Moving Day 2, 3, 4 and 5

Moving Day 1 turned into moving day 1 thru 5, but we succeeded finally. By 8pm last night (Sunday) we had managed to clear all the rooms upstairs (including the storage room - which may now be turned into a walk-in closet) - three bedrooms and a full bath; and all but the Den downstairs - living room, dining room, kitchen, laundry, half-bath and closets too numerous to mention and of course the basement of the 60+ years of accumulations. Now the renovations can begin - the goal was to clear all the rooms but the Den by Monday. The Den is to be used by Thelma as a staging area for the items she wants the appraiser to see plus more paper etc. The days have been long and both Thelma and I are surprised at how well we've all held up. Most days we've spent 8 to 9 hours sorting, boxing and moving and a couple of days we spent 10 - 12 hours doing the same. I'm sure once this is all done we will all collaspe :-)

In addition to the furniture being stored here, I've also unloaded two trips of nothing but boxes - paper, china, and other "keep" stuff. Eventually Thelma will sort through this as well. There is another load still in the truck and no doubt from the den will be one or two more - hopefully I will have the space.

Most of the other stuff was taken to the garage where it lies in wait for the "Garage Sale".

I've taken several BEFORE pictures, one set with the rooms full, another with them empty, but I did not get one of the dumpster, which was huge and is FULL. We started in earnst August 2nd and thirteen days later managed to accomplish the goal. Seems like the entire month of August has been consumed by this one task - which it has. Either working at Thelma's or getting things prepared here for storage. Good thing Thelma had help - Sue, Linda, Travis and I as well as the hired help - two kids each day to carry and haul and do just about anything you asked of them, otherwise I can't see where she would have been able to get so much stuff sorted, boxed and labeled.

So today is an "off" day the first since the 2nd of August for Thelma. Then Tuesday Sue will be there and they will work in the Den etc, I'm thinking of coming out Wednesday or Thursday to get another load of stuff from the Den for storage, but that is still up in the air.

In other news...

Saturday morning my dryer died, I went to dry my whites as I was getting low on t-shirts etc and nothing but smoke poured from the control panel. I didn't need that, not in the midst of cleaning Thelma's house. In the end I just hung them on the line and left them - for a day and a half and thatis when I discovered that the trellis in the veggie garden that holds the pole beans is leaning precariously to the west, seems all the plants are in the garden so I am assuming we must have had a very strong wind. We did have heavy rain and strong storms Friday while we were cleaning. So today (I'm not heading to Thelma's today - it is catchup day for me here at home), I will try and stabilize the trellis after I do the wash. I also want to pull up the old beans - yellow & green and maybe replant with italian flat beans - they may or may not provide a second crop depending upon how soon winter arrives.

Then I have to scan my pictures in prep for the Family Reunion in Groton next Sunday, wash and clean the truck (unload the truck too), pack up the computer and scanner, make something - pies plus ? and if possible get to my Aunt Gen's to get her pictures too. Plus of course continue the moving process for Thelma and give a computer class to my father & Rosemary and on and on and on.

And you call this retirement?