Starting Over

Moving to Longmont is giving us a new start in life, not that we needed a new start. As I go through our house and seperate what we aremoving from what we are dumping ad what we are giving away I ponder our almost 22 years in this house and the almost 27 years since Sharon and I married, and the almost 28 years since I moved from Austin. As an aside, I am disposing of somethings I moved from Austin then. Do I really new two life vests from my sailboating days on Lake Travis?

When we unpack in Longmont it will be in a new home in new surroundings. We will have new experiences and meet new friends. We are commencing quite an adventure. This change is both frightening and exciting. I am ready, though the events leading up to moving out of here have me quite nervous. I keep repeating, "It will all work out."

I've got a garage full of items goings to the photography teacher at our local high school, Glenbard West. I've got a growing pile for Goodwill. And, I've got items for friends and neighbors. The fewer boxes I have to pack the better as pointed out to me yesterday by Nate from National Van Lines. We are paying for weight and distance.

Events

As I lay on the CT scan table today I thought that our lives are a series of events. Some we look forward to and some we dread, but then we are in them and then through them. I dread these scans, the IV, the Iodine infusion, the aftermath, and then the results.

I try not to worry about events, thinking that planning is more useful than worry. However, as much as I don't want to worry, I do. My current worry, or dread, is moving. I want to move but the process is rough! Getting our house ready to put on the market has been a pain and taken longer than I tought. I still have a lot to do - almost all in the basement. Once we have a contract on the house I can get down to more packing and also looking at moving companies. Of course there is also the issue of showing and selling the house. Nerve racking. Will it sell quickly? Terms? How soon do we have to be out? The house has been on the market for only a few days and I have had to leave multiple times as it has been shown. I still have lots of work to do to clean out the basement. Don't make me leave! I'm up to 10 trips to Goodwill. They know me now.

On The Market

Our house officially went on the market today and I have already been chased out for showings. After running some errands I am sitting at the bar at Bistro Monet having a Manhattan.

386 Montclair

I Have A Dream

I have a dream. We will get a full price offer on our house, 60 day close, no contingincies. A nice dream.

Yesterday our agent came with a photographer and they rearranged much of the house for photographs. They did the attic and everything on the first floor. Afterwards I tried to put things back in place. It is odd being in here though. I have removed so much that I am hearing echos as I move around the house. The living room, dining, room, and the attic are especially prone to echos.

I've finished the attic and main floor and the laundry room. I've still got a lot of work to do in the basement as well as odd and ends in the rest of the house. Starting tomorrow, I have to make sure the house is ready for showings each day. Bed made, kitchen clean, no dishes in sink, no shoes or clothes left aroound. I like it neat but this is going to be hard.

Yesterday I drove to Elmwood Park to see Bernard and to give him a box of stamps from Stan Meade. Bernard seems to be doing well and was appreciative of the stamps. His house is packed with stuff. He collects so many different things and they are everywhere.

The drive from Glen Ellyn to Elmwood Park then back to Menards and then on to Fresh Market and finally home had me thinking about urban sprawl. The entire trip was though congested urban areas. I am looking forward to being in Colorado to get away from this. Yes, you can certainly find that in the Denver area, but where we will be we can avoid moost of it.

I read today that Illinois has the second highest property tax rates in the country. Gosh, at the top when Illinois genrally ranks at the bottom of many lists. We are also first with the highest number of local governments in the nation - 6,994 local governments. Illinos is dead last in funding of public pensions.

 

The Decluttering Continues

I've been at this for a week and a half. Today I finished the attic but I have stuff to haul to the car and then to Goodwill. Will this be trip six or seven? The basement is next. Yikes! I started on the basement and then gave up to do the rest of the house. I suspect I can spend as much time on the basement as the rest of the house.