Sing it, sweetheart!

I attended the Fort Wayne Children's Choir summer concert this evening.  My youngest granddaughter is singing in the Concert Choir this year.  The entire performance was excellent but I must admit that I enjoyed most the old familiar songs - Amazing Grace and Battle Hymn of the Republic.  I also enjoyed a little ditty called "Clear the Line" and had fun explaining to my granddaughters the intricacies of party lines, busy signals and old fashioned dial phones, not to mention the old, old style phone we had when I was very young - the kind that hung on the wall and required the caller to crank the handle to get the operator's attention. Meanwhile my cell phone was informing me that I had missed a call.  We've come such a long way....

Nana rides again

Two grandchildren and I went to the Allen County Fun Fair this evening.  I bought a bunch of rides tickets for the kids and off we went looking for thrills and chills. I was not planning to ride anything but the first ride my granddaughter wanted to go on didn't look too bad (the spiders painted on the side should have been a clue) so I agreed to go in one car with her while my grandson rode by himself. It started out gently enough, a little bit like the spin around cups that little kids ride in, but suddenly the long arms at the end of which our pods were suspended were swooping, springing up and spinning around and we were being swung back and forth and up and down, never quite upside down but very close. I felt like my head was going to fly off and developed such a death grip on the bar in front of me that they practically had to break my fingers to get me out. 30 years ago I swore never again to ride a roller coaster. Now I've added another ride to the never again list. I;m not sure what it's called but I will know it when I see it. Bring on the Ferris Wheels and Merry Go Rounds. I can handle those.

I win!

I love negotiating when I win. Today after much back and forth questions and answers through our agents the buyers agreed to my counter to their inspection request from three days ago. They said "We want eight more replacement windows." I said "Sure, if you'll pay me $4,000 more for the house." They said yes so it looks like there's a closing in my future after all.

The first "guilt trip"

My granddaughter said to me today "You know why I'll really miss your house when you sell it?" "No, Why?" "Because there are so many happy memories and because it's the only house we have ever known you in." I think I will ask the grandkids to tell me their happiest or most dramatic memories so I can write them down.  I am trying to reassure them that I am still me and memories are with us even when we change environments. Maybe when they see some familiar furniture, eat some familiar food in the new place it won't seem so strange. I've already promised to have my son's September birthday dinner there so that should jump start some new memories.

let the games begin.

Next step in my house selling saga. I have received the buyer's requests following their home inspection. A small electric mis-wiring and an apparent duct work problem - these I will fix.  But it seems the buyers like the seven replacement windows I had installed so much that they want seven more. I made what seems to me a reasonable response - I will replace more windows if you will pay me more for the house. So now I'm getting responses from the buyer via his agent to my agent asking if it would save money if he stained the windows himself (they're vinyl so I don't think that's an option) or if he installed them himself? Really?? If you want to install them yourself, just pay me what you originally offered and put in the windows you want after closing. We shall see how this all plays out but having watched the installers work, especially with their nifty machine for folding and fitting the vinyl covering for the outside wooden frames, I don't think do-it-yourself installation is a really great option. We shall see...

hump day

I know that "hump day" is traditionally Wednesday but today I am beyond the half way point in my 12 night stay with my two grandkids and three granddogs.  And while there is no camel wandering around shouting "Hump Day!!" with three galumphing dogs spending the nights with me I've felt a similar looming presence times three  Only five more nights....

It's finally happened

The oldest of my grandchildren, a 14 year old boy, is now officially as tall as I am. Since I'm 5'10" and his father is only 5;7" I'm delighting in the fact that the tall genes from our side of the family seem to be winning out. It was a bit of a jolt though to confirm it looking in the mirror. My grandbabies are growing up fast. But that's ok.  This year I'll be going to marching band competitions instead of or in addition to middle school music recitals. Which sounds like fun until I remember sitting on freezing cold aluminum bleachers during what seemed like a never-ending competition on a miserably cold day way back when our kids were in marching band. I will resolve to choose wisely and never promise to go to every competition.

the first hurdle

Today was the day for the home inspection on my house.  Of course I wasn't there.  The home inspection is strictly between the buyer and his chosen inspector.  I did, however, leave a few strategic notes on the windows and garage door that will be replaced so I'm hoping there won't be to many problems to negotiate.  It is a 44 year old house so it's not perfect.  I stopped by the house this afternoon to be sure everything was locked up and found a pencil lying on the counter beside the stacks of appliance and other manuals I had set out for the buyers.  I have no idea where the pencil came from but it was very cute with little smiley faced bunnies printed all over it so I'm taking that as a good omen.

band camp

Part of my assignment for this two weeks is getting my freshman grandson to and from band camp each day. He made the comment to me as we were driving home this evening that next year he would begin to learn to drive. It reminded me of 28 years ago when my son got his driver's license. In the years before that blessed event my husband and I had taken the line that he would have to earn the money and buy his own car, none of this just handing him the keys to ours. But then came the realization that he could now drive his sister and himself to band practices. We handed over the keys to the oldest car faster than you could say "You buy the gas."

this blog is going to the dogs

When I agreed to stay with my daughter's children for the next two weeks while she and her husband are away on a guard summer event I thought it sounded fine that I would be sleeping in the adults' bedroom with my own private bath.  What wasn't made crystal clear to me was that this bedroom is also where the three dogs spend their nights; the boxer, the mystery mix (same size as a boxer) and the 13 pound pug who may look like Yoda but has the brains of a banana. At first glance it didn't seem too bad.  There are three beds (two large, one small) lined up along one wall.  But here I am at bedtime in this comfy bed while the dogs are, you guessed it, all right here with me. If I'm ever tempted to think I might want another dog or cat in my life this two weeks should cure me.

Shigs in Pit???

What kind of a name is that for a barbeque ribs restaurant?  Who cares, I ate there for the first time today and the ribs were delicious.  I thought they were excellent without sauce but there was a choice of three sauces - original, tangy and hot.  I really liked the tangy, a bit of a vinegar under tone.  Altogether an excellent dining experience.  I shall return.

over night company in an empty house

I had a couple staying overnight with me last night, good friends since way back in our college days.  We had a lovely visit with other mutual friends, dinner and a ball game then came home and went to bed.  I did still have a bed for them and towels in the bathroom so they weren't roughing it too much.  They did marvel at my nearly empty basement as only friends who had seen it at its cluttered worst could. As they went to bed they asked me to wake them if they weren't up by 9:00am. None of us realized that my handyman (who I knew was coming to do some work today) would arrive at 8:00am and immediately start working on a job, involving lots of hammering, in the basement directly beneath their bedroom. Surprise!! Not my best hostessing moment but they survived it with good grace, at least after I served them coffee.

It's fun being a grandma

and almost as much fun watching a friend experience grandmahood for the first time.  My friend stopped by today and took the stroller, booster seat and doll house that didn't sell at my estate sale. Her grandson is still just a baby but she's getting prepared. So three more things out the door. She wouldn't  take the piano though  I think she should be more proactive in supporting her grandson's inevitable musical talent but she didn't see it that way. Any one want a piano? Free to a good home.

living in an empty house

Well, not really empty but much emptier than it was before. The people from Cross Borders came and, as promised, took lots and lots of stuff.  From beds to a desk to dishes to dolls and so much more, they loaded up their truck and will be back Thursday for another load. They may even take the piano although I don't have high hopes for that.  My friend says she leaves odds and ends of furniture out at the curb with the trash and it always gets picked up long before the garbage. Somehow I don't think that will work with an old upright heavy piano.  Not to mention that I can't quite see myself pushing it uphill to the curb.  Ah well, everything else seems to be working out so probably this will also.  If not, I'll wrap it in bright paper, put a big red bow on it and leave it as a surprise for the new owners.  Now that I think about it, I remember my father doing something similar.  We had an old upright in, of all places, my bedroom.  After it was moved in my dad did quite a bit of remodeling on that old house, including adding a hall way. When he sold the house and was moving out it was discovered that there was no way to get the piano out.  So it stayed.  I learned later that the new buyers took it apart and passed it out piece by piece through the window.

and the sale goes on...

I thought, when my weekend estate sale was over, that was it,  I would need to donate or pitch everything that was left but not so. First, I met a gentleman at the end of the sale who sells things on consignment.  He took several things to try to sell. My daughter-in-law took lots of fabric and other odds and ends to a "garage sale" her mother's church is having. A man who does handy man type work for me offered to do several jobs around the house in exchange for a very old motorcycle I had for sale. A friend of mine is renting space in the Grabill Antique Mall and she took several of my pretty dishes to try to sell there.  My son and daughter each decide that there were more things they wanted to keep, So gradually the house is getting emptier.  That's a good thing since the sale of the house is scheduled to close on September 3 and then I'm moving to a much smaller place.  Maybe I'll start a reality show - I'll call it "Extreme Downsizing".

smart dog, clever dog

My daughter and son-in-law have three dogs, a boxer, a boxer size mystery mix, and a recently acquired 13 pound pug.  I have realized that pug must be short for pugnatious. She certainly holds her own with the big dogs. These are good dogs but not particularly bright.  I heard a wonderful line in a play recently. A woman was berating a group of rowdy men and said "If we put all of your brains in the head of a butterfly, they would still rattle." Ouch! The puppies are not quite that bad. In fact today I saw a flash of brilliance.  Two of the dogs, the pug and the mix, were fighting over their favorite chewy bone.  Mind you there was another bone less than two feet away, but like some kids I've know, they both wanted the same one. The pug had the bone and was chewing away when the mix made his move - he stood up, looked out the window and barked once, as if he saw something. The pug looked up to see what he was barking at and the mix snatched that bone and ran away with it. Score one for the big dog.

one step closer

Well the big estate sale is over.  I won't know the financial results for about ten days. Many things sold but many others didn't so now next phase - some things have gone to a consignment seller, many things will be given to charity, and finally a bunch will be hauled away as trash.  Sooner or later most of the rooms in this house will be empty or nearly so.  Coincidentally, as the staff finished clearing out the basement so the new carpet can go in, a couple came to see the house - a spur of the moment decision.  Their Realtor wasn't with them so I showed them around. I just heard from my Realtor that they are supposed to be submitting an offer.  We will look at it tomorrow. If this one doesn't work there are 5 more showings scheduled tomorrow and three on Monday, so sooner or later I'm confident an offer will come through.
An interesting side note, the dehumidifier that I bought and plugged in on Thursday after a looker commented about the dank smell in the basement garage has been humming away ever since and the potential buyer today commented on how nice and fresh the basement smelled, and it does.  I'm thinking that was $200 well spent.

I;m getting showings

Basically I've done everything wrong so far in putting my house on the market.  I listed it while it's still very messy with stuff all over for the garage sale, I've stayed in the house during showings. The new carpet isn't in yet, the new windows aren't in yet and so on. After signing the paperwork on Monday I was a little discouraged not to have any showings on Tuesday but I guess it takes awhile to get everything in the system.  Today I had three showings scheduled; one no show, one no interest and one couple who stayed for quite a long time and were having a serious conversation with their agent in the drive way before they drove away.  Tomorrow I have six showings scheduled. My agent thinks it would be fun to deal with a bidding war but I'll be happy with just one reasonable offer.

my black and white albatross

I finally gathered the courage, in my quest to clear everything out of this house, to unwrap and unroll something that has been stored in the downstairs garage for 33 years - the 4'x8' black and white tapestry that I wove in college.  My friend was here so I used her as moral support while I opened it. I really expected it to disintegrate but aside from a couple of small stains it was in amazingly good condition.  My friend insists that it's beautiful and I have to keep it and we spent some time contemplating how I could use it in my next place.  Lots of ideas, lots of encouragement, but I notice she didn't offer ti give it a home.

It's fun to watch a pro at work.

Today the lady doing my estate sale and her assistant started arranging things for the sale.  It was amazing.  All the stacks of stuff that have been accumulating on every floor space for three weeks now are being transformed into attractive arrangements of similar items: blankets neatly stacked by size on the bed, dolls arranged on the sofa, pricey dolls in my corner cupboard, etc.  It's all very fascinating.  Not done yet, three days before the sale, but I feel so much more encouraged.  It didn't hurt that, as I was working on sorting through the last few areas, I could overhear comments like "Oh, look at this.", "This is nice>" and "Isn't this cute." It gives me hope that at least some of my stuff will sell.

Fine Fireworks after all

I spoke too soon last night.  After complaining that I couldn't see fireworks from my deck I went back out on my deck about 11pm when the noise got really intense, and yea!! hooray!! they were shooting off high fireworks, shooting way up into the air.  It seemed like the neighbors behind me and the ones to the south of me were competing to see who's fireworks were most impressive.  They fought it out and I was the big winner.  What a show.!

lots of sound and fury

I love Independence Day! I love the patriotic music and dazzling fireworks and I have enjoyed them all on TV this evening.  Still nursing this stupid cold so I didn't want to sit outside for several hours. I did, however, venture out on my deck for a while because fireworks are going on all around my house.  Lots of fireworks all around me, but also lots of trees all around my house. So what I saw was a lot of dark with an occasional small flicker through the trees.  The noise makes up for it though. It sounds like a miniature battle field out there, with an occasional police siren thrown in. Not sure what that is about. Too much of a good time???

phrase of the day

I heard a political commentator on early morning TV news describe the newest entry in the presidential primary on the Democratic side (yes they do have more than Hilary) as "charismatically challenged". I love it.

another questionable statistics

Here's an interesting statistic heard on the evening news "Your chance of being bitten by a shark is one in 11,000,000." I guess that's reassuring but I do have some questions.  Is this statistic based on only people who swim in oceans? Since I live in Indiana and never swim in oceans I think my odds are even better. Although, I do remember a time many years ago when my friend's son found a shark in a lake.  It was small and rubber, but still....

the summer cold doldrums

I'm blaming it on the seven hour bus ride home from Stratford. Everything was just fine until I woke up yesterday morning with a disgusting head cold. Three boxes of Kleenex later, I'm feeling a little better but I have a deadline here.  I'm supposed to serve communion this Sunday and I don't think sneezing and sniffling will present the right image. We're using grape juice instead of wine these days  so I can't even depend on that to kill the germs. Maybe I could use one of those cute little masks??