late start.

instead of leaving last night, we are nearly ready to go – hopefully before noon today.  The delay was because there was a serious ‘lifter rattle’ in Richard’s truck yesterday morning, so we took it in to the dealer ( where I just had it serviced last week) and they wanted to keep it overnight to make sure all is well.  He and Justin just went to pick it up, then we’ll be off within about an hour of them getting back. poo.   So the whole trip we’ll be kind of holding our breath that everything else goes swell, and the noise doesn’t return.   This means no slower trip up the coast. Bummer.   Luckily for us, the weather in the central valley has cooled off by 10-15 degrees, so we shouldn’t fry in the Tiger.  Sunscreen, lots of sunscreen.  And hopefully, no rain – even though it has a soft top, it’s still a 40 year old english car – read: not watertight. 

See you.

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planless ( is that a word?)

This is my latest tack to take.  Just as we think we have the plan firgured out – it is upended. Yesterday the painter decided to show up afterall.  So he is doing the prep and painting of the outside eaves and trim. I expect he’ll be done tomorrow, if he doesn’t flake out.  Now we need to schedule an appraiser to come. So that as soon as we return we can get this thing on the market.
I have indeed lost my momentum, and find myself kind of flaking out my own self, not quite sure what to do next.  I’m thinking I need to declutter a lot more than I have.  uggggh.
I lost a whole day yesterday due to dealing with taking the truck in for service and a couple of problems there ( I had to pick it up today) , and a too-long dentist appointment ( which is getting a tiny bit easier, thankfully). 
We sold a few more odds and ends on ebay last week, and also the remainder of the slate  is being bought by Richard’s sister – a ton and a half, which will go away this weekend, cleaning up that side of the house.  Still the fence is not up.

The Tiger now has a new heater and defroster so it is nearly ready to go next week. Richard can also now mount the roll bar, as he got the spacers milled down. That and a tune-up and a lighter outlet and it will be ready.

Its kind of silly that I’m excited to be going back to work in a few weeks. Maybe its because I need a change of pace from what I’ve been doing for the last few months.  I think the show is called Moonlight.   My friend Julie will help me out as needed, and that will make the transition for her to take over for me when I leave a lot easier.

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moving along……

I wish. 
I swear that each day that I walk I see another house on the market. Maybe ours will join them soon.
Well there has been some progress in the past week.  I spent a couple of days doing yard work in the front – re-doing a flower bed and also a couple of big planter boxes. The slate project in back is totally finished – sealed twice – and it came out really nice. 
On Friday, Richard realized that it was starting to get the better of me, and has called in the reinforcements.  We contacted the cabinetmaker who built our kitchen and lucky for us he’s between projects and was willing to take on some of ours. So, on Saturday he came and with a helper he: removed a wood windowsill and support post from the bay window in our bedroom (it had some dryrot damage) and replaced it; stained and finished five window sills in the living & dining room; sanded, and finished one of the french doors ( that we had never gotten around to doing ) ; and framed in and drywalled and mudded a closet for what used to be the den.  All of this for what it cost for the wardrobe unit that we bought from Ikea, which we returned last night. He should be back today to finish up the closet and hang a new door on the shed outside.  Yesterday a painter that he knows came and agreed to paint the bay window inside and out, pressure wash and paint all of the eaves and trim, along with the carport ‘tool area room’  and the patio cover and new shed door – for what seemed like a darned reasonable price of $900 – materials included. That will happen next week, giving Richard time to move some things out of the way. 
  
I’m beginning to feel like I can breath again. 

Sunday morning we had a carwash- two cars and the truck, then took the Falcon out to the yard where Richard will do the engine swap on it before it goes north. Today we are taking the Tiger to the Sunbeam guy in town to have him put in a heater / defroster ( for obvious reasons, this has not been high on the priority list since I’ve owned the car, but will be important once we move ). Richard will also install a couple of cigarette lighters in it before Justin & I drive it to Washington this next trip, in two weeks- must have charging outlets these days. If the weather is really hot and yucky, we might just drive up the coast this trip. It shouldn’t take us too much longer given that we’ll be going midweek and it is before school lets out. God knows we are sick to death of I-5. 

On a side note, I made a wonderful peach crisp last night – with peaches from my neighbor’s tree. I will miss the early seasonality of fruit here. Oh well, I will have to console myself with blackberries in Washington – how I’ve missed those!
 

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