Author: Norma

For a few years, I have had the privilege of knowing an older woman whose children don’t pay much attention to her.

I’ve become her durable power of attorney and about 3 or so years ago, we found an adult family home for her to live in as she was not able to care for herself safely.

When I visited her a couple weeks ago, one of the caregivers commented on how they felt bad for her as other people had family members who would come visit them and take them out but no one from our friends’ family would visit.

My friend has onset dementia and is slowly going downhill.  It will be hard to be far away and not be able to pop in and see her.  After awhile she may not recognize my voice on the phone.

I took care of all of her funeral arrangements a few years back.  But still …

It’s just not right that people should be so alone.

In talking to other people, it seems that a lot of people really live “alone” lives.

I then think of all my family and friends and how blessed I am.

So, the house has been on the market now for about 9 days.  Many people have traipsed through and we received a job offer.  We have counter-offered and are waiting to see if it’s accepted.

Having to leave your home every time someone wants to view it gets rather intrusive.

Can’t remember how many coffee houses I’ve been to and how many cocoas I’ve had to stay away from my house while someone else is viewing it.

For all 3 open houses, I have prayed that we would have sunny weather in Seattle and my wonderful God has obliged.

Yes, I know it may sound narcissistic of me to think that God has changed the weather for me.  But since all good things come from God, I must give Him the credit.

Now the time is coming when we have to say our goodbyes to people who have been in our lives on an almost daily basis.  Friends who have become family.

It will be harder than when we moved to Seattle and said goodbye to family in the Midwest.  These friendships have run deep into our hearts.  No longer can we call them friends but family.

Today I spent most of the day cleaning and staging our home so that the photographer, who comes tomorrow, will be able to take some really good pictures for the website that our real estate agent will be creating for us.

It’s a little hard to live in a house in this manner though.  Even though we are using our own furniture for staging, the house feels bare — stripped of all the personal pictures and items that make it our home.

But, that’s exactly what we have to separate ourselves from — this is not our home anymore, it’s a house that we are selling.

I was fortunate to have a friend come over and help with a lot of the cleaning.

And, I’m also fortunate to have a husband who also helps and doesn’t seem to mind when I act like a dictator.

Life, as it is.

Madness!  Today was window cleaning day and going room by room to make sure everything looks right for pictures Monday.  Gotta sell this house!

I made it through 3 rooms.  Not bad.

But I got frustrated after I received a call from someone to let me know that important obligations would not be met.

That seemed to throw me over the edge and I felt depressed and sad.

I didn’t stay in that mood for very long though — God being who He is, I received 2 calls shortly thereafter and they helped lift my spirits.

Later, while making dinner I decided to make pumpkin pie so that I could help deplete our cupboards.

All was going well — uh, no, I guess not.  I made the pie crust from scratch only to find I had packed the roller.  So, I got creative and used a can of Ravioli.

It worked okay but the pie crust seemed rather thick to me.  It did fit perfectly in the pie plate though.

Next I combined all the ingredients and popped the pie in the oven.

Started working on dinner again and — oh, what are these eggs here for?

Oh no!  They belong in the pie!  Out came the pie after 10 minutes of baking.

I quickly added the eggs in and stirred.  Would it work?  We’d know later.

The pie was supposed to bake for 35 minutes.  Hmmm … not ready yet.  Added another 10 minutes.  Nope, still  not ready.  Added another 10 minutes.

Out it came.  Looked good.

After dinner, I had the first piece of pie since my family thought by now that I was a little wacky.

Tasted good.  The crust was a little thick but overall not bad.

Then my son, who just came home from being out of the country, bit into his piece.

“I think I just got a chunk of ginger.”

Oh well.  Trying to bake without the proper utensils and in a hurry doesn’t work too well.

Life as it is.

Today is carpet cleaning day.

That must mean that most everything is put away and in its place.  Not exactly.  Just moved from one room to another.

Will go room by room now to make sure each room looks “right.”

It’s amazing how many packing boxes one needs.

Spent most of the morning painting and scrubbing the cement basement floor.

Do people really care if a basement cement floor is clean?  Maybe it only matters to me but if I went to look at a home I’d want it to be clean.

I try to imagine what I look at when I view a home.  It’s mainly a quick walk-through — not inspecting if the tub or toilet are clean.

Somehow first impressions seem so important to me.

Last evening we signed our listing agreement to see the house.

After 28 years of living in this house we are finally going to hand it off to someone else.

All the memories that were created here will still be in our minds.

Just the physicality of the memories will be missing.

New memories will be created in our new house.

As long as the people we love are in our lives, we can’t ask for anything more.

So I’ve waited all morning and the contractor has not shown up yet.

Yesterday he said that he would finish by today.  Uh — no, I don’t think that’s going to happen.

I wouldn’t mind so much except that I’m waiting for him to do his work so that I can paint the room he’s working in and I don’t want dust over possibly wet paint.

Went to the store and got more painting supplies.

On the way home, I reminded myself that after next Monday, everything will practically be done as that’s when pictures are taken.  So, only small packing will need to be done.

Now that’s something to look forward to!

Having a contractor around to do little touch-ups is nice but things always seem to take longer than one anticipates.  At one time I would wonder if they’re working but when I do similar things I find it’s the same way.

Things just take longer to do if you want it done correctly.

Today is painting day again.  Spiffing up an old basement.

Had we continued living in our current home,, the basement was the next remodel.

Looking forward to a newer home in Minnesota.