Week in Review: Week 150
That pretty well sums up the past few weeks. I won’t go into a whole blow-by-blow, I’ve complained enough (or have I), but the overarching sense I’m getting right now from the people around me is that they’re disappointed/annoyed/disgusted/whatever that *I* am not more excited about the move. Hey Universe, I’m getting on with it. I’m doing what needs to be done. But I don’t have to be HAPPY about every new thing you throw in my path.
subject change
I didn’t do so well on the walking front this week. I haven’t been doing so well this month. But I got out a couple times. It’s nice that it’s staying light noticeably longer in the evenings. Sunset here is now 5pm…just a month ago it was 4:30. And it’s another half-hour 45-minutes after that before it’s dark. I get to see a little color in the sky now.
Camo tree.
Christmas decorations still up?? Respect.
Sorry, dude.
Guess where this is.
Good morning.
My boss told me about some chairs on the side of the road on her way to work. Then *I* saw some chairs on the side of the road on my way to work. Shockingly, same chairs.
Packing time.
Surprise snow.
I’m going to let my porch rocking chair go. I’ve been dragging it around with me from place to place since 1995. I bought it from the homeowners of our second “married” house (see below), who, it turns out, are the grandparents of one of Katie’s good longtime friends. I’ve offered it to her first. If she doesn’t want it I’ll try to sell it. I don’t have a covered outdoor area at the new place and I’m continuing to downsize.
My headstone is going to read, “Finally Done Downsizing.”
Here’s the front porch with the rocking chair behind (cute cute) Katie.
Found one on Zillow from a recent sale. I loved that house.
I did a little video of where I am in the moving process (SPOILER ALERT: not too far in). It’s like 3 minutes long. I feel bad now, I never did a “here is the apartment all nicey-nice video.” I never felt “done.” So now you’re getting additional UNdone.
Have spent most of my 3-day weekend so far clearing stuff out and packing. Stopped by the new place yesterday to drop off half the security deposit to hold it for me. I guess it’s really happening (insert crazy face emoji here). Have continued looking at the apartment rental ads (it’s a little addicting) Just In Case…but so far have seen nothing any better, not even close. CHEAPER, yes.
The blog might be a little spotty the next couple weeks, as time for shooting and posting is a little low in supply right now.
Hope everyone has a good week ahead xoxo
Nancy
Can you film the new appartment, if only from the outside. Are you a bit happy with it? I hope you are.
bettyewp
I really can’t (film the outside), there’s no way to “sneak” around as the house is up a hill from the street, and the apartment on the non-street side. Next week I’ll start taking some stuff over with friends and hopefully I’ll have a better chance to photograph/film the space. I took some pictures the time I saw it but it’s always awkward when the people are standing RIGHT THERE so I didn’t get nearly as many as I wanted.
Like I said above to Carol, I like the space more or less, other than its lack of natural light and isolation AND the fact that it is considerably higher rent than I have been paying for the past 7 years. THAT is really going to impact my life, plus it’s a little scary after finally having gotten to a better place financially just in the past 12-18 months. There were a couple slightly cheaper options, but they were FAR less desirable…except for the one teeny tiny one that I know I will always think of as “the one that got away,” ha ha.
I’ll be better once I’m IN, I’m sure. Too many uncertainties and questions right now.
Iris
Dearest Bettye, Do NOT care about what other people think about your attitude towards moving!!! What they think is their problem. Good grief – I think you’re doing great. I would be totally freaking out.
Remember to ‘breathe’!!! Deep cleansing breaths!!!
Grace & Peace,Iris
http://www.IrisOriginalsRamblings.com
bettyewp
Thanks, Iris. Breathing 🙂
Carol Glazer
Moving is right up there with death & divorce on the stress scale. You’re doing great. So talk about it (or piss & moan) all you want. You have beautiful taste and your new place will be as cool & wonderful as you.
bettyewp
Thanks, Carol. I know that “way back” in 2018 when I first mentioned the move, I said I wouldn’t complain about it all year, but that’s when I thought I had much more time!
Anyway, the place itself is fine, more or less. Darker than I like, not great natural light. But the location is quite isolated and I have struggled with places like that in the past. I think because *I* am alone, I have a strong need to see/hear activity going on around me. And at the same time, I don’t have “coming and going” privacy – like, the way the house/driveway/parking is situated, they will always see me pulling in and out, or if I have a friend over or get a food delivery or whatever. And will they be okay with that? Or if they see an unfamiliar car coming up the drive past their house are they going to be texting me asking who’s here? I know that sounds like a small thing, but I prefer privacy in that regard. I had that here because our entrances were on opposite sides of the house, with the garage blocking the view between us, and people had direct access to me from the street. The new place doesn’t face the street, it’s up a hilly, windy driveway above street level – you can barely even see the house from the road. Anyway, here I am complaining again.
The bottom line is, I love where I am now and am sad to have to leave it. And given the options for what I could afford that would allow a cat, that was not a basement, this was the best option (I hope – the tiny one sorta grabbed my heart, but practicalities convinced me to keep looking). So, what’s done is done. I don’t have to stay forever if I really don’t like it. I can stay a year, use the extra space to get my stuff out of storage and get rid of it, and when I have LESS STUFF, look around again at smaller places.
But thanks, Carol, and all of you, for having my back in this. I really appreciate it.
xoxo
Sarah
Moving is the literal worst, anyone who has moved knows that in their soul so I think they are projecting! I want to see the new place too. You’re getting there Bettye!
bettyewp
Amazing to think there are people in the world who have NEVER moved, or only done it once or twice. This will be my 16th move in my LIFE, the 6th of just the past 10 years since I sold my house! Obviously when I was a child I wasn’t responsible (or sometimes even aware!) for the work part, but…there’s always adjustments. I just blogged recently about the difficult adjustment I had moving at age 9 from Delaware to Long Island. I’ll be better when all the moving-related uncertainties and awkwardness are behind me.
jodie filogomo
The reason moving is always high on the stress list is because it’s crazy and awful. So you get moved and situated, and we will be here!!
I love that you have a little humor about it, well, it seems like it. That rocking chair has seen better days, but that’s exactly how some people love to do their DIY!
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
bettyewp
I do love my chippy rocking chair, but at the new place I would just have to put it back into storage, and my goal for this year is to get RID of my storage unit. So.
Yeah. Moving. So not fun.
Elle
Oh yes, I do feel your pain. There is absolutely nothing worse than downsizing and packing. It is a terrible process and so time-consuming. That was a beautiful house, but I’m glad you were giving up the chair since you no longer have an outdoor porch. I can’t wait to see your new dwelling. Hang in there. I have also noticed to my pleasant surprise that the days are getting longer.
At least that is one good thing.
Sending hugs,
Elle
https://theellediaries.com/