Day 115

Day 115

Monday, July 21, 2014

This turned into an odd sort of day, a little unsettling.  For starters, I kept expecting TGF all day.  I had been told she was going to talk to someone at her new job briefly; and then was taking one of the boys to the Laundromat to do the laundry while she came out here.  That of course told me from the start that her time was much too limited to spend very much out here … but I’ll take whatever I can get now. 

I did my best to keep on working through areas on my list.  I’m sure there’s a lot I’ve missed, but the bulk of what needs to be done seems to be in the back end of the house, where there’s no a/c.  Even though I keep it (front part of the house) set fairly high (78), it’s still uncomfortable at the back.  But I did work in the kitchen a lot, and in the back hall/laundry room/bathroom area.  Sadly, a lot of what I got done wasn’t even on my list … I simply had no choice but get some basic cleaning done before I could do much else.

In the process, I realized why cleaning back there is making me feel punk.  In addition to the heat, and breathing so much dust … I was also breathing in litter dust and mouse droppings.  Yuck and double yuck.  I know they are a fact of life in this old house, but I will NOT miss them when I move!!!

Around mid morning DGS15 called and asked if he and a friend could come today (Tuesday) to spend the night and mow the grass.  He said TGF was getting laundry together.  Later … into early afternoon, so laundry done … she called and said she’d be along soon but was waiting out a bit of a storm.

Later still, she called and asked if I was all right.  And why wouldn’t I be??  Well, turned out they’d had a short but fairly severe storm.  It never got here.  The most I got was rain, and faint distance thunder.  I’m thankful I at least got rain (even though the “lawn” is getting scary .. and now will be too wet for DGS to mow it, though I doubt that will stop him from trying). 

And later again, she called.  When she had finally gone out ready to head over, she found that the storm had knocked down a tree limb onto the windshield.  Excuse me for a moment of panic.  OK, it’s not “smashed”, just cracked.  They will, of course, replace it; and it’s still driveable.  I’m withholding judgement until I see it on how bad it is (or if I can tell).  But she was pretty rattled, so we decided she will come this morning instead.

In the meantime, DN had called to ask if it was OK if she came today instead of tomorrow since DSis is leaving town.  Of course it’s OK.  But I did tell TGF I have to get to the grocery store this morning .. I don’t have anything to feed all these extra guests.  I can’t go on and get my main grocery shopping done .. payday isn’t until tomorrow.  But I have to get some things for today (and I’m on my last cup of coffee because I ran out of creamer …I’ll manage for today, but those kids do NOT want to be around me in the morning if I can’t have at least one cup! LOL!  I do occasionally drink it black, but not first thing in the morning … and not very often.

Along with all of that going on, I also got an email from the rental agency with a link to a Lease Agreement.  I believe it is requesting an electronic signature.  When DSis brings DN over today she will look at it for me, and make sure I do whatever is needed in the correct place.  The mere fact that I’ve received that gives me a huge sigh of relief to have something concrete.  No matter how many times everyone says all is fine, this feels more “official”.  I am surprised that it can be done electronically instead of having to take a trip all the way in to the rental office!

At the moment I have one unused box.  I’m running out of spaces to put things … if I can’t pack them up for taking or storing, there’s no point in digging things out of cabinets just to make more piles everywhere.  Even the yardsale stuff is getting out of hand.  I’m pleased with myself about the vast volume of stuff I’ve been able to let go of … and I know that the more items there are the better the chances of a successful yardsale.  I just hope it’s going to be worth all this. If I didn’t need to make some money off it, I’d donate it all and be done.  There are a few things I really don’t want to just  give away … but I’m close to not even caring about that.  I keep telling myself if I could just sell some “main” pieces of good furniture (primarily the entertainment center and my desk system, and also the freezer) that would cover the “gap” and I’d let the rest go; or at least let most of it go and put the rest back on the online yardsale sites cheap.  I’m just really tired of stressing over it.  Moving is stressful enough without that worry.

I don’t know how today will go.  I think there’s still chances of storms .. maybe not as much as yesterday.  TGF said she’d come “in the morning”.  I have no idea when that means, but I’ll get showered and dressed earlier just in case.  First of all, I’ve amassed a huge pile of bags of trash (which also represents a lot of *stuff* going out of the house!).  It needs to go.  Because of time, and weather, I expect getting the books to the library will end up waiting.  And waiting.  It will probably be next week before TGF gets the bookcases and other bits I’m giving her for her classroom … but they have already been cleared so really aren’t part of the problem.  But for today, hopefully after the trash we’ll get to the store and back long before DS brings DN over here.

It looks like I’ll have 2, possibly 3, helpers tonight and tomorrow .. and no boxes so I can take advantage of them!!  Well, I will find something.  I actually have several things I’ve already talked with DN about wanting to get done.  There is no way I’m entrusting DGS to sort paperwork (he’s only 15 and a bit of a hothead, with no comprehension of what might be important).  He’s wanting to drag stuff out of the barn; but with no where in particular to put it, I’m not sure that’s a good idea.  I suspect the majority of what’s left out there I would have no problem with just walking away from!

Maybe if TGF helps sort the stuff piled on the table … and takes the things I’ve put there for her and/or DSS … there will be room to start over sorting.  The only kitchen cabinets left to go through are the pantry, and whatever is stored in the bottom part of my glass front cabinet.  A lot of it is baking stuff, that’s probably old (and more trash!).  I don’t know what else, so definitely an area to be dealt with.  The boys might not know what to do with it, but they can at least drag it all out.  Oh yeah, and one more small lower cabinet, they can empty that too.  I’ll have to think up more things for them to work on.  I’d really love for them to clean the porch.  Again.  I don’t know if they will though … seems no matter how many times I ask (and how many times I go clean that one area myself), it’s always a mess.  I don’t understand why.  Yes, the more I thnk about it, they can get that area at least a lot neater.

It’s had to tell if there’s real “daylight” or not .. after 6:00, but very dim out.  Looks like another cloudy dreary day, but hopefully better by the afternoon.  I need to go on and get ready for today.