So Sad

We leave this house soon.  After that, we leave Tuscaloosa.  I'm so bummed out!

I will miss our kitchen.  We have this massive window that is above the sink.  It is beautiful.  Before our yard sale, we had several window box plants along the window sill.  Craig grew nasturtiums, edible flowers.  He grew peas and herbs.   

In a way, I'm totally ready to leave.  I'm tired of the old grubby factor of the house.  I'm ready to decorate something that belongs to Craig and I.

But, I will really miss the window in the kitchen.  And I'll really miss living in Tuscaloosa.

Yard Sale Success

The yard sale was a success!

We advertised that our sale would last from Friday -- Saturday, and sold out (practically) by Friday at 11:30 a.m.  We even had three people come by our house on Thursday afternoon and purchase a few things.  I think the success has a large part to do with our location (we are at the corner of a major road), our prices (10 cents, anyone?), and the help of my sister Jennifer.

My sister Jennifer came down Thursday to help us.  We could not have done it without her.  She brought a set of fresh eyes and helped organize things.  Friday morning, we started moving our stuff out around 5:30, and people were at our place around moved our stuff out bright and early, and had people coming up to the sale a good 1.5-2 hours early.  I helped with the sale as long as I could, but had to leave and get to work.  Four hours and about $300.00 later, two boxes of random stuff was left.

It was an interesting experience.  We met some neighbors that we haven't met yet.  Got rid of a lot of stuff, and didn't have to haul it off.   I'm glad we didn't have to hold the sale on Saturday, too, but I hope no one made any changes in their schedule only to find that it was cancelled.

Now to finish packing.  We move in 2 weeks.  Craig leaves for Boston soon after.  I can't wait to join him. I've been doing a lot of job seeking and soul searching.  It seems like I can't do one without the other.

Thoughts

• I am not sure how we will get everything done before the yard sale this Friday and Saturday.  Why are we doing a yard sale, again?  At least Jennifer will be coming down to help us out.  Friday is going to be rough. . . I'll have to work, but get up super early to help set up before work.  And I'm sure we will be up late Thursday getting things ready.  Makes me sleepy.  
• According to different studies, medical errors are the third, fifth, or eight leading cause of death in the United States.  I looked at a few articles earlier about it.  I need some time to process this information.  Some links for more information can be found here, here, or here.  If I wasn't so tired of packing, I'd have more thoughts.  Right now, it is just "wow".
• I think I want to study elder law in more depth.  Reading Medicare regulations makes me happy.  How many people can truthfully say that?  
• My grandma saved every single card she was given.  Which is very sweet.  However, when looking through her stuff, you get to a point where you just don't know what to do with everything that someone you loved considered a treasure.  
• My car had some body work done last September, and they repainted the bumper.  (Someone ran into my car).  The paint has started to bubble up on my bumper.  It is peeling off and icky.  Crap.  
• I'm sleepy.  

Rest and Ramen (but not together)

Last night I rested.  It was wonderful.  Instead of packing/cleaning/organizing, and instead of doing the mountain of dishes in the kitchen, I took a nap.  Then, I made tea.  (I also organized the tea, but I don't count that as work, because I like tea, organizing, and most importantly, it was not on my to do list).  I read, and I talked with a good friend on the phone.  Then I went to sleep relatively early.  It was fantastic!

I've felt 100% better today.  I'm thinking I should rest more often.  I have a lot of leisure time; weekends with family and friends, traveling, doing things, etc.  But not a lot of stillness.

Now, I should finish my leftover ramen and go back to work.  Tonight will be cleaning and organizing some more, but today I am looking forward to it.  (sorta, need to keep up the motivation).

Moving, Stage 1: trash your house and get rid of all your stuff. . .

Right now our house looks horrible.  We have begun the process of organizing/packing/and culling.  As we pull things out of their hiding spots under the bed, in the closet, and take all my crap out of storage, I'm finding that we have much more things than we thought we had.  Things that we never use, do not what to do with, do not have a place for, and don't need.

Moving all our crap makes me jealous of the people who can fit what they have into a car and leave everything else behind.  Craig moved across the country twice.  Once from New York to Oregon, and again from Oregon to Alabama.  Both times he filled up his car with what it could hold and left the rest.  Now, as we prepare for this move, we are worried we will not be able to fit our stuff onto a 22' Penske truck.  Seriously?  That is 1,200 cubic feet of space!  Craig is excited that he is able to bring furniture and other things with him, but I am wanting to get rid of everything but my toothbrush.  

In reality, we need to bring a moving truck.  But I seriously want to work at simplifying our life.  I have never been a fan of minimalist decor, but we have to find some way to have less stuff.  From an environmental standpoint, it makes sense.  Less consumption.  From a sanity standpoint, it also makes sense.  I want to be able to breathe.  Plus, I'm always slightly afraid one day I will end up on the "hoarders, buried alive" show.  It may be an irrational fear, but it could happen.

I am trying to make a goal, that before I make any purchases, I ask myself whether or not this purchase is good for me and will benefit me, and whether or not the purchase will benefit my community.  Hopefully I will become more mindful of what I buy.

Now, on to the packing.  I hope to be able to take a picture of a cleaner living room this afternoon.

Happy Fourth of July! (observed)