Raccoon

Nope! 'Twarn't him.

My clothesline pulley was twisted again last night. So, I guess the dead raccoon wasn't the one.

Maybe we have two more out there? Assuming a family is mom, dad and two kids...so far two have bit the dust, or hit the hubcap.

Why haven't they gone into the corn fields. Lots more food there. They don't even eat the bird seed, so why are they bothering?

I really don't want to see two more dead raccoons. I just want them to leave my bird feeder alone.

I’m Getting There!

Pack ’em up! Move ’em out!
Almost all the tag sale stuff is gone. Tomorrow I expected Big Brothers, Big Sisters to stop by and pick up the last remnants. However, it's going to rain so we have put it off until second week in Sept. I might even be able to put my garage back in order. I really should consider packing up a few things while I’m at it.

Saturday (tomorrow) should find Andy here to vacuum the attic and push the insulation back under the A/C that’s sticking out of the living room wall. Then on Sunday, Kathy and Andy will be over to move two pieces of furniture from the master bedroom to Kathy’s house…two bureaus and two mirrors. Other than tidying things up, that’s the end of what I need to do before the For Sale sign goes up.

I have packed all my books (the ones I’m keeping) into 16 boxes (that reams of paper come in). I have four more boxes sitting in my car ready to be delivered (donated) to a local book store. Then I have a small box, about half that size, filled with VHS tapes. I know…this is old technology, but it’s what I have. Next I have to pack all my stuffed animals, do-dads and gee-gaws that are so precious to me. Why do I need so much stuff?

Carpets are clean
Stanley Steemer came yesterday afternoon. And another crew came back today to do one small area the first crew overlooked. Not really their fault. I had no experience with SS before and did not realize they do not move beds. I had a twin bed that should have been moved but wasn’t. Mis-communication. Good job. I would recommend them.

Raccoon
A couple weeks ago there was a dead raccoon at the side of the road about half a mile from my house. I thought it might be the one that was always after my bird feeder. Not. The raids continued. This morning there was another dead raccoon at the side of the road not very far from my house. Maybe it’s the one. I’ll know soon. If my clothesline is not twisted in the next couple days…well, that would be the one. It’s a little sad. It became a game to see if I could catch it in the act. One night I did. It ran, of course.

Tag Sale—Never Again!

Photos:
Top left: lots of glassware and electronics/electric table in background.
Top right: clothes, curtains, table cloths and bags of all kinds and sizes.
Mid left: can you believe no one wanted this Cricket rocker? I decided to keep it.
Mid right: same glassware with table of books in background and FREE table out front.
Bottom left: My Honda Fit loaded on the passenger side.
Bottom right: My Fit's open maw. Man do I have cargo space and there was room for more!

It’s all over! What an exhausting weekend. HOT. HUMID. And waiting around.
Saturday morning traffic was brisk. People started coming at 7:30 when I opened the garage doors just to get some air (like there was any worth breathing!). A tag sale savvy elderly lady drove in and asked if she was my first customer. I told her she certainly was. She asked if she had to wait until 8 o’clock before she could look. I told her the sale was advertised to start at 10 o’clock, but she was welcome to browse to her heart’s content. Smart old lady! And it never stopped until shortly before noon.

Kathy was with me through the morning and that was a big help. She became my chief negotiator. She’s much better at that than I am, and got me some good deals. Of course my customers got some good deals, too. I priced everything to SELL.

Saturday afternoon was slow as was Sunday morning. By noon Sunday I’d had it and decided to pack up (literally) and shut down. First I made a list of everything that was left (for donation purposes) then started packing into boxes. Of course, the mid afternoon crowd started to arrive. They were just as happy to poke through the packed boxes and I actually had to cross stuff off the donation list as things went out the door with happy customers.

Andy and Lori came over and help me shut down. All the No Parking signs were pulled up and all the boxes were loaded into my car. My little Honda Fit has a lot of cargo space! Folding tables borrowed from Lori’s parents were loaded into Andy’s truck and the day was done.

I was exhausted, but there was still a lot of put-away to do before I could head for a nice cool shower.

What sold and what didn’t
Every one told me the old National Geographic magazines would not sell. They were from 1969 up to 1980. Most were complete years. One customer took two years and a second customer took all the rest. Not bad for something that wouldn’t sell.

I was assured the electronic/electrical stuff would fly off the table. Flatbed scanner, slide scanner, wireless phone, universal remote, tel/fax machine, elect. typewriter, timer (to turn lights on and off), toaster, vaporizer, lamps (there probably was other stuff I’ve forgotten) did not sell. Not one thing. Too late. Don’t bother getting in touch with me to scoff up any of these (except the scanners, the remote and telephone). They are already into electronic recycling or at Good Will. If you didn’t get it here you can get it at Good Will. A few more pieces (42” round table, a “quilted” 5 drawer chest, two twin/full bed frames) will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters on Saturday, August 29th. There’s still time to take those off my hands.

Was it worth the $106 I made on the sale? Yes and no. YES because of the people I met and NO because of all the work it took to do it…it’s not worth it to me. Speaking of people, I want to especially thank those who took stuff from the FREE table and didn’t bother to buy anything. ☺ ☺


Big, big thanks go to my kids, Anne, Paul, Kathy, and Andy. Without Paul and Andy I never could have taken the heavy stuff down into the garage. Without Kathy I wouldn’t have had an able negotiator and sign maker, to say nothing of box bringer. Even though Anne lives far away she gave me invaluable advice about pricing. I really could not have done it without them.

Change Is Never Easy

It seems that whenever there are major changes in my life, everything called my life starts feeling like it’s being squeezed…imagine a tube of toothpaste.

This time around the changes are planned, but that does not diminish the squeeze.

With my mother in a nursing home I cannot afford this big house we shared. Getting it ready for sale is a big job in itself with all the picky, picky cleaning I have been forced to do. You are probably saying to yourself that I should have been doing that regularly anyway. You are right, but that is not within the nature of my beingness. I will put off such things in favor of so many other more pleasurable activities.

Frustration comes in bunches
I find myself trying to go through the process of readying the house for sale with very little money. So in the spirit of being squeezed through a small opening, things start costing me money I don’t have.

A couple weeks ago the hot water hose on the washing machine blew at 10 p.m. To make a long story short, it cost me a night’s sleep and close to $350 for a plumber in the middle of the night (which turned out to be 7:45 the next morning!). ☹

(You can read the whole sad story right here. See Plumbing Problem, Monday, August 10th.)

Then I get a notice from the bank that holds the mortgage on this house my mortgage payment is going UP almost $260 a month. What happened? We used to get senior citizen assistance on town taxes based on my mother’s income…since she had life use of the house. With her in the nursing home the assistance was based on my income, which was higher than hers. Ergo, my assistance amount was nowhere near as lucrative.

And coming up, will be the cost of having the carpets professionally cleaned.

Spirituality
So what’s so spiritual about all this frustration and chaos? I see it as another test of Faith. I know from experience that I have always had what I needed. Always! Why should this be any different? Being mortal, I have a hard time staying out of the category of “Oh ye of little faith.” I keep reminding myself that I have always had what I needed and I will get through this. Everything will turn out OK.

So what do I need?
I need to sell this house. I really don’t want to do fishes and loaves for too many months. BUT, I can if I have to as long as I continue to acknowledge “someone else” is directing this operation.

LCPL Philip A. Johnson 3rd Annual Memorial Motorcycle Run

(This may take more than one page, so, if necessary, click on “older posts” until you get to “Present Arms.” That will be the end). As always, click on any picture to enlarge.

Sunday, August 16, 2009, was hot with a clear, deep blue sky displaying just a few fair weather clouds on the horizon...as a day in mid-August day should be. That day was the third annual memorial motorcycle run in honor of my grandson, LCPL Philip Johnson, KIA in Iraq, Sept. 3, 2006.

Following are pictures I took at the cemetery where the Run stops every year.

The first thing you see when entering the cemetery is the Enfield Fire Department displaying the American Flag.

Philip’s headstone. This is the reason for the run…that Philip, or any casualty of any war, is never forgotten.

Jess (Philip’s sister) and Matt are the first family to arrive. Perhaps not Jess’ best side.

Kathy arrives next, then on the next bike is Carrie (black top) and next is Deena (in white)…two of Kathy’s friends.

Riderless horse with backwards boots.
Marine veteran, Rick Kowalker of Cromwell and Melody, a 24-yr old Morgan. The boots set backwards in the stirrups is a traditional honor for a fallen fighter. Hartford Courant staff writer Jess Leavenworth wrote an excellent feature story about Kowalker and Melody (Friday, November 10, 2006).

The Leathernecks of Connecticut Motorcycle Club arrive.

Their backs to the camera, the Leathernecks of Connecticut Motorcycle Club honor guard who would perform the multi-gun salute at the end of the Fallen Warriors’ Ceremony.

There were 45 flags for attendees to take as they formed a circle around the gravesite.

The Flag of the United States of America. Long may it wave!

Fallen Warriors ceremony, in honor of all who where KIA. Conducted by the Connecticut Leathernecks.

You can go to this website to watch the ceremony as it took place at Philip’s memorial. It’s very touching.

Present Arms!
Upon this command, the honor guard from the Connecticut Leathernecks presented a multi-gun salute. I don't know how many "guns" it was. I was too overwhelmed by the ceremony to count.

In addition to the ceremony TAPS was played, and "Amazing Grace" was sung with bagpipe accompaniment.

Dismissed.
The motorcyclists proceeded to the “after party”. For pictures of that, you can go to Elaine Henderson’s blog.

Plumbing Problem

Photo: That's my solution to a blown hot water hose to my washing machine. One becomes very inventive in the face of disaster!

Running water?
As I was getting ready for bed last night (Sunday) I heard a pop and a rush of water. I ran around the house like a mad woman trying to find the source of the “rush.” It was the hot water hose for the washing machine downstairs.

It blew right at the connection to the machine. Of course it didn’t blow in the middle where it would be easy to catch the dripping water. I had to shut off the house water because I don’t have a main shut off for the hot water to the machine. It shuts off at the faucet and that’s it. However, that wasn’t shutting it all the way off.

First I start grabbing all the old towels I have stacked up in the laundry room and put them all over the floor to soak up the water! It’s 10 o’clock. Who to call? I called our local plumber but got the answering machine. Well I wanted someone faster than that! (I’m so naïve!) So I called Roto-Rooter (yes they do plumbing) and got an appointment from sometime between my call (10:30 p.m.) and 10 a.m. the next morning.

I put a piece of a frozen dinner box under the leak so the water would be diverted into the large plastic bucket I put under it. I had to empty the bucket EVERY HOUR. If I waited longer than that I would not have been able to lift the bucket to empty it. I did not sleep last night because I had to empty the bucket EVERY HOUR. Had I only know that if I opened the hot water in the utility tub next to the washing machine the leak would have stopped. I could have gone to bed. ☹☹

So the plumber came about 7:45 a.m. and is now in the process of fixing it…on the cheap. I’m not going to put a lot of money into this just before I sell the house.

The plumber checked the hot water heater and thinks it doesn’t have too much life left in it considering it’s been there for 15 years. I’m hoping it lasts one more year, at least.

So this little diversion from sanity is going to cost me, but I have no choice.

I’m trying to be kind and gentle.

The good news is that this didn’t happen while I was away from home yesterday!

Joe's Going Away Party

My grandson, Joe, is leaving for Parris Island on August 10th (or there abouts). On August 1st his parents (my son, Andy, and daughter-in-law, Lori) pulled together a send-off in Joe’s honor.

In this picture, Joe seems to be making a statement! ☺☺☺

Joe seems to have an abundance of hats! What's that sticking out of his mouth? My goodness he grew up fast...ready to leave for boot camp. Where did the time go?

Some of Joe's friends.

Left is Lori (Joe's mom), the guy in the red shirt I do not know, Andy, and Jimmy Karat. Something got them laughing!

Joe's dad (and my youngest son) Andy. You may notice how much Andy and Joe look alike.

Friends and relatives.

Kathy on left, the fellow in the red shirt again, Paul with his back more or less to the camera and on the right, Jimmy Karat.

Feel sorry for Jonathan! He's picked on by these BIG KIDS. Even though he's wielding an ax, he looses and finds himself wearing the dreaded hat.