December 28: Happy Birthday to me!

 How the hell did I get so damned old?  

Christmas Day 2017

My house on a snowy Christmas Eve

Last year at this time I was packing up lots of stuff in my house in Houston.  I had to make the house more appealing to potential buyers by making it impersonal.  I had so many beautiful things that I cherished.  I packed what "I couldn't live without" to take with me to Portland.  I sold many things on facebook market sites.  I donated even more.

Last night we celebrated Christmas Eve at my little house.  The kids opened their stockings and gifts.  I made spaghetti for supper.  Kenny and Miho are fussy so I had my fingers crossed.  They ate it - no complaints except I forgot buy parmesan cheese.

Then we watched a movie, "Get Santa."  When it ended the kids were in a big hurry to head home and go to sleep so Santa could come to their house.

Stockings at the fireplace

My little pink tree

I'm wearing my new Ninja Turtles Christmas jammies for the occasion.

in my living room

Barbie has a pink poodle, too!

I made a Ninjago puzzle for Kenny.

Miho is wearing her unicorn costume.

Today I got what I was working so hard to achieve - spending holidays with Kevin, Tomoko, Kenny and Miho.  I wish Andy could have been with us.  We all missed him.

I got up 5:30 AM.  The streets were icy and I was in the only car on the road.  When I got to Kevin's I had to wait while he and Tomoko poured hot water on their steps and scraped off the ice.  The kids waited until I arrived and then started opening all their presents.

Kevin's living room

My pink poodle Christmas sweatshirt

Opening a big box from Uncle Andy

The box held a scooter for Kenny.

And a bidet from Andy

Uncle Andy gave Miho a huge stuffed octopus.

The kids both received lego sets and were working on them throughout the day.  Kenny had a complicated set but he was putting it together almost all by himself.  Kevin was helping Miho.

Kevin took both dogs to the park.  Sweetsie got all tired out.

After our teatime at around 4 Sweetsie and I came back to our little house.  Bedtime is early for us tonight.

November 22, 2017

Tomorrow I am going to Kevin's for Thanksgiving.  Tomoko is making the dinner.  She is a very good cook.

November 14, 2017

Whew!  I've been busy.  Everyday I unpack a box or two, clean up the resulting mess and start again the following day.  I probably have at least 50 more boxes to go.  Why do I have so much stuff?

I sold and gave away so many of my things before I left Houston.  Now I'm continuing the purge.  I've already taken one big box to Goodwill and I have another big one packed to go.

Before I moved here I had planned on finding a part time job.  So I kept a lot of my work clothes. That was pre-bus accident.  Now I'm still recovering.  I get exhausted easily because of the pain.  Tomorrow is my 6 month follow up with the trauma surgeon.  I want to ask him what else I can do to get better.  I still go to physical therapy, stretch and exercise.  Have I hit a plateau or what?

This morning I went to a meet up group of 60+ singles.  They are a nice bunch of people and do a lot of activities together.  Unfortunately, most of their activities are hiking, biking, etc.  Every Tuesday morning they meet for coffee.  It's across town at 9 AM but I got up and went.

Tomorrow morning I'm going to the first meeting of a book club in my neighborhood.  I learned about it on nextdoor.com.  We're meeting just a few blocks from my house.

Sweetsie is enjoying her backyard.  Sometimes she runs back and forth.  I still am hiring a dog walker because she needs more exercise than that.  I'd rather be safe and let someone else take her.  She loves her new dog walker in our neighborhood.  They go around the park which is nearby.

Sweetsie and Stella are already in bed waiting for me.  Good night.

October 24, 2017: one more day

The house matches Sweetsie!

I have one more day living in the retirement home.  I've made several friends here and will miss them.  My physical therapist leases space here so I will be returning at least once a week for rehab.

 I do the stretches and exercises on my own.  My bones are healing.  But the trauma sent my right leg muscles, including my giant butt, into spasm.  (My secret super power is stopping buses with my butt.)  My physical therapist works on getting the muscles to straighten out and stop causing me pain.

Tonight I am taking a bit of a break.  I've been working so hard packing, getting my home repaired and preparing for the move.  It's a good time to document on my blog and then watch "Madam Secretary" on amazon TV.

Today I met delivery men at the house at 8 AM and they installed my refrigerator and washer/dryer.  I carried a few boxes and a suitcase from my apartment into the house.  Then I went to the bank and the post office.  I got totally exhausted.  It's very painful getting in and out of the car.  My legs are super long and the seats in my Subaru Crosstrek do not go back far enough for my injured leg.  Guess I should have bought a roomy American car.  I have to wait for the lawsuit to get settled first.  That could take quite a while yet.

Thursday the movers are coming at 9 AM to pick up my stuff in my apartment.  After they drop it off at my new house they go to my son's house to pick up my china cabinet.  And finally to my storage unit.  All my stuff will once again be united!  I don't even remember what all I have.  I haven't seen what I packed and is in storage for almost 6 months.  It'll be like Christmas!   Unfortunately, I can't be the excited little kid but the parent who's stuck putting everything away.  I'm sure my new house won't be able to hold all my possessions.  So, it will be a long process.

This whole move to Portland has been quite the harrowing ordeal.  I didn't apply for Medicare B immediately on the day I retired.  Then 10 days later the bus crashed into me.  My employer didn't give me the correct forms for Medicare.  My Medicare B didn't finally become effective until 10/01/2017.  My cobra retirement insurance (costing over $700/month) refuses to pay until all bills are first sent to Medicare B and denied.  Aetna is very much aware that my Medicare B just started this month but is refusing to pay nonetheless.  My different medical providers' billing departments are refusing to submit to Medicare B because they know the claims will be denied.

I hope the Astros win the World Series.  Houston deserves something good to happen after that hurricane.

Oopsie!  A bit of good news -I had the whole interior of my house painted pink.  I've attached a couple photos of it in process.

October 9, 2017

Busy, busy, busy!  I've been preparing my little house so I can move in soon.  First, I had an exterminator treat the crawl space.  He's coming back tomorrow to put down a vapor barrier.  Today there was a crew doing mold remediation in the attic and crawl space.  Day after tomorrow another crew is coming to put insulation in the crawl space.

All this work is for a house that is relatively recent construction for Portland - 1981.  So many of the houses in Portland were built in the early 1900's.  I'm used to all the new buildings that make up Houston.  My house there was built in the 1960's and was considered ancient.

The living room in my new house has a kind of pretend chimney and fireplace.  It extends about 3 feet into the room and takes up most of a wall.  The fireplace  itself was wood burning but is no longer working.  The "chimney" is just an empty shell with a pipe inside that leads to the roof to let out the smoke.  I am getting an estimate on removing the whole deal.  I'll replace it with an electric fireplace.  The house doesn't have gas.

I'm also getting an estimate on painting the interior.  The paint job is fresh but it's a dingy gray color.  Winter is coming with many dreary days ahead.  I'm torn between painting the walls a creamy yellow or a pale peachy pink.  The inside NEEDS to be cheerful.

My move is set for October 26th.  I'd love to have the fireplace gone and the house painted before I move in.  But then contractors run on a much slower clock than "normal" people.

The kitchen has new cabinets, countertops and appliances.  I do need to buy a refrigerator though plus a washer and dryer.

Then there's all the numerous minor repairs that will probably really add up to big bucks!  Some can't wait - like missing flashing and vents in the attic.

I've never bought a house for just myself.  My son, Kevin lived with me in my Bellaire townhouse.  Somehow, even though he was just a teenager, it wasn't as scary.  I wouldn't be living alone.  My next house I bought when I was engaged.

I'm excited but terrified about my new house.  I still have a lot of healing left to do.  Any activity wears me out.  Today I had wanted to go to Home Depot.  But, my physical therapy totally drained me and I had to take a nap.

Tomorrow I'm going to the doctor about my arthritis.  That was going to be my priority when I got to Portland.  But an irresponsible bus driver changed those plans.  Hopefully, I'll have enough pep to go to Home Depot after my appointment.

When I'm not trying to organize workmen, I am slowly packing up my apartment.  And I'm shopping on craigslist.  As my friends and family know I like things that are quirky.  I can either shop at really high end furniture stores (which I can't afford) or go to thrift and consignment stores.  But, I can peruse craigslist comfortably in my apartment.

I found a shocking pink bistro set on craigslist.  It's a tiny table with 4 chairs.  I'll use it for my kitchen table now and later on for the patio.  I also bought an unusual recliner.  It has cane sides.  The upholstery is yellow with blue birds and coral flowers.  It's so cool!  It came with a little ottoman and pillow.  I should have copied the photos on craigslist before they were taken down.  I'll take photos of everything eventually and post them.

September 26, 2017

This Thursday, September 28, 2017, I will be closing on my new home in Portland.  I've been busily setting up the utilities.

The seller agreed to reduce the price so I could have some repair work done.  I've scheduled an exterminator to work on the crawlspace under the house.  Here mice and rats are a big problem.  Gross!  Luckily, no roaches.  (I haven't even seen a mosquito since I've been here.)

Then a mold specialist will work in the crawlspace and the attic.  Mold is another problem here since it rains most days for nine months of the year.  Then I'll have insulation installed so I don't freeze my tuckus this winter.

I'm trying to get an electrician to do a couple of repairs.  They are so busy here.

There is a weird fireplace in the living room.  It's wood burning but not working anymore.  There's no chimney.  It has a pipe running from it up to the roof.  The fireplace and hearth take up a lot of space.  I'm going to have it removed and I'll buy an electric unit.

As long as I have to tear up the wall to remove the fireplace I may as well have the whole room painted.  Guess in what color!

My plan is to move in towards the end of October.  I have to pay another month's rent in the retirement home anyway.  That gives me another month to get better.

I don't feel ready yet to take care of a house on my own.  Today I was exhausted after only going to the grocery store.  So, I'll take the move slow and steady.