3/28/17 - Maine

Good afternoon, intrepid readers. I wish I could tell you I got a good night's sleep, but alas I did not. Only a partial one. The electricity went out in the area somewhere around 3:00 AM. (Yes I did get up to check to make sure it was not just here; the entire area was out.) That entailed pulling out and setting up back-up medical equipment. Better that than figuring out which fuse went at 3 AM!

Electricity was restored sometime around 8:30 this morning. I heard the heat come on; yay!

I had hoped to get to the laundry today but could not. A phone call, which in turn entailed many phone calls etc. on my part eliminated that prospect.

All good news, though, and now I will share with you. I have purchased a mobile home, and will be closing on it and moving in on Monday. I do not know why I never thought of this before; it is the perfect solution to renting (much as I loved my last few rentals).

It is in my "home" area, and I found it on line. I know that sounds odd. Like a late-night commercial - "Yes! You too can purchase a home on line!"

I have not seen it myself yet; I designated my brother to look and send detailed pix and information (which he did). Realizing that sounds odd as well. However - I trust him implictly. He knows my tastes & needs better than anyone else. And yeah, I am taking a huge leap of faith on this.

It is yellow! I have always wanted to live in a yellow house. As of next Monday, I shall have one :) Here is a photo of the outside.

Outside of home

Yes it is smaller than the past few places I have lived (I did read the fine print on Realtor.com prior to asking brother to take a look at it), and I will be downsizing yet again. I have a lot of very large furniture that simply will not fit and would make me feel crowded.

I have come to terms with that, and I am OK with it. The place has 2 bathrooms (one for me and one for the kitties, I guess!) - 2 bedrooms, so I will have my studio space. A small outside deck where I can put a grill and small table to sit outside, which I could not do at my last apartment.

Outside Deck

The past few weeks have been a flurry of paperwork back and forth long-distance. The guys at the UPS store up here know me! They have printed, copied, overnighted, etc. etc. Why mortgage companies insist on actual paperwork is beyond me. I had some minor issues getting copies of things from the bank to the mortgage company - everything had to come to me, then I turn around and send them out to the appropriate places. Parting with my hard-earned money (I hate that!).

And... it is a place that will belong to me. No downstairs neighbors causing fires or fighting at 9:00 at night. My new place also has a laundry room, score! I have a small bit of yard where I can plant flowers and a few vegetables :)

I am really, really happy about this. The kitties will be happy. One last move. That is it :) Stay tuned.

Kitchen - lots of cabinets!

Outside deck

3/27/17 - Maine

Random short post on a Monday night, with a small vent. I am tired and getting ready to head for bed.

I have yet to do laundry, and it desperately needs doing. The laundry-mat I have been using is very small and thus gets crowded quickly on weekends. I have to go during the week. Except the past few week days have been taken up with phone calls, transferring paperwork, information, etc. Plus I am packing like a mad woman. Movers are arriving Friday to transport the things I arrived with.

With the exception of what is coming in my car (and brother's), which is very little, everything will be gone Friday.

My back is killing me. I do not move the boxes once they are packed (cannot), but the filling of, taping, etc. is taking its toll (bending, twisting). I have 2 herniated discs which have been deemed inoperable, and a spinal condition called spondylosis - basically arthritic degeneration of the spine.

So there is that. I take prescription strength Ibuprofen to take the edge off the pain, but the past few days it has not helped a whole lot.

Fortunately I do not have much more left to pack. Some clothes and a few last-minute boxes that will come with (kitty bowls & food, coffe pot!, etc.).

I get to see my niece a bit this weekend, yay! She and her boyfriend are coming up either Thursday or Friday for the weekend. I am leaving for home (HOME!!) Saturday morning, but am really looking forward to spending some time with her :)

Big plug here, my niece has started her own blog. She is a most awesome baker, and is ALWAYS the one in charge of dessert at family meals. Check our her blog: http://thebakingbiddy.blogspot.com

I will post later this week. Promise!

3/23/17 - Maine

I find it odd the things you pack when you are "under the gun" and have only X amount of hours to do so in preparation for a winter away. Right after a fire. Trying to direct several other people who came to help while you are trying to check off your list... It was a madhouse that day, and I did not have much time. Yet I am surprised at some of the items I had the presence of mind to pack - pots & pans and basic cooking utensils (there were none up here), last year's taxes and all my computer codes. And still slapping my forehead for the little things I forgot - heavy duty gloves, a few other things.

As I am packing to move back to Massachusetts I have thought about this stuff. Remembered the manicure kit, forgot the nail polish. Why did I pick this sweater and not the one I left? Where were my thermals when I needed them?

Things like that.

I had, literally, 4 hours to pack before I left. Assemble boxes, go through my list, oversee what my helpers were doing. Plus I had to get ALL of my food out of there that day - refrigerator, plus all dry goods.

I think I did pretty well given the circumstances.

Now it is coming time to move home. I will be leaving here a week from this Saturday. If all goes well with the appraisal I will be somewhat settled in less than 2 weeks. Fodder for a different post; I do not want to jinx it!

I am not moving back to my previous apartment, unfortunately. The work that is required to repair etc. will likely take until the end of the year. I wish I could... I loved that place and it was so roomy and sunny. Life marches forward.

Aftermath (I was on 2nd floor)

My brother took some photos when I was allowed back into my old apartment. I will post a few "before" and "after" pics here. You can see how extensive the damage really was (mostly from smoke), and some of what I have lost.

The insurance company called yesterday afternoon; they have closed their investigation on the 'remediation' part of the claim. First floor tenants did not have insurance and did not admit to smoking on the porch outside their apartment. Even though the fire investigator found over 200 cigarette butts that were disposed of improperly on the ground next to the steps where she dumped her grease.

Absolutely, totally disgusting. WHO does that?? Yes I smoke, but I use an ashtray. If there is none available I make sure it is out and stick the rest of it in my pocket for later disposal. I do not dispose of butts anywhere except the trash.

Without further ado.

Before

After

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What's left?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After