A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2006 Merme's house hunt!

Ugh..those answering services!!! That certainly makes me feel important.

Good Luck Merme. Must be a very stressful time for you. "Don't forget to stop and smell the flowers." I hope all ends well and soon enough you'll be relaxing in a wonderful new home.

Christina

Merme...I think I have been a bit slack in being supportive of you while you are going through your move...you will just have to forgive me. But..I do want you to know that I have really had it on the front burner of my prayer time. I just want this to be a REALLY smoothe transition for you & Maxi!!! I kind of feel like we are in the same boat paddling away...BUT...we are BOTH going to have better places to live...and although getting from point A to point B is an ordeal...we will be settled and gardening away come spring!
So although I haven't been able to follow down to the detail..please know that your journey has not gone unoticed to me...

We will both look back on this time a year or so down the line (while we are STILL unpacking boxes )and chuckle..well okay maybe NOT chuckle...but WE will be releived that it is a done deal!!!!

~V~

Merme - I, too, am wishing you a smooth move once everything is all packed up and in order.

I'm hoping that Maxi's cold leaves him much quicker than mine has been holding on. My mom used to bring me comic books when I was sick as a kid, and I did that for mine as well, when they were younger.

I'm also hoping that you've gotten a ride to your appt. by now, and wishing you an easy time with your minor surgery.

WOW! What a morning I had!

Thanks everyone, for your support. It means so much to me!!

While wading through the endless mountain of paperwork for housing, trying to figure out the best way to get it turned in, Rich showed up right on time with his bosses Yukon.

He sat for a minute, listened to my litany of woe, laughed at my dumb jokes, and then hustled the big stuff onto the truck, planning to come back for a second load after.

Meantime, another friend who works in the nearby town where I had to deliver all those papers, called to ask if there was anything she could do today? YES, YES, THERE IS! So... she ran to the drug store and got the heal 'im up medicine for Maxi and a big box of Puff Plus tissues for his poor sore nose, came here, scooped up the pile of papers and ran off to Saco for me, also taking along a pile of my outgoing mail.

Then Rich called... while unloading the Yukon, he ripped the crotch of his jeans completely out! So he finished the task fast, and was going to head back to his house to change, which meant there would be no time for a second load before he had to give the truck back.

So he decided to take me to the appointment instead -- after he changes his pants! -- and Angel will pick me up after.

Now my afternoon helper is here and hopefully we'll get some sensible stuff done, too.

Merme

Awesome you are getting so much help Merme.

I totally forgot now, when it the exact move in date???

Sounding gooddddddd so far Merme...
Keep 'em rollin' and don't over do it..
but sounds as if everythings' going
reasonable well..

Triss ~ we don't have an exact date yet. It all depends on how speedily housing completes their part of the process.

We've contracted the movers to be here either Saturday the 21st or Saturday the 28th, because our final out date it February 1st.

I am getting anxious because I simply want to be out of here and I'm so hoping for the earlier date.

Merme

How'd it go today Merme?????

Any RRT????

Weezie ~ I'm unfamiliar with that abbreviation, but I can tell you this:

Today we relaxed and rested up; it has been a very difficult few weeks for me, demanding me to go out more often than usual, walk more often than usual, climb MANY more stairs than usual and have loads more people in and out.

Not to get all spiritually booga-booga with you guys and freak anyone out, but this is what I wrote Nana in an email this morning:

"Last week in church I received such a strengthening to face the circumstances of this phase of my life. I'm not at all sure HOW I got that strengthening, but I did!

And so, all this week, it has seemed as though God's grace was like a canopy over me, protecting and assisting.

So MANY people have come forward to help with the endless and daunting details of this move, but doing it in a way that seems almost like they are participating in a complex dance, each person here as desperately needed, then stepping away for the next to come in.

People offering sound advice, others providing useful tips. Someone else sending an email. Yet another person calling me up simply to check in. Those who have come to pack and throw away. Those who have held on to us through prayer. People who have brought meals when I've been too sick to cook this week. People to provide rides, to run vital errands, to move otherwise insurmountable mountains right OUT of my way.

And it's all been done in such a pretty manner, too. Every single person with a gracious, encouraging word, everyone willing to crack the joke or express the happy, hopeful thought. Not one person -- not one! -- to cast aspersions on me about how in the world could I have let my life get to such ruination? but instead, everyone has upheld the intent of my heart to radically change and improve life for me 'n the kid. Isn't that lovely?"

I also explained to Nana that I'm not just discarding excess and needless STUFF from out of our home to streamline things in the new place, but I am ALSO discarding old baggage from inside ME as well! I'm purging old paper files and computer files, getting rid of mementoes from other, troubled times.

The clean sweep is within as well as without, and that feels like such a good thing to me.

I'm ready for a fresh start!

Merme

What wonderful news Merme..
Wonderful and peaceful news Merme, really....

All things can be done thru GOD....
rings a bit of truth there, huh????

*I need to take some of that advice* wink~wink
with the cleaning out part....maybe come spring.

Red rose Tea!!! Of course!! *merme smacks her forehead*

Mine is coming right up. Shall I pour for you, too, Weezie, in the prayer that you will soon be right as rain?

Merme

I figured you get it...

And yesssssssssss, please, a nice warm
cup of tea would hit the spot..
**just had a cold bowl of orange sherbet/vanilla ice cream, and I'm a bit chilly**

ohhhhh, and being right as rain would be so nice..
It's been awhile since I knew what that was like..

Did you have your cuppa yet???????

PRAY HARD EVERYBODY!

I just got a call from the realtor.

Housing is holding up approving the apt because they want him to reduce the price by $50 a month.

It has already been reduced by $120 a month as a winter move-in special and my realtor isn't sure his boss will agree to take it down another $50 -- especially since it is already so affordable and MUCH less than what we are paying here!

And as we said on the phone -- a good place, even for $50 more a month -- is better than no place! Or ending up in some awful place they approve....

We won't know anything until late this afternoon.

Merme

Sending prayers Merme......

Thanks, Weezie!

Merme

oh Merme... hope this is just a small hiccup on your road to a new home!

Just a little while ago, I phoned the staff advocate for our local Congressman who was so helpful to me in the past.

She is going to make some calls and try to find out what, exactly, is going on and also get a feel for whether or not the clout of the Congressman's office might be useful.

It is really TOUGH when government agencies put your back to the wall and act in a cavalier manner. We HAVE to be out of here by February 1st, the clock is ticking, they are haggling over $50 which ultimately involves MY usage of utilities (I can be frugal!), and it is impossible to get anyone to return calls in a timely manner!

It is terrible to feel powerless, as though there is no recourse, so having a contact phone for a professional advocate who at least can speak to a live person rather than a machine is a good thing.

Merme

Hopefully this person can get the answers you need.

I just don't understand what the problem is from a common sense perspective. The new place costs less per month than the old one...isn't that alone a good thing? :rolleyes:

That's what is so nutty, Barley ~ the cap for my town is $984. This new unit is $795 and they STILL want the owner to come down!

I know I can make up a $50 difference in the way I use utilities as I know I have never in my life used the "average" amount.

I have a feeling housing just likes to haggle, to either get the owners to accept less or the people to move wherever -- whether it is suitable or not!

Merme

I just got a call from the advocate at the Congressman's office...

she said they WILL be able to help me with this after all and that we will have everything approved by no later than early next week. She is keenly aware of how close that is cutting it to our deadline, and nudged housing a bit harder.

And she accepted my invitation to the House Blessing/Open House we will have afterwards!

She asked me repeatedly not to stress over it all if I can possibly help it, because she was sure it would all work out okay.

Merme

Yay!!! I hope it all works out for you, Merme!

Merme,
Having a cup of Red rose Tea here too- think I am getting the cold all the boys have now-- so glad your advocate friend is coming thru for you.... I am sure it will all work out cause it is supposed too- - and do take the advice and don't stress yourself over it ...... as hard as it is to do....
Nana

Merme, I am glad you have an "in" with the congressman. Hopefully, she will be able to get you in sooner than what you are expecting...

Dianna

Sounds good Merme!

Today should see the last of the big packing effort. After this, we will be down to only the daily stuff that can't be packed until nearly the final hour.

Thank God for friends! Without them, I'd still be sitting here in total chaos, wondering how in the world we would ever manage this move!

Early next week I hope to get some vital shopping accomplished AND also to get into the new place to take some specific measurements that will allow Moving Day to go more smoothly.

Maxi's Captains bed is difficult to set up AND it is very big. I must make sure about the wall space for it before the guys start assembling the thing. It would be good to measure all of that out ahead of time. Ditto with the credenza for the kitchen...

Merme