Wednesday, March 26, 2008

A Moving Encounter

Moving brings all sorts of things to mind. Here's a little sleep-deprived drival - I thought it was funny and thus offer it to the universe:


Romantic encounter?

We met over the kitty litter at Meijers
His amusement of my label reading
Store brand versus name brand
“That’s a good brand”
“I want to make sure it’s clumping.”
“It is.” He twists off the cap and shows me the texture.
I look and take a whiff of the scent.
“I buy this all the time” as he puts it in his cart.
I pick up the same store brand and now we have matching carts,
except that I chose the unscented, and then a litter box – pink – girl cat.
“Looks like you’re setting up shop”
“Moving – need something different”
He starts to leave – checks his litter container. Scented?
“I picked up the wrong one, talking to you.”
Should I be flattered? Is he interested? “What’s your name?”
“Jim.”
“Thanks, Jim, for the advice.”
He wheels away smiling. Nothing further.
Clumping, un-scented – very romantic.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

TRANSITION

I have been “home” shopping for almost a month – started when I first learned my darling cottage at the lake was being listed for sale. Rent or buy – cottage or condo didn’t matter. But that was only half-hearted.
Then, horror of horrors (for me) the first person to see the cottage made an offer and I was faced with eviction! Sigh, well, it felt like that – actually, it is in my lease that I have 30 days to vacate after the property is sold. I have spent every waking hour, and some times 2 hours during the middle of the nights on line, looking. I’ve called realtors, brokers, leasers, home owners, friends, property management people as well.
Vacillating between “full steam ahead” and wanting to just curl up and cry, my first task is accomplished - picking up every extra newspaper I could find to pack dishes, etc. every Western Herald left over in the hall at day’s end, all the out-dated shoppers’ guides [at restaurants and stores], every extra newsprint item I could scrounge from places have been brought to the cottage. Secondly, I have appealed to friends and copy centers all across campus, and the local hardware store and there are enough boxes to be filled in the cottage that I could actually make a nifty house if I reach my deadline and am still homeless.
Evenings and weekends are spent sorting, wrapping, packing, labeling boxes. Every cupboard and drawer that has space for a box has been emptied, the box put in its place and then re-filled with the items that were there. That way all I have to do is pull the boxes out, put the covers on and take out to the moving van.
I found houses that are being sold “as is” – which means you MUST have a degree in home repair, or insanity to purchase them. How can people leave places with holes in the walls, etc.?
Rentals are finished nicely but it costs as much or more to rent a 2-bedroom apartment as it does to buy a 2-bedroom house!
So, next step was to get pre-approved for a loan. That was a piece of cake thanks to Gregg K., loan officer. The interest rate dropped during the time I was looking as well!
After having looked so many places, walked in the front door and felt ill and walked right out again, I was getting frustrated. One place actually wanted $500 security deposit for my sweet little pussy cat. Then, after finally stating to the universe what I considered acceptable for me, the perfect condo listing was sent to me from a medium from Spain. TRULY! Both Barry and John said it looked "amazing." A condo will give me peace of mind that someone else will do the snow removal and lawn mowing….and any outside maintenance needed. Buying it will give me the freedom to decorate the way I wish and change things as well……like I really want a walk-in shower instead of a tub!
I’m writing this on the eve of going to look at this wonderful place. I am not superstitious, otherwise I wouldn’t look at the place because it is on “shadow bend” road. It is approximately 5 miles from work [half the distance from the cottage]…. a major consideration with gas prices.
So, Neil, thanks for selling the cottage. It gives me the opportunity to truly be on my own and the final cord can be cut with my past relationship. Ours was “heaven on earth” at the cottage. Well, believing there is something more after death – I now know there is life beyond heaven!