Still unpacking

I have been busy. I closed on my Detroit-area house 2 days ago, and I am moved into my Saginaw house, but there are still boxes everywhere, and no washer-dryer yet. I am having a hard time finding time to look at appliances, and an even harder time making a decision! I don't have any curtains yet, but my grandchildren decorated my windows as a lovely substitute. I need to get the chimney cleaned, too, so that I can have chestnuts roasting on an open fire next month, lol.

I am home (it still sounds funny to me to call this place home) most days of the week, but drive down to Detroit to volunteer in my sister's office two days a week. The nicest thing about that is that I get to have dinner with Dr. Cranky, and see my sister.

In a moment of obvious disorientation, I told my brother and sister that I'd have Thanksgiving in my new house. I hope I can find the pots and pans by then.

And just about a week later, I have two more milestones to look forward to -- a major birthday, and a trip to Sanibel. I hope some of my bloggie friends will be available to crawl one of the first 2 Sundays in December!

Moving Day

Good grief

I guess I didn't actually think it would ever happen -- and now, to my shock and horror, I NEED TO PACK!!

The tipping point

House Number 1 might be/is probably sold! An appraiser is coming tomorrow to make the official judgment as to whether the house is worth the embarrassingly low price the buyers offered to pay. Then, of course, the buyers need to prove that they are as credit-worthy now as they were when they made the offer. (The proposed buyers are NOT the people who declared their intention to buy, but another young couple who viewed the house on the very same day.) Maybe I should start to pack?

I have a lot of things going on. Daughter/tax collector/broken door/rotten roofs, all still lurking. All of them would improve somewhat if I could throw money at them, but being unemployed doesn't pay very well. I need to schedule some time to panic -- as a responsible adult, I feel duty bound to worry about my lack of job, my ever-growing pile of bills, and the huge mess that is forming- and that I will have to clean up! - in both old house and new. But I just can't seem to find the energy to get upset about it all.

Maybe tomorrow.

On the sunny side of the street

The GOOD news lately is that my trip with my sister was wonderful and relaxing. And a former coworker sent me a box of popcorn balls because she remembered that I like them. Life is good when all the bad things involve only money, and the good things involve family, friends, fun and food!

Karma? I demand a recount!

It isn't over yet -- add to the list these tidbits: the previous mortgage holders and title company on house #2 assured us that the foreclosure notice was a mistake. Then their repo people busted down the door and changed the locks.

And then the electric company left me a note saying that there is something wrong with a wire leading into my house from a wire they replaced earlier this month, and that they will shut off my electricity in 10 days if I don't fix it.

Consider: I do not lie cheat or steal. I do NOT cheat on my taxes. I am not generally unkind, I try to give people the benefit of the doubt, and I do not kick puppies or small children. I am helpful and loyal, true to my girl scout upbringing. I appreciate my many blessings, I have never been greedy. Dogs and cats like me. Old people (except for my mother) have always liked me, too. I have lived a chaste life (mostly against my will, but still). I know there are many stinkers out there who have never had a string of events like I've experienced this year, and that's fine, I wish them no ill. But come on, Karma, I am not the one you are looking for!

Comedy of errors -- remind me to laugh!

To recap the previous episode fro "Gail's 2009 adventures," I committed to buy house #2 before house #1 sold, house #1 has STILL not sold, I found out that house #1 needed a new roof, I found out that house #2 needed a new roof, I had numerous sad... and frightening family experiences with a close relative in intensive care for weeks, the son of someone dear to me went to prison for smuggling cocaine in his belly (after major surgery to get it out), I lost my job, I lost st. joseph (no, he's still not back).

Yesterday I found out that I AM BEING AUDITED BY THE IRS -- apparently for things they think belong to me, but were actually part of my mother's estate. (I promise, I have never, ever lied on my taxes! Now I just have to prove it.)

Think that's all? But no!!! Today, as I get ready to leave town for a week, my son called to say that he found A FORECLOSURE NOTICE on the front door of my newly purchased house (house #2). I am definitely not in foreclosure, so this is clearly another cosmic joke. Ha. Ha.

In our next episode: will that heart-pounding-choking-fainting-feeling go away if I ply it with alcohol? If I hide under the bed? If I close my eyes? Stay tuned. Watch Gail laugh. Watch Gail laugh until she cries.