Building New

We are working on the plans for a new house.  It's terrifying!  I never expected to be building a new house.  We're pretty much rebuilding - which means the new house will also be big.  And yet, why so big, when the kids are already grown?  But I can't imagine a smaller house on that property.  So we're building the house it needs, and setting it up so we can stay there as long as we want to.

In the meantime, we are making our temporary living situation feel like "home".  Bob put up a clothesline, and I've used it already!  The kids have had friends over, played games at the dining room table, and now upstairs at the new card table.  Gardiner is a little too far from Winthrop, but other than that, this place is great.  (And will be for sale this fall...  anyone want a preview tour?)

A friend came to visit yesterday, and returned a book she'd borrowed.  Something from before - which makes it a treasure, even if it wasn't a beloved book!

Which reminds me ...  the books.  Here are a few more authors that we liked:

• Frank Herbert (the entire DUNE series!)
• MYTH-adventures series (Robert Asprin)  (Another Fine Myth, etc)
• Thieves World (Robert Asprin)
• Asimov (Foundation series, Robot series, and many others.)
• Harlan Ellison
• Stephen Jay Gould (reflections in natural history)
• Calvin and Hobbes
• Far Side
• Bloom County
• Dilbert

Kids books 

• Sandra Boynton
• Eric Carle
• Lynn Plourde  (of course we had several signed!  Also other local authors.  Once we get settled, I'll be looking into replacing some of these!)

And now, I should get moving, I still have a list of things-to-do!

I also keep a running list in my purse, things to pick up at the store, but also for when someone says what do you need...  here's today's list (6/25) It's in no particular order.  Just shows what a bizarre smattering of things I think about that we need!

• Colander
• Drinking Glasses
• Dobie sponges
• Refrigerator Magnets
• Yardstick
• Chair Pads (6)
• Coat Tree / Coat Rack
• Desk (We have one.  I've kind of claimed it...  need one for Bob to work at home, or else for me to share better!)
• Toolbox
• twin size beds (kids are on mattresses on the floor. or maybe that works for the summer... thinking when we get to the new house, they might want bigger beds!)
• chairs for bedrooms, maybe desks?
• slippers (L)
• Sneakers (P)
• Baking pans
• cupcake pans - regular and mini
• cast iron frying pan, griddle
• cast iron dutch oven

Today's wishlist 6/21

I keep a running list in my purse, things to pick up at the store, but also for when someone says what do you need...  here's today's list. (6/21)  (6/25) It's in no particular order.


Teflon safe utensils
Colander
Drinking Glasses
Dobie sponges
Refrigerator Magnets
Yardstick
placemats
Chair Pads (6)
Veggie peeler
Labelmaker
Coat Tree / Coat Rack
Card Table & Chairs
Tray Tables
Night Stand
Bookcases
Dressers
Desk
Stepstool
Toolbox
twin size beds (kids are on mattresses on the floor)
chairs for bedrooms, maybe desks?
slippers (L)
Sneakers (P)
2C, 4C, 8C pyrex measuring cups
Pyrex covered dishes
Baking pans
cupcake pans - regular and mini
cast iron frying pan, griddle
cast iron dutch oven

Moving to not-home...

We are moving.  It's exciting - we will finally (after a month!) be not in three hotel rooms!  Nice rooms, each with a couch, table, fridge, microwave...  but hotel rooms.  It's terrifying, at the same time - it's not "home", it's not even in Winthrop. It is a nice house, an older home but newly refinished, and in great shape! It has lots of rooms, and we should be able to start acquiring those things we're missing.  I'm just conflicted, not sure if I'm happy or sad, excited or scared.

I'm stressed about leaving the hotel rooms, and needing to take absolutely everything with us.  Not that we have collected much, compared to a houseful, but whatever we've collected is all we have.  I need to remember to check the nightstand and not leave my PJs behind... I need to check the cupboards and take all the things in there (except the hotel's plates and glasses!). 

I have several big areas to keep track of.  One is this move to a temporary home, which so far has been going well.  I also have been working on what needs to happen to clean up the old house, and begin the process of a new house.  And then there's the personal property list - which honestly is the hardest.  All of the STUFF...  we have to list each and every item.  The list is still short - I try,  but every so often, there are too many memories related, and I just stop.

I'm hoping that when we're moved into the house it will be easier.  I can sit in a kitchen and think of my old kitchen.  Sit in the living room and imagine the old one.  Hoping that makes the process a little easier - and when I get overwhelmed, I can go to a different room! 

But now I'm going to need to make a meal plan, and get some groceries.  I'm looking forward to it - but it will also be an adjustment.  A new kitchen, and get new pans... people have been great offering things, too.  But it's going to take a little while to feel like home.

An update - Forward progress...

We are making forward progress!  We will be leaving the hotel on Monday, the 17th.  That will be great, to move into a place where we have common areas, not just rooms. I will miss the hotel, though.  These folks have been great to us.  The food is amazing - great breakfasts every day, nice reception M-Th evenings.  I haven't had the energy to enjoy the pool or exercise room, I'm afraid...  maybe we'll come back for a staycation some time!

We're moving to a home in Gardiner -- 4 Beech St.  (Temporary - while we rebuild!) It is a half mile to the Gardiner Library, so we'll get cards there, too!  (You all know how important libraries are to me!)  It will also be walking distance for the kids, if they think of something they need...  although we're working on getting their licenses this summer, permits have been applied for!

We still have paper plates/cups/silverware from Teresa's graduation party, so we don't need dishes! LOL !!!  Seriously, I know I've had several offers for things we need...  happy to accept, but we don't need a lot!  I'll buy a new coffeepot, Bob is looking forward to that!!!! 

We already have two recliners and a couch that we've accepted from people.  I'm going to look for a kitchen table and chairs, and maybe stools for the island in the kitchen.  One thing I've realized we definitely need are desks.  A desk for Bob to work at - he's already commented that he misses the corner desk he had.  What makes me crazy is that I had been planning to get rid of two desks from the old house!  Oh, well.  But if anyone else is looking to part with a desk or a bookcase, that's something we can use.  Don't COMMENT here, unless you have a blogger account they come through as Anonymous! Call or text me 207-446-8841, or email me linda04364@gmail.com.

We're going to buy new mattresses, a king for the built-in platform.  I'm going to buy two twin mattresses for the kids, which I'll use in my guest room in the new house and let them choose real bedroom sets when we move.  The closets have shelves, so dressers and bedframes are lower priority. I'm planning to check with Tabitha's Closet about bedding, as well as check with some folks who have mentioned it to me. 

The rental house has a room with floor to ceiling bookshelves - so maybe we go ahead and start the replacement of books even!  Still planning a post listing what we'd love for books, I'll do that separately. 

I've got CMP set up.  Still on hold with Spectrum.  The first bit was easy, we got service set up.  But the person I spoke with said that they hadn't finished the "seasonal hold" that I was told they would do for me when I went in to the office back in May.  Argh.  I spoke with the first person for over a half hour.  Now on hold with this second call, over 45 minutes...  I need a shower - if you see me today and I'm stinky, it's Spectrum's fault!

My mother is coming Friday, and will help us with cleaning and getting settled in.  I expect we'll be at the house in Gardiner most of Saturday and Sunday.  It will be so nice to have a place where we can settle in.  We're really looking forward to hanging out together in a living room!!!  

I'm also looking forward to having company.  Let me know when you can stop by, and your preferred beverage, if I don't already know (coffee/decaf/tea/wine/beer/Dr. Pepper/diet Coke/etc!)  It's all of our family, friends, neighbors, all of you, who really make all of this bearable.  Thank you.  Come visit me!  

A lifetime

I keep feeling like I see my life flashing before my eyes.

I blame GooglePhotos.

Every photo I've taken with my cellphone is there...   not lost...  It's only the past 5 years, but there are a lot of photos.  Some are now treasures, but some are just pocket-photos!!!!   So I scroll through, looking for a photo that can show when we built the new back deck, to answer the question for the insurance adjuster.  And each photo is bittersweet.  Sweet, because I have it, and because it captures a moment in time...  but bitter, too, because everything in a photo of the house is now gone, needing to be replaced. 

I can still close my eyes and picture the rooms ... but the photos help.  And I worry that I'm getting old, and my memory may be going.  How I am ever going to remember everything I need to remember?  What did we really have in that room?  And does it even really matter...  I used to write things down, so that I'd be able to look back.  And now, it's up to me - my responsibility to remember, to ad lib, without a script. 

I see photos of recipes - thank you, everyone who ever requested a copy of a recipe!  Most of my favorites are there, including my Apple Crisp recipe that is in Mrs. D's handwriting.  The recipe we decided was Aunt Mabel's cookies (the taffy crunch one!) is there, along with the Christmas cookies we usually make.  But I digress...  rebuilding my cookbook will happen, but there are so many other things to rebuild first. 

There are photos of school events, summer trips to visit family, college move-ins, and vacations.  But suddenly, those casual photos from home are the most poignant.