Landscaping!

Our landscapers are finished. All that remains is pond construction (they did the hard work, the hole) and large pots/planters which we have to purchase and fill with soil. I like the look. Mostly 1 1/2" river rock with on clump of river birch and a half a dozen mugo pines and a few boxwoods. Everything else I want in planters. We have drip irrigation to the plants and I can hook into the irrigation lines to water the planters as we add them.

While the hole for pond is there, much work remains. I am working first on the whole for the skimmer, then I will figure the shape and place e t of the stream. The filter and falls will go at the beginning of that. Then, underlayment, rubber lining, and then rock and planters for the edges. A couple of weeks I think.

This past week I was in Redmond with the family. Not much excitement there but it was good to see John, Kristie, Avery, and Anika.

A couple of weeks ago we traded in our 11 year old, 183,000 mile trusty Volvo on a Cherokee. We call this our Colorado car. Brady named it Snow.

 

Unstressed

I am amazed at how easily our cats adapted to new surroundings. We pulled them from their home and drove them from Glen Ellyn to Davenport, to Longmont and put them in a completely new environment and they simply took it on. 1527 Otis Dr is now their domain.

 

Unpacking

Busy week! On Tuesday the movers arrived, well, the driver Eddie arrived but no one to unload the truck. Shades of loading in Glen Ellyn. Eddie got on the phone and got one guy here by about 9:00 and another showed uo just before 11. The three of them did hustle though and the truck was unloaded in far less time than it took to load it.

The house is now full of furniture and boxes and we are sorting it out and arranging. Sharon has u packed all seven wardrobe boxes and the bedrom is liveable. She is also catching up on laundry and unpacking and arranging the kitchen all while spending time on the telephone working with clients. Wonder Woman.

I feel I have mostly been carrying boxes from the basement up to the first or second floor or moving boxes from the second floor to the first floor or the basement. I discovered that it matters not how you lable a box or where you tell a mover to put it, they will put it where they want. Also, why did I bother writing "Fragile" on some boxes? It makes no difference to a mover, though I have not foiund anything broken yet (though I think a box with framed photos has a bit of glass rattling around.

The garage is full of empty b oxes to be broken down and the back of the Volvo is full of sheets of packing paper. It takes up a lot more room when it is used than when it was new. I guess that's why it works so well for packing. I hope to make a run to the Longmont Recycling Center today to get rid of some of it.

I am enjoying the light in this house. This morning when I got up and looked out the bedroom window at the blue sky, the mountains, the green, I couldn't help but smile. Every room has big windows and the house is much lighter and brighter than our Glen Ellyn house.

Back to unpacking!

Adventures In Moving

This week was moving week. After a weekend of hectic last minute packing and purging and a couple of last get together with friends, the movers arrived on May 31 to load us out. We were supposed to see a driver, Eddie, and two helpers. One help was a no show which meant that for the first three hour, two guys were doing it all. That and heavy rain at around 2:00 meant that our load out lasted from 8:00 to 6:45. Sharon and Katie loaded up the cats and headed out early on their way to Davenport. I hung at the house, adding lat minute things to the Miata, taking apart the hutch, and an entertainment center and watching the loading. I was a long day.

 

I met Sharon and Katie in Davenport and we spent the evening and the next morning with Kathy and Kevin and Brady before starting our drive. Destination: Kearney Nebraska. For us is was an uneventful straight shot across Iowa and Nebraska. By the way, you can have Omaha! Yikes, the traffic there is terrible. The cats did fine and handled their stay in the hotel in Kearney without too much fussing.

 

June 2 and off to Davenport! Our last leg was only about five hours of driving. The weather was beautiful traffic was light and except for an erratic woman in an SUV who tried to run me off the road, uneventful. As we crossed the Colorado state line I said to myself, "We're home!" We had a nice brunch in Sterling Nebraska around 10:30 and made it to Longmont at about 12:45. IT was quite a sight when we crossed the ridge and could suddenly see the mountains. Stan met us at 1527 Otis and let us in, gave us keys, and took off the lock box. Scott Von met us with garage door openers and we were in our new home. We unpacked the cars, blew up air mattresses, and Sharon and Katie did some basic shopping while I waited on our refrigerator delivery and set up our internet connection.

 

 

 

Last stop of the day was in Niwot where we met Chuck and Joan for dinner at Ajuaa. A good time was had by all and we went home to crash. Sleeping on the air mattresses is another story.

 

 

So Much Going On!

I still feel I have things in hand but there is much going on - on three fronts; Glen Ellyn, Redmond, and Longmont. In Glen Ellyn the buyers is asking for things not in the contract, probably not a biggie but something to deal with. Paperwork for Redmond - Oregon Income Tax Withholding on the sale and some VA stuff. The appraisal is done on the Redmond house and is good. Going to the underwriter next. In Longmont the builder is refinishing the wood floors.

In Glen Ellyn packing continues and I am feeling good. Today I packed a wardrobe box with my keyboard, a quilt and our winter coats. I filled and sealed one large box and two mediums and one small with wall art and photos, books, knick knacks, and assorted other items. I filled a large flat art box with two large format pieces from the living room. Three large pieces to go. I am out of large packing boxes and feel I might need a few more. Today I took two goldfish to Melody for her pond. I wanted to take her three of four but the fish did not cooperate with me. They all went deep as soon as I started dipping. I might need a bigger, longer net.

I'm tired.

22 Days!

Our New Home In Colorado

Sharon and Colby now own a home in Longmont Colorado. We showed up at the closing at our scheduled 9:00 AM and found the closing officer, Lesley, our agent Kevin, the selling agent Stan and the loan officer Blake waiting for us. After handshakes all the way around we started. I commented that this must mean our loan was approved. We never received a confirmation that it was. Lots of papers and signatures and initials and a big check and almost an hour and a half later we owned a house at 1527 Otis which we promptly leased to the builder, Von's Colorado Concepts, for six months. This leaseback was critical to this deal. We likely would not have bought this house if we knew we would have to cover two mortgages for this transition period.

After closing we visited friends Chuck and Joan in Boulder and then had a nice, relaxing lunch at Carelli's. I needed the relaxing lunch because I started the morning a nervous wreck and was still a nervous wreck at lunch. In fact I didn't really recover until this evening after a couple of bourbons. I have never been so uptight and nervous at a closing.

After shopping for a birthday present for Brady in Boulder, Sharon and I went back to Longmont and printed out our warranty deed to take to the post office in order to get a mailbox key. Sharon mailed her passport renewal while we were there. Stan met us at the post office to get one of the mailbox keys since they would be paying the utility bills and home owners association fees while they rent the house. Sharon went to Party City for wrapping paper for Brady's present and I went to Wyatt's for the aforementioned bourbon - Evan Williams Single Barrel. An easy afternoon and evening at the rental house followed.

Tomorrow we pack and clean the house in preparation for leaving early Friday morning. We head for Lincoln Nebraska for Friday night and then Davenport Saturday for Brady's birthday. Sunday will get us back to Glen Ellyn and then Monday morning Sharon flies off to Orange California and I begin the house decluttering and disposal. Our hope is that we can be moved and in the new house by June or July.

Anyone need a house in Glen Ellyn? Know of anyone who wants a house in Glen Ellyn? Only a few blocks to the train station! Oh, we have one in Redmond Oregon too. That one is for sale also. Give us a call drop us an email. We are ready to deal.

Still Don't Know

This weekend we sent e-mails to the mortgage company with the information they asked for on Friday. On Tuesday morning we received a thank you e-mail acknowledging that they had the information, had added it tot he file and were submitting it to the underwriter so that we could close on Wednesday. We fully expected to receive an e-mail later in the day saying we had been approved. Here is is Wednesday morning about an hour prior to closing and we have heard nothing from the mortgage company and nothing from the title company. Nada. Zilch. We are going to the scheduled closing, check and IDs in hand and we will see what happens. Frustrated again!

Will It Be Ours?

I've signed us up for gas, electric, sewer, water and garbage service. This closing had better happen! As of Tuesday morning, the mortgage company has everything they asked for and say we are waiting on final approval from the underwriter.

I am excited about the new house and living in Colorado. I still have worries about selling our house, packing it up and moving. Much work and probably some frustration is involved in this process. 

Almost Done

We are winding down our stay in Longmont. Everything seems to be coming together on our house. This past Thursday we did a walk through with the builder and on Friday we received a message from the mortgage company that we had conditional approval for our loan. This weekend we sent them the additional documents they are looking for. We are scheduled to close on Wednesday morning. The cash from Fidelity should show up in our account here on Tuesday morning. I've arranged for gas service to the new house but have to visit the City of Longmont for electricity, garbage, sewer, etc. on Tuesday. We've taken lots of pictures and many measurements. We've visited furniture stores to look at furniture we might need and a nursery to talk about landscaping. We have discovered restaurants and grocery stores and liquor stores and other shops around Longmont. We have looked at refrigerators at Lowe's and Home Depot. This week we will start packing the car for our return and clean this house. We have entertained guests and had lunches and dinners with friends. It has been a busy visit to Longmont! Whew!

Hard to believe that in a few days we will own a home here and the next time we are planning to be here it will be to move into our new home (though I suspect it will be do do a final walk through after the builder passes it on after their lease.) Did I mention the builder is leasing the house back from us for up to six months? This takes some of the pressure off of selling our house in Glen Ellyn.

The weather here is quite something and I have a lot to learn about it here. Very different from Chicago with different dynamics at work. I will have fun getting to know the patterns for all of the seasons. I am fascinated that Longmont weather is not Boulder weather is not Denver weather.

Oh, and the stars are so much brighter here - and more of them! Telescope in my future?

I Am OK, I Am In A Good Place......

For those of you who know me and know Lee Gramas, this is a quote from Lee that I repeat often. (Perhaps not often enough.) Today I am OK and I am in a good place. Last night I dreamed that I resolved the matter with the Macy's credit card. This morning I checked my credit report (yes, you can do that) and the Macy's account was on it. The mortgage company responded after I sent a copy to them and they said they now had enough information to put the information update on their credit reporting agency. Then, with the mail this afternoon was a statement from Macy's. I don't have their credit card but I do have an account number. One problem resolved.

Also, the mortgage company seemed to become more proactive on Sharon's employment verification and that is looking better also.

Progress.

End Of The Month

January comes to a close in Longmont with a little snow, but they are promising a lot more for tonight and tomorrow. Last night we got about ½ inch and it is pretty this morning. The various weather forecasts threaten us with much more snow tonight - perhaps as much as a foot. We are enjoying the sun today while we can and will be heading up toward north from Longmont to check it out. Speaking of weather, it has been wonderful here. Yesterday as many other days Sharon and I were wearing sweatshirts and feeling very comfortable. It did cool off quite a bit yesterday before the snow, but you've got to take a little bad with the wonderful! Right now as I write this the sun is shining on the snow and it is in the upper 30s out there. I have been bike riding in sunny upper 50° splendor and sitting in the sun on the deck in 60°.

Yesterday we drove down to Littleton to visit Jason Bell's Living The Dream Brewing Company. I took a bottle of giardiniera for Vince because he says that is the main thing he misses being in Colorado. Funny, I bought the giardiniera at a butcher shop in Longmont! Vince pulled samples of all the beers they had on tap and I tasted through them. They are making some wonderful beers and doing a lot of experimenting. Jason gave us a tour of the brewery and explained all the steps in the brewing process. It is quite a blend of art and science. Judging from the number of people in the taproom, Living The Dream has caught on in Littleton. If you are out this way drop in! And once, we have moved here, stay with us!

We drove back through Golden and it was a beautiful drive along the foothills. We had lunch in Golden at Old Capitol Grill. If you are in Golden this looks like a good spot - but avoid it! Very average food, or perhaps below average!

Friday evening found us at Post Brewing in Lafayette. We met friends there and drank some tasty beer and ate great fried chicken and pretty good fried fish! The chicken was better. These are the people who opened Good Bird Kitchen in Longmont where we had chicken a week or so ago. They have my fried chicken business!

On Sunday we got out of the house around noon (after Sharon shoveled the snow in the driveway) and headed to our soon to be home. We are scheduled to close on February 17th. Vonn's built the pergola which looks better than I hoped, and added the access door at the rear of the garage. We wandered around the house and measured windows, talked about towel bars and an "exit" bar for the tub, talked about how and where furniture would be placed and planned our wine cellar. Each time we visit we are more convinced that this was a good choice and we will be happy, not only in this house but in Longmont. Though the overall room in the new house isn't too much different from what we have now, we are used to smaller rooms, so we will be spreading out more and have more useable space. The basement here will be used for a workshop and wine cellar. Each will take come time to put together. I am hoping to make a number of new furniture pieces. We feel our living area is the simplest. Our living and dining furniture will fit right in and we are almost done. The rest of the house is going to take some work. But we have a lot more time than money!

The South and West sides of the house have many windows and let in tons of light. Of the windows you see here only one on the second floor will get a window covering and perhaps the large one on the first floor. We discovered today that our side yeard is bigger than we thought, in fact is deeper than the back yard. A few trees and a spot for the pond will fill it in. Next week I will be getting started with bids from landscapers. No grass. Rock, Trees. Evergreen shrubs. Sharon calls it Zeroscape.

After our house visit we drove north to Berthoud where we had a very late breakfast at Grandpa's and then continued on to Loveland. Basically we are just seeing the sights and getting the lay of the land. Driving north from Longmont you really get a feel of being out in the country, then you run across new home developments. Is everyone moving to Colorado?