Ruminations On Life

Who or what is behind the glasses that allow these eyes to write and read these bits of light? Is it a person, a soul, or a quark of stray energy left over from creating the universe billions of years ago? Am I so different from you, your energy, your soul? Or are we all a piece of one whole?

I recently celebrated the 90th birthday of my mother with sisters, friends and extended family. It was a wonderful event at which we all came together to joyfully delight in life. There were several people there who I had not seen since leaving home for the last time 40 years ago! Some I knew very well and others not at all. With some, were it not for being related, I would have no connection at all with them. With one however, it was as if our relationship had never suffered this 40 year gap! We leapt right back into conversation as if we lived right next door. All of the experiences of a lifetime were as if they'd never happened and we were just as if we were kids again. Wow!

I think there are too many of us here on earth using up the few precious resources now left at a frightening pace without regard to others. There are too many of us running and stumbling through life oblivious to the effect we are having on earth and each other or the power we possess to do something about the wrongs we see and care about.

There are too many of us here now and too few really good friends.

Five months later... the move is over and we are enjoying hot summer weekends on the Delta in our new house. We had it painted outside, built two new workbenches in the garage, have a huge new dock and slide, family room has been painted, installed a new widescreen TV and sound system are and all but a few boxes are empty. Closet organizers have been installed, crown moldings installed where there weren't any and new deck furniture bought, assembled and set up. Several parties have already been held and the big fall party is this coming weekend. We love it here. So does Sammy. Still lots to do to make it our own.

Sleep like a baby tonight!

Today I took four truck loads of boxes and bags over to the new house. I just had to start moving even though we have movers coming to pack and load us on Friday, April 13th. (What a fine date for a move.) Anyway, how could I not start moving in on the day I officially own the place?

I let carpet cleaners in at 2:30 and when I came back at 4:30 found they'd missed two large closets. Do I have to stand there and supervise them? I guess so. That's why they're carpet cleaners and I'm not?!

The sellers left a pile of junk in the garage. They wouldn't sell me their furniture for $1,000 and instead, donated it to the Salvation Army. They were never at the house, never used the oven or micro or trash compactor or much of anything. They never had garbage service! The house was built in 1998 and it is essentially brand spanking new!

Anyway, these guys had a security service to protect from breakin but wouldn't pay $80 a month to haul trash. They had a yard service and ATT cable TV and DSL but no trash hauling! How cheap can you get? The guy left stuff indicating he'd lived in Paris, France including travel guides, a reservation for golf at the Paris Golf Club, a car wash and maintenance card for his Ferrari at the Paris Car Club, etc. What a fucktardo!

I love the new house. It is amazing! New new new. The boat trailer has never been used other than to haul the boat to the Delta and launch it. The house is the same way. The oven, stove, microwave and trash compactor have never ever been used! Seven year old house and its brand new! Wow. I am in awe.

Mission accomplished!
Home sold.
House bought.
Money spent.
Moving day is in sight.
Now can I start to sleep again?

Friday is officially moving day but I found an "Allied Van Lines" moving package at Costco and we've started boxing and bagging up non-breakable items to help shorten the move time and reduce the packing material costs. It will still likely be an all day project that costs $2,000.

We officially get ownership of the house today and have possession now as I have keys and garage door openers. I'll start moving items there today. Tomorrow we get the carpets stretched and cleaned and the tile and grout sealed.

Monday I got the utility change over scheduled, ordered the transfer of insurance, phone, garbage, rekeying and pest services, changed mail delivery and confirmed the movers. A lot to remember. I'm sure I forgot one or two things and that another one or two will get screwed up.

The really stressful part is over. Let the fun begin!

Sleep comes short and rarely these days. The past few weeks have been very very short on sleep. Our new house purchase has me awaking at all hours of night remembering things I have to do to prepare for the close of escrow and moving on Friday.

Last night the item that woke me at 11:30PM was a $1,500 credit the sellers offered in lieu of repairing deficiencies specified in a house inspection report. The closing statement from the title company we signed on Friday did not list the credit. So off went an email at 12:30AM asking the title company to revise its closing statement to reflect a credit to buyers and a debit to sellers as previously agreed upon in Request for Repairs - One.

This morning Lisa came up with a couple more items to add to the "ToDo" list - locksmith to rekey the house (with me to change garage door opener and alarm codes) and carpet company to seal the tile and grout in the house as it is very light in color and probably has never been sealed. It sure would be nice if I could gain access to the house Tuesday/Wednesday. An extra day or two would be very helpful!

I have a ToD list that would choke a horse. The nice thing is that we aren't fixing up an old decrepit 25 year old money pit. Rather, we are building for the future with an essentially new house that has never been lived in and making it ours.

Wow!
Almost two years since I last posted a blog!
Where have I been?
And when will I go back?

We've been trying to sell our old delta home and replace it with something newer. We found the new, made an offer and are ready to close. Unfortunately our place is a wreck and four offers have fallen apart. Our realtor now says he'll buy it. But I think he may be having difficulty lining up funds as he already owns 5-10 properties he's trying to sell. Its now going on 6 weeks since we started the process and I am ready for it to be over. A few more weeks to go?

Got my amateur radio license a year or so ago and am loving it a lot. On our side of the hill we don't get great reception as I can't put up a high enough antenna. But on the delta reception rocks! I get stations in Australia, England, Texas, FLorida, New Jersey, Arkansas, Arizona, Alaska Las Vegas, and elsewhere on a daily basis. For Christmas, my lovely wife got me an Icom ic-7000 radio that is top of the heap! 100 watts of power and all bands. Excellent! Now if I could figure an antenna scheme out for the Monner!