they came back looking for more. I gave them another $5 to split. They bought fried oreos with it.
My step mom was worried about losing them, but keeping them on a tight cash flow meant they would come back looking for more. I knew they would show up. I even knew they would be late since neither of them had a watch. I didn't rush as we looked at the goats and the cows and the chickens and the rabbits. We enjoyed wandering through the barns. My step mom enjoyed chatting with the 4H people. She said she hadn't been to the fair in years and as a child had participated in many as a 4H member. Being in the barns brought back wonderful memories.
My sister and I ordered gyros at a food stand. I shared mine with Riley. Fair food is the best part of the fair. I had hoped to go through the vendor hall and check out contractors and materials for my plans on the new house, but once we sat down for dinner with our sandwiches, I was done. We stayed almost until the fair closed at 7:00.
I even talked to a goat breeder. If I was ten years younger I think I might try having goats as pets, but I know who will be taking care of them now. She said having two works best. What killed the idea was she said they attract flies so I would need to have a covered pen away from the house. I was hoping I might utilize the basement or under the deck, but that would be a bad idea.
I like the idea of making a separate apartment in the basement anyway. Something similar to the place Tom has been staying, a mother in law suite independent from the house. That will be something to tackle later. Right now I just have to pack up our old house and get it all moved.
The new renters want to move in. We haven't signed any contracts this time. First I want to get out of the house and the house ready.
Trevor was amazing with the boxes unloading. He would load the dolly with heavy book boxes. Eventually the boxes just went into the garage for convenience, just to get them out of the truck and unloaded quickly. Riley only picked up the light boxes, so I had Riley carry in the frame pieces for the twin beds and put the frames together.
As soon as the truck was unloaded the boys felt their work was done. They disappeared into a corner with the lap top computer to play spor, the only game Riley has on his computer that doesn't need Internet.
I returned the truck without incident. We were all starving since it was almost 3:00 pm and all we had was breakfast cereal before we left the old house that morning. The vote was for Izzy's, a good choice as it has a salad bar for me, and all you can eat for Trevor, and a huge selection so Riley can sample and find something he likes.
I had not been able to bring up anything but twin beds and frames. As a result we were short mattresses. After our early dinner we swung by a mattress store and the boys picked out two more mattresses they liked. It was after 5:00 pm so they wouldn't be able to deliver. As a result we went to the warehouse ourselves. By laying down the back seats in the jeep we were able to get the two mattresses into my car. It was a perfect fit. I swear the furniture people and the car people are in cahoots designing both to accommodate the other.
I had to leave Riley sitting under a shade tree by the warehouse while Trevor and I drove to the new house with the mattresses tied down in the back with the trunk hanging open. The town is not that big so Riley only had to wait 15 minutes in the shade. He opted for that rest opportunity. Trevor and I unloaded the mattresses and left them leaning against the house, while we went back to get Riley.
We then swung by Walmart to get some staples. I didn't have soap or shampoos or some cleaning supplies. We also needed snack food. There is no refrigerator so the boys were instructed not to get anything that involved needing to be kept cold. Fiber One bars and oatmeal packets were on the menu. Riley also picked up yogurt. I figured it would survive a couple days un refrigerated if it didn't get too hot.
We almost forgot our most important purchase. We had to go back into the store and pick up a microwave. Canned soup was a good choice with the mice fighting for residency.
We did all this on Friday. Once we got home and were semi set up for residency and I had scrubbed out most of the kitchen with cleanser then gone back over it with Clorox wipes to make sure it was sanitary, I called Tom.
Tom was at the club. In a big annual weekend golf tournament involving much partying and out of town guests. He asked me to come up. I told him to give me half an hour. I needed to shower and change.
When I arrived at the club, the music was playing. Tom was so happy to finally know we got the house we wanted and are now back in town, he glowed with contentment. The owner of the Title company we used bought us a bottle of wine as congratulations. Tom asked me to dance. It was after 11:30pm before we knew it.
I had a big day the next day of tackling more of the house cleaning. I still had to clean the bathrooms upstairs. Tom had an early tee time. We each headed home, Tom staying at his little apartment next to the club for convenience.
I opened enough boxes to get the beds made and some dishes out before crashing onto the twin bed that had been set up in the master bedroom with the new mattress. It will go to the guest room eventually, once the rest of our furniture arrives. It was an incredible first day. I was amazed at how much I achieved.
Saturday, I spent cleaning, then weeding when I got too disgusted with the yucky mice droppings in the kitchen. I would change chores to keep myself fresh and on task. Which also meant everything took forever to finish. The boys did not help. They played. I took them up to the club to swim in the afternoon. Trevor had an old friend with him.
The boys put on sun block but they still were really sunburned by the time I came back for them. I had told them to swim in t shirts, but neither wanted to wear them. I asked the life guards how the boys behaved. I was told they were a bit enthusiastic at first, but they did listen to the life guards. They had a football confiscated when Trevor ran into another swimmer one too many times. They were playing water basketball when I arrived to get them. Tom had finally noticed them out in the pool. It was time to take Trevor's friend home. His friend had an evening obligation. I was due back at the club for the tournament end banquet.
I only lasted until 9:30 pm. I was careful about how much I drank, one glass of wine and a bailey's coffee for dessert. Tom and I danced to the karaoke. He spun me and dipped me. It was wonderful to have a social life again. But I had been bitten by a spider while gardening and I wanted to take some benidryl for the itching and swelling. I knew it would knock me out when I took it. So with Tom giving me a sad pout look I slipped away. The mini mart at the bottom of our hill was still open. I got some benidryl and antisporin to help with the bites. I was in bed asleep by 10:30 pm.
I had told the boys they could go to the fair on Sunday. Trevor wanted to take his friend. I finished the house in the morning to the point where I felt comfortable having our open house party next weekend to celebrate. My sister from New York said she would drive up and see the house and go to the fair with us. Sunday is demolition derby. She didn't think she had ever been to one before.
I showed her the new house. She said it was her favorite of all the houses we have owned. We laughed as she pointed out that her 900 square foot apartment cost the same amount as our 5000 square foot beauty, location, location, location.
We arrived at the fair grounds. I was running on fumes of energy. The fair only took cash and I had nothing. Tom called in the middle of my dumping my purse out on the grass to see if I had a buried $20 in the bottom. He could tell I was needing a little love. He hopped in the car and drove over from his apartment to share some of his cash golf winnings with me. He is still staying in the apartment since we don't have a TV set up yet, or a big bed for that matter. His effort gave me just the extra energy I needed to get through the rest of the day.
My four year old nephew was enthralled by the derby. The derby had a slow start but the finally was as good as ever. The car he chose though, did not win, which caused him great tears of grief over its demise. He had become very attached to number 711.
I had given Trevor a little money to be shared with his buddy. They were able to do a couple of rides before they came back looking for more. I gave them another $5 to split. They bought fried oreos with it.
My step mom was worried about losing them, but keeping them on a tight cash flow meant they would come back looking for more. I knew they would show up. I even knew they would be late since neither of them had a watch. I didn't rush as we looked at the goats and the cows and the chickens and the rabbits. We enjoyed wandering through the barns. My step mom enjoyed chatting with the 4H people. She said she hadn't been to the fair in years and as a child had participated in many as a 4H member. Being in the barns brought back wonderful memories.
My sister and I ordered gyros at a food stand. I shared mine with Riley. Fair food is the best part of the fair. I had hoped to go through the vendor hall and check out contractors and materials for my plans on the new house, but once we sat down for dinner with our sandwiches, I was done. We stayed almost until the fair closed at 7:00.
I even talked to a goat breeder. If I was ten years younger I think I might try having goats as pets, but I know who will be taking care of them now. She said having two works best. What killed the idea was she said they attract flies so I would need to have a covered pen away from the house. I was hoping I might utilize the basement or under the deck, but that would be a bad idea.
I like the idea of making a separate apartment in the basement anyway. Something similar to the place Tom has been staying, a mother in law suite independent from the house. That will be something to tackle later. Right now I just have to pack up our old house and get it all moved.
The new renters want to move in. We haven't signed any contracts this time. First I want to get out of the house and the house ready.
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