Spring 2014 June 20 Friday (Life in the Midst of Chaos)

73 degrees this morning.  We were up dearly and packing what the could.  The movers packers are here now and are finishing up the packing.  Thank goods we can keep the computers and tv's on over the weekend!  

It is a strange feeling to have 95% of what you are used to living with being moved out of the house and, in our case, we won't see it for another two weeks.  

Due to the late notice on the closing, the mover can't move us until around July 3, so we will be "homeless" until then.  (Actually, we found a house we like, so we hopefully will be able to camp out in it until our furniture arrives.  There is only a certain amount we can carry in our car.

Actually, we are "closing" today and have until Monday to move.  It will be an interesting time.  

Our  Air Conditioning was fixed yesterday morning, so it may it a lot easier to pack!  We actually got a lot packed (well Aliene did, I just kind of did what she needed down.  She is an unbelievably good packer, both for trips and moving! 

We are saying goodbye to our wonderful house, the patio I enjoyed so much, and the wonderful friends we have here.  It was an experience we glad we didn't miss.  

When moving, I always get the desperate feeling that we won't have time to finish packing everything, that we will have too much trash (we do) etc. and what we are going to do.  I don't like moving!

We at least tentatively decided on a house in Edmond Oklahoma (a suburb directly north of Oklahoma City).  It is close to our family and also is in an area which has a lot of walking/biking trails etc. and bicycle friendly streets (i.e., very little traffic).  It also is about 2 miles from a YMCA, so I may be able start swimming again on a regular basis.

We are amazed at how much "stuff" we have accumulated.  We hope we can get ride of a lot of it and reduce future acquisition of "stuff"!  

Right now, the professional "packers" are here, it is a strange feeling to be sitting here doing nothing when everyone else in the house i working!  (Aliene is at the dentist).

Of course, all endings have new beginnings.  I am concentrating my job search in the OKC area and also it will give me a good base if I decide to start a consulting business.  

Probably my biggest problem is the coffee pot is being packed.  A moment of panic!  Of course, there are probably five Starbucks within driving distance, several McDonalds (actually pretty good coffee), a Dunkin Dunuts etc, so I won'd want for coffee.  I think I'll really miss making fresh coffee and sitting on the patio early in the morning.

That's all for now, Friday, June 20, 2014.

Spring 2014 June 18 Wednesday

79 degrees this morning, wonderful day on the patio.  Sounds a little strange, but there is a coolness in the air.

Life on the edge.  

--Our Air conditioning is out.  Maybe lucky, maybe not, when we listed the house, we purchased a "home warranty" (which includes the AC) and in a "what the heck" moment, made it effective immediately rather than just for the new buyer.  A shock that our AC is out, but I'm glad the have the warranty.  Our normally HVAC person guarantees priority service, so we will try the home warranty person first.  Fortunately the ceiling fans etc. kept us cool during the night.  As the day goes on it could get worse.  Currently it is 81 degrees in the house, not bad right now, but obviously will get hotter as the day goes on.

-We may be closing Monday, June 23 and have to be out of the house Monday or...maybe not.  It basically depends on an inspection today by the insurance company on whether the roof is covered by insurance.  If not, the closing will probably be off.  

We have looked at houses in another area and have arranged to have our household items stored for awhile until we find another house, but ....  Of course then there is all the "goodbye's which have to be said, if we are moving Monday, if not we don't want to say goodbye until we have to.  I didn't realize "goodbye" was "spelled "goodbye" until spell check insisted on it this morning.  I normally say "goodby", which spell check insists is wrong!  Kind of like "separate" , for years I spelled it "seperate" until spell check taught me different.

-Both of us are juggling dental and medical appointments, not sure if we will be here next week or not.  My "opening up" appointment on my teeth implants was delayed until August since the surgeon decided it was too early.

-We have to continue packing as if we are moving, but, at the same time, make sure we can live here for an indefinite period if the closing doesn't go through.

-On top of that, I have an hour and one/half computer test tomorrow (I get an e-mail and have 1 1/2 hours to complete it from the time the e-mail arrives to complete it and send it back).  I am studying to refresh my memory on Excel and Word etc. on top of everything else.

Anyway, somehow life seems normal!  I think is it the fact that both of us, since late November, have realized life will never be the same as it has for the past 12 years, so we need to be flexible and adapt fast!  The hardest part will be leaving some wonderful friends in Lakeland and, to a somewhat lesser degree, leaving our wonderful house and patio.  Nothing we say even comes close to the house we have now, or especially the patio.  

I think the moving, and to some degree, the changes, are making me much more aware of buying "things".  I am going to have to really want something to buy a "thing" in the future. I think the problem is that I can't get rid of "things".  I have stuff that would almost cost nothing (will, not much) to replace and it is literally cheaper to buy it in the future IF I need it.  This includes clothes, tv's (that are obsolete anyway), radios, electrical wires that I have no idea what they are used for, flashlights that don't work, luggage that I never use and of course, clothes, clothes, clothes.  

Hot Wheels? No way, they are worth it!  In fact, if I can find the space.... Actually, I got started photographing and cataloging my collection of Hot Wheels (and Matchbox and other brands) but had to stop since they are considered "clutter" (by some people, especially potential house buyers), so we had to pack them away.  I expect to continue to enlarge my collection of Hot Wheels etc., but I probably won't get anything larger.  Much as I hate too, I know I need to weed my books, since they deserve to be read.  

We plan on having a "family giveaway" after we move, we will put stuff out, if they want it, they can have it, otherwise we are donating it to Charity.  This includes luggage, bags, clothes, and who knows what else.  Aliene and I had one garage sale once, and we decided never again.

I just happened to think, if the house closing does go through Monday, we will be "homeless" at least for several days or longer.  Of course, I don't want to move again for a long time, so the selection of a house is important.  Since we are intending to rent, we will have the option, but also are at the mercy of someone drastically increasing the rent, although it normally doesn't happen.

Just checked and the Summer Solstice is June 21 this year.  A really neat web site "Apples4theteacher.com".  

Three days until the official start of Summer.

That's it for now, Wednesday, June 18, 2004.