A Week of no Rest for the Weary

Let's back-track and start with last Sunday, the day I went out to the La-z-Boy store to order the mid-century recliner chair I’ve been lusting after for over a year. They were having a 30% off sale over the Fourth of July so I knew it was time to quit pretending I could talk myself out of a bland neutral gray and into a color that Crayola would be proud to put in their 64 colors pack box. The sale saved me over $700 but get this, delivery isn’t expected for 4 to 7 months! “Of course,” the salesgirl said, “we hope it will be closer to 4 or 5 months but we can’t promise that.”

The store is close to where I’m moving so I swung around to see the progress that’s been made since I was there a 5-6 weeks ago. I can’t say I like the outside facade but I knew I wouldn’t going into the deal because I’m not fond of a fall color palette. The sidewalks, curbing and roads are in and I’m royally disappointed that from a distance it looks like there won’t be a grass buffer between my deck and the sidewalk. I couldn’t get any closer than a football field away so it might be an optical illusion because the other decks I could see better will have an area for grass. I’ll know next week when I’m scheduling another walk-thru. I won’t like it if I don’t have a patch of grass but on the other hand it would speed up the moving process because we could just hand boxes over the deck railing instead of walking them through the building. Every negative has a positive if you look hard enough...and you put on your rose-colored glasses when you do.

Monday afternoon was a whirlwind of activity when a cleaning crew washed my windows inside and out and did the monthly cleaning plus waxed my floors. And boy did my windows need cleaning. Over the weekend I got a burst of energy and washed my blinds and window shades without taking them down and if you’ve ever done it that way you know what a mess it leaves behind on the windows with shades. They’re good quality and in good shape and it was a good last-minute decision to wash them and good grief could I put anymore ‘goods’ in this sentence? I also washed the seven crystals that make fabulous rainbows on my walls. Rainbow days still impress me and I’ve lived here nearly two decades. The first, full day of the showings---Friday---it was sunny enough to forming rainbows all over in the house. Best silent salesman ever. Little girls (and some of their moms) probably looked in my closets to see where I keep a litter box for unicorns because rainbows and unicorns go together like peanut butter and jelly. Everyone under the age of eight knows that.

Tuesday it was make a list of places I want to go and errands that need doing when I have to leave the house for viewings. I also packed my Go-Bag with junk food for hanging out in the park. And I made another list of what I have to do in the house before leaving each time someone wants to see the place. I’m not used to being a picky person when it comes to things like keeping my ratty looking slippers out of sight or making my bed on a daily basis or making sure the bathroom doesn’t smell like a giant fart. And ohmygod, I’ll have to keep doing this to a least until the 16^th when we will look at any offers that come in all at same time. Hopefully come in.

Wednesday was fun. I got to follow the photographer around while he took pictures of my house and yard and he promised I’ll get access to them to download on my computer. Unfortunately, my back nature strip was past its prime, but Mother Nature can be a surly force so there was nothing I could do about her lack of cooperation. The realtor also came over to explain how the app works for people booking appointments. I set the hours from 9 AM to 8 PM but realtors with clients have to text me with a request for a certain time and I have the option to accept or reject the appointment. Obviously, it’s best to be as flexible as humanly possible and be ready to roll out the door with little warning.

Thursday the listing went live in the late afternoon and I right away I got texts requesting showings for that evening and Friday. 

Friday I left the house at 8:30, went out for breakfast where I fielded requests for a few more viewings. At 10:00 I had booked a three hour appointment at an auto detailing business. It’s the kind of place that removes your seats to clean your carpeting and they use tiny tools to clean the details around vents, seams, buttons and puppy dog tails, if you leave your pet behind in your car. When they get through your car looks brand new again. It seemed like a fitting gift to give my Chevy Trax after asking her to preform like a rough and tumble pickup truck this past year of downsizing.

I’m a homebody. I hate this whole process of having to find things to do away from the house. Someone recently told me that she booked a hotel for the first two days of her listing. Smart! Next week it will be easier. I have some routine-ish medical crap that will take up two afternoons plus a lunch date with some fun friends. 

But the biggie thing I'll do to take up time away from home will be touring my new place again. The finishes are in, the doors are hung and I'm on pins and needles about the grass patch question. Stay tuned. A week from now I'll know if the artist's rendering of the place differs from the reality of the curbing they poured. If it does I wonder if I have a hissy-fit would they give me discount? If I don't have grass I'm going to buy myself a pot of  'cat grass' to keep on my deck as a protest and conversation starter. "Oh, you have a cat!" someone walking too close to my deck will say and I'll reply, "No and if you want to know why I have a pot of grass you'll have to ask our CEO." ©

HERE'S some of the photos the photographer took. He said taking realtor photos pays more than weddings and was much easier. I understand the easier part but was shocked that it pays better. He took 30 plus photos and a thing that moves---don't know what it's called and I'm too tired to look it up.

dinning room

kitchen eat-in area

guest bathroom

back deck

sun porch

kitchen

back yard - goes up to the pines