Sunday, March 24, 2013 @ 3:28 pmGood LATE afternoon! It’s been a bit of a chore neglecting writing this much. It seems that we’ve been overwhelmed this last couple of weeks. Everything is falling in place, but it takes quite a bit of energy, BUT we’re not complaining, we are having the time of our life with all that is going on in our new life! The movers will be here in about 20 hours, but Rich and I have made the switch where we are living at the new places, and we brought our two kitties with us. They might not have been as exuberant as we’ve been. What finally worked to get them into the cat carrier was to tip it on its end and then drop them in. Missy got a scratched nose, but other than that they did pretty good after finally being caged. They were quiet on the way over to the new place (about an hour), until Maury called and then when I started to talk, Missy decided she would like to talk too, but she quieted back down in short order. They didn’t seem to mind our driving. That was a nice turn of events.
There’s so much to talk about I don’t really know where to start. Maybe it would just be to say that we are as excited as Hell to have made this huge transition. I haven’t felt yet like it is real. We are at the point of never going back to the old place. I left my keys on the counter as instructed by the landlord. I’ve got the Flylady to thank for that. She insists on getting dressed everyday to the shoes, so we’ve been doing that for like the last 10-12 days and as it turned out the landlord who we’ve talked to, but haven’t seen the majority of twelve years walked into our place – the door had been open from Rich bringing things down to the car … and well, it was just amazing … we were dressed! He asked if we were on schedule and it was as much as a walk-through as we’re getting. We of course were happy to say everything was in order. And then, Rich took him around the apartment to show him some of the problems we were having with the place that needed to be fixed before the next people came in. He seemed ok with that as to what we heard, but again Rich took care of all that. Thanks Rich!We’ve been following a tough schedule that Rich and us set-up over the last week or so. Most things got done, but Rich needed to do an extra trip. It’s just that he needed somewhat of a break from all that today too. He’s been working on some necessary household projects today. He put-together my shower chair, and then he fixed the guest bed (headboard to frame) and now he’s working on the dishwasher. I think his confidence in his abilities are improving daily. But, it is still aggravating because he went over to help Bud and his mother with their bills today and Bud nagged and nagged him for not having things done sooner than what was happening. I don’t think Bud has any boundaries as to how to deal with people or in general … he just doesn’t have people-skills. It is very critical and negative to lay that much crap on Rich. Rich is taking it better than we are, but it still hurts him personally.
I just don’t think its fair. When people think they are better than others at things, they should wait to be asked questions IF the other wants to do that or is willing/trustful enough to talk over the project, but to have someone acting as if he was incapable. Just makes my blood boil. Rich’s mother is the same. Rich accidentally hit her with a hammer during one of his first attempts to do household maintenance tasks, so she’s told him ever since EVERY time being able has come up that he is incapable. That kind of negativity AND untruth just rusts out the spirit. I don’t want to say anything more about it because it’s just us complaining and I don’t really want to be there, but it’s still very aggravating. It does teach me though to be less critical and more positive when Rich works so hard at fixing things. There’s a lot ahead of him to work on, but there is no way we shouldn’t look at this as positive. It is just a part of home ownership that times time, effort, and patience. The list of things to do is incredible, so it makes sense to just do one thing at a time and build confidence.Shoot, Rich just got done as far as he could. It turned out that the fixtures were on the opposite side, which would have gone past where he was comfortably at. Everything got put away then and he asked for paper to make a grocery list. He’d been wearing down the supplies so we had less to move … I guess he’s ready now. Good-good for me! He’s bringing home fried chicken. SWEET!
I wonder where the cats went … I do know that they can open and shut kitchen cupboard doors and especially Missy is real into that. Yesterday after things were inside we opened their cages, but they hid in the bathroom where their litter box was. Part of it was the shock of it all, but partly they are still shy around other people – even Nikki and Maury. Nikki is working it through by trying to hold at least Chief when she’s here … she figures to wear HIM down. Good deal!Yesterday was a major important day to have shared with Nikki and Maury. Nikki had volunteered them to come over and help both yesterday and tomorrow. It was especially a big deal because they didn’t have kids and still spent their time with us old folks. We couldn’t have had the beauty of today without them. They worked so hard and I’m thinking for them they did it easily, though we heard from FB that they slept in today … Hehehe – ok, enough of that!
What they did was to get here at about 10:30 AM and stayed til just after dinner. We had pizza J They made quick work of everything. The first major project was lining shelves. Rich pulled an extra thing with it last moment … he’d mentioned it before so I should have paid more attention. The two kids worked together, but it seemed that both of them knew all the jobs … I couldn’t tell because we were trying to work ourselves, and we just saw them moving … they like never really stand still and we had confidence that after they took over they could do a much better job than we ever could have. My biggest job seemed to be taking things out of boxes and unwrapping. We had to find places for things as well, but pretty much knew what was going to be happening by then. Rich was the person that was getting things done in-between all else. I think he was more ungrounded than even me, but not by much. We took a couple regrouping breaks in the sitting room and they seemed to like the new furniture and space. We got some good time to just talk/listen and heard some about the grandchildren and things the kids were into. Three of the grandchildren are in Washington DC with their friends and a few teachers. They had a very jam-packed schedule and we’re of no doubt they’d be tired by the end. Nikki thought there should be more verbal/phone chat, but my guess is that they were running ragged and just didn’t have the time to slow down their minds to think much of the parent’s comfort levels. I’m so proud of them for being able to do something like this. It’s just impressive.The kids said that tomorrow Isa will be dropped off about 9 am and then they’ll be headed over here again to help with the movers and that coordinating project. They told Isa that she was as a surprise going to help Gramma move. I was really touched by that. We’ll definitely work her in and maybe she can do some of the running if she can maintain interest. She’s in the first grade this year, so everything is relative. We’re hoping she has a real good time. I don’t think she knows much about the move, but things are going to be very fun for her. Nikki also said that they were planning to some special hunting for egg things for the girls either here or when they got back home. We voted for the here version … I can’t think of anything more fun than watching them excitedly taking in the holiday. It’s doubly sweet they’ll be investigating our new space probably more than us. I hope it’s going to be a nice day. From what I understand the kids hide the eggs outside and they work in teams. I think she also said that Isa gets an advantage by them working in the dark. I’m just so thrilled that they would think to invite us into their plans.
The other things that happened were that in different parts of the project we worked – especially the guys on getting some things hung-up. The map tapestry went up as well as the living room and sitting room curtains. We ended up using the white lace from the Victorian house with the flowered print I bought at the Brookfield apartment. I think it looks really nice. We are having a little problem with Rich on hanging though. I’m impressed he’s done a couple of his map pictures, but he’s set on just hanging-up pictures where there are already holes or nails/screws. That is whether or not I want the picture hung there. We are still trying to work that out. When he finished the bed today, he hung-up a few more pictures in the guest room. Again he covered old spots, but we were happy he was feeling more liberal about getting something up on the wall. That had always been a problem at the old place, because after six years he couldn’t handle hanging up the maps. Now he’s got one over the fireplace mantel, but he says it has to be taken in to a specialist to frame because its missing the glass and a hanger. I hope he doesn’t put it off too much. He’s been really cautious with spending extra money. But, it’s going to be beautiful on this side (kitchen) of the mantel. On the other side I have a picture left by Maury’s mother of a home in a cross-stitch like design with two birds I always related to blue birds of happiness. Rich started gathering some of his trophy-like objects and we started gathering a few small framed Grandchildren pictures to put on either mantel. Good stuff.We didn’t get as far as hanging the quilt or the two design boards, but I don’t think those projects are as far off as they had been before. In some fashion both projects have been started. We also talked to Rich about getting lace for the four bedroom windows – that and I would still like to make curtains to go over them at nighttime. I’m thinking right now I could use some of that muslin that I have for liners to make it less transparent. Hmm, that’s a good idea. I will check with CS just to make sure. We’re just going on what we have that won’t cost. I’ve got a whole bolt of it … though we’re thinking it will get used fast. I want to find if it would be enough to make a difference as to light coverage. It won’t happen before CS gets here.
I think we have to consider other projects too like doors and bathroom windows. Maybe we can make some shower curtains for ourselves too. I like the ones in the guest room, but the curtains and shower curtains in the master are just thin white and blue striped like they used to make old pillows from. BLAH! Rich really wanted something new other than the one I’d used for the Brookfield apartment. Actually that curtain was purchased for the Victorian house and that was like 25 years ago … he’s right … we could do better. Maybe we’ll ask CS to show us a few things on the sewing machine like how to make buttons so we could sew holes for the shower loops to go through. And, I’m not sure, but we might need more skirts for the tables due to different coverage. I was saving the curtains from our old sewing room because I love them so much … but it is the same material as being used on the skirt panels, so maybe if CS taught me the ruffle attachment we can complete the table skirts using the regular curtain materials. We also could use extra material from the curtains to make covers for the couch arms where we had problems with the cats scratching. The color goes with the couch and curtains, and there is not enough curtain to go on the longer window. We’ll find something that coordinates in that room. We did look at some lace curtain places for reasonable prices at “Paul’s Home Fashions.” We picked one out we liked called, “Irish Lattice Print.” It says:
IRISH POINT JACQUARD LACE SHEER URTAIN PANEL PAIR and VALANCE-
Bring a lovely romantic look to your home with the tailored Irish Point curtain pairs and matching valance.
Features a fine gauge jacquard lace inspired by traditional Irish Point design.
80" wide pair available in four different lengths.
Available in White or Ivory .
Size = 80"x 36". 80"x45",80"x 54", 80"x 63", 80"x 84", and 80"x96"We would need
Master bedroom 80” x 45” and 80” x 63”Sewing Room 2 – 80” x 63”
Guest Room 80” x 63”
Rich’s room 2 80” x 63”Master bath 80” x 45” and 2 – 80” x 84”
LR 80” x 45”So total of
3 - 80” x 45” = $20.99 x 3 = $62.97
6 - 80” x 63” = $26.99 x 6 = $161.94
2 - 80” x 84” = $31.99 x 1 = $63.98
TOTAL = 11 curtains sets for $288.89
Shoot that gets expensive, but from memory the old curtains cost like $120 a piece – just for one set – not sure which size … just always thought the curtains were around that area. I have no illusion the bedroom curtains would be as nice as the other, but it would be fair for the cost. But, then you have to figure out the cost of fabric yardage to go along with that. I would order from Jinny Beyers. She’s charging now $10.50 per yard … I would need 1,107 inches or 32 – 35 yards at 10.50 = $367.50 + 288.89 = GRAND TOTAL OF $656.39 … MAN OH MAN – so much think Rich isn’t going to go for that – specially after we add the cost of curtain rods … oh Lordy it’s like a thousand dollar package if between the lace rod and the curtain rod cost a total of $30 … PLUS couldn’t insulate/darken them at 35 yards of curtains!Hmm, just found our colors are going to be the coral/pink, olive green, brown, gold and a little plum/purple in the master bedroom/bath, but in the process of really looking carefully at the walls in each room. There were colors in each that I wasn’t aware of but the good news is that the rooms that had color the predominant color was the same coral/pink and olive green as my master colors. I’m pretty happy with that for now. I can honestly say I’d do a really nice job for $1000 to the four bedroom/bath walls. Not much being done in the kitchen – one small window with a lace valence that is ok and I wouldn’t worry about the red valence in the sunroom (with the red carpet) which seems ok for what it is – mostly a seasonal indoor/outdoor room.
Rich is home now and we’re going to be eating dinner soon. He has to put groceries away to figure out his new space. I’m going to post and get to the dinner part J Oh, I did tell him that I’d figured out the curtains and I’d do a really nice job with them, but that we’d have to save up some money … he kind of laughed I’m hoping it really wasn’t nervous laughter. Hehehe
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