If memory serves correctly I received a contract on my house on Sept. 16. Close enough, anyway. From that time on there has been a great deal of strategic planning, packing, letting go, and a whirlwind of activity. And right now is the lull before we do it again.
The first event was the orchid plant sale. My only advertising was sending an email to members of the orchid society telling them when and where, and that the prices would be cheap---which they were; most were 2, 3, 4$. Here are some of the plants I sold along with some supplies as well.
All but ten sold in the first thirty minutes, and I netted $325. The remaining ten I wound up giving away to good homes.
Here are the ten I kept.
They are currently very happy indoors at the Interfaith Pharmacy where I volunteer because they have their own plant stands with an excellent southern exposure. In fact, four are about to bloom. Also I've had messages from two of my shoppers at the sale that they are having blooms as well (so that keeps me cool with them).
The PODS container was delivered to my house on Oct. 10, a Monday (Hint: You get a discount if it is delivered on Mon.; I didn't know that; it just worked out.)
It was to be picked up, loaded, the next Monday, but we wound up having to change that as we just couldn't get it all done. You see that white corner at the top left hand side of the steps? The man who delivered the container and "walked it up" into the yard using the Podzilla accidentally chipped off the corner of the step. He apologized and said he would take care of it. I'm not sure when he did it, during the sale, I think, but he did take care of it. That's not PODS policy, but he is a Methodist pastor of a local church. Just trying to make a living, or he really likes those big boy toys. Did you notice I've picked up part of their lingo? Podzilla, walking it up, . . . .
My job was to sort what to keep for myself, for others in the family, what to let go in the sale, and, of course, pack.
Chillax donated "legs" (sold the first day) which has been in his storeroom for years, and they brought toys and other items as well.
Chillax commanded the loading, and it was all done at night after he closed Excalibur for the day. The PODS people advise us to pack it high and use every available inch, and I think he did. We packed in not only my things but items from their house as well as we will eventually all be at the same location. I had asked for the "big one" which is 8' wide x 8' high x 16' long.
Look how close they are to the end, and we still have these items to go in:
I have no idea what that ladder looking thing is. However, they did get it all in, and the POD was picked up one day before the sale. It's now resting way out on Youree Dr. in south Shreveport just waiting for us to call to have it brought to our new address.
The sale was handled by one of the local estate sale teams. They were very nice, got it all organized, and cleaned up afterward. The only problem is that people just weren't shopping, and the really big items (those that would have really brought in some $$$) didn't sell. I wound up bringing them over to the garage at C & J's house. Maybe I'll be able to use them, or maybe they'll go into consignment at one of the antique stores here. Anybody need a small table 18" deep that expands to 7'?
So what happened to PhannyCat, Mack and me? We are residing in the dining room at Chillax and Jaz's house, and Chillax kindly brought my bed over here as well as my rocking chair. I really haven't sat in the rocking chair often over the past nine and a half years, but we are becoming reacquainted. The fact about the chair is that it wasn't a configuration that he wanted to deal with in the POD and would "waste space." But, I do love having my bed. We've been here three weeks.
NEW DIGS
I previously reported that we had made an offer on a house that all of us loved along with its yard and all the problems we unearthed. Well, four weeks to the day, yesterday, we finally received a response in writing. (The seller's agent also asked my agent to thank us for our patience.) Anyway the counter offer requested 5K more than we offered but still 5K under the original listing price which surprised me, and to make a long story short--ta-da--we have a contract on the house. The inspection will be Tues. morning, the appraisal soon after, and closing is supposed to be on/by Nov. 25. (None of the title companies will be open on the 25th, day after Thanksgiving, so I'm optimistically planning that the closing will be earlier that week.) We'll see. Oh, yes, the ex-wife, the owner of the house is now signing all the papers. In the meantime---X your fingers that we pull this off.
Best regards, Everybody, and keep warm!!!
