Time compression
I think it is summer now. Sometimes I drive out of the garage and look around surprised that it isn't fall. Incipient alzhiemer's? stress? I don't know. It will be fall before we know it. I'm not the only one who finds days staying the same length as always but weeks and months and years compressing. Zooom.
Jim got back to work at the beginning of April. He was in a wheelchair for quite a while, then in wheelchair with prosthetic and walker awhile more. Then just prosthetic. He is currently at an "awkward" stage where he needs his prosthetic refit but he still gets around very well. Yesterday he was carrying things up the stairs from our basement--as long as he could use one hand on the railing.
Last winter I began to look on-line for apartments or, preferably a condo, that we could afford and that would have a reasonable amount of space (Jim and I just can't part with our books) but Jim felt he just didn't want to deal with that at the time so I dropped the search.
However, in April, I just happened to wander into an Open House at a building near us. It is a 5 story brick building near Lake Monona only 7 blocks from where we were living. I'd always admired the place with it's gorgeous windows and balconies and wondered what it looked like inside. The inside was really impressive. Also there was a terrace on the roof that tenants can share. With a grill, tables, prairie gardens and trees as well as a nice view across the lake to the capitol and around the neighborhood. A week later I took Jim to look at it.
The rest is math, consultation with our financial adviser, discussion after discussion, and history. So, gentle readers, we have moved. Or mostly moved, or 98% moved although only about 58% unpacked as we are busy getting our house ready to sell. This is definitely a time when time compresses but the workdays are long!
An incredible number of friends have helped us with the packing, hauling, and cleaning. Finally the house is almost empty and the remodeling and painting will begin. Actually it is more like unmodeling as we are going to remove the "finish" from our partially finished basement leaving it clean, painted and open. We bought the house dirty and barely emptied--I didn't dream that we would be doing so much before selling it. But we want the rest of the house to live up to the remodeled kitchen and bathroom. We want the house to look fabulous. So I'm taking time off work this week to paint.
In early March I came down with the flu and was sick for over a week. Then there were weeks of recovery time. I was weak and tired all the time. I also lost a lot of weight. But now, after two months of working to move I have gotten stronger and yesterday carried many many loads up the stairs from the basement of the house. Lately I have felt really healthy.
Our new place has a huge living/dining room with a fireplace, a balcony and a deck (or terrace never sure what to call it as it is on top of the garage roof.) It has a lovely kitchen with maple cabinets a custom maple/cherry/mahogany floor and fancy stainless steel appliances. It has one (very large) bedroom, a big walk-in closet, a study, utility room (laundry) and a storage room as well as two bathrooms, one of which is as big as the kitchen! I find it beautiful. We are on the second floor with trees around for privacy. Someday we will have unpacked and will be able to find things we need. Like the shower curtain liner, the cookie sheets, my favorite cookbooks. We hope.
I'm seeing glimpses of the life we can have. Jim and I cook together some nights. We eat meals on the deck and have even started watching one or two TV shows a week. Soon.
Jim got back to work at the beginning of April. He was in a wheelchair for quite a while, then in wheelchair with prosthetic and walker awhile more. Then just prosthetic. He is currently at an "awkward" stage where he needs his prosthetic refit but he still gets around very well. Yesterday he was carrying things up the stairs from our basement--as long as he could use one hand on the railing.
Last winter I began to look on-line for apartments or, preferably a condo, that we could afford and that would have a reasonable amount of space (Jim and I just can't part with our books) but Jim felt he just didn't want to deal with that at the time so I dropped the search.
However, in April, I just happened to wander into an Open House at a building near us. It is a 5 story brick building near Lake Monona only 7 blocks from where we were living. I'd always admired the place with it's gorgeous windows and balconies and wondered what it looked like inside. The inside was really impressive. Also there was a terrace on the roof that tenants can share. With a grill, tables, prairie gardens and trees as well as a nice view across the lake to the capitol and around the neighborhood. A week later I took Jim to look at it.
The rest is math, consultation with our financial adviser, discussion after discussion, and history. So, gentle readers, we have moved. Or mostly moved, or 98% moved although only about 58% unpacked as we are busy getting our house ready to sell. This is definitely a time when time compresses but the workdays are long!
An incredible number of friends have helped us with the packing, hauling, and cleaning. Finally the house is almost empty and the remodeling and painting will begin. Actually it is more like unmodeling as we are going to remove the "finish" from our partially finished basement leaving it clean, painted and open. We bought the house dirty and barely emptied--I didn't dream that we would be doing so much before selling it. But we want the rest of the house to live up to the remodeled kitchen and bathroom. We want the house to look fabulous. So I'm taking time off work this week to paint.
In early March I came down with the flu and was sick for over a week. Then there were weeks of recovery time. I was weak and tired all the time. I also lost a lot of weight. But now, after two months of working to move I have gotten stronger and yesterday carried many many loads up the stairs from the basement of the house. Lately I have felt really healthy.
Our new place has a huge living/dining room with a fireplace, a balcony and a deck (or terrace never sure what to call it as it is on top of the garage roof.) It has a lovely kitchen with maple cabinets a custom maple/cherry/mahogany floor and fancy stainless steel appliances. It has one (very large) bedroom, a big walk-in closet, a study, utility room (laundry) and a storage room as well as two bathrooms, one of which is as big as the kitchen! I find it beautiful. We are on the second floor with trees around for privacy. Someday we will have unpacked and will be able to find things we need. Like the shower curtain liner, the cookie sheets, my favorite cookbooks. We hope.
I'm seeing glimpses of the life we can have. Jim and I cook together some nights. We eat meals on the deck and have even started watching one or two TV shows a week. Soon.