Monday, June 1, 2009

I'm putting my house up on Craig's List

Maintaining my sanity is top priority right now. I know. I need to get my priorities straight. But seriously, it's a little crazy around here. I made a list last night of all the things I feel MUST be done before we put our house up for sale. But at the moment we are tempted to just say forget it and pound that sign in the yard anyway. One house for sale - as is. Take it or leave it. Never mind all that wisdom on HGTV about staging your home, curb appeal, blah blah blah. We'll knock $5,000 off the price if you'll just take the d___ thing.

The good news is that stuff is getting done around here that has been on the list for a very long time. Who knew replacing that crumbling, broken window in the garage would be so easy? The entry way with its ugly, dull flooring? All shiny and new. And don't even get me started on the kitchen. I want to eat my kitchen it's so beautiful. And that lean-to shed thing the previous (and only) owner built onto the garage? Mark knocked it down yesterday. My man and his hammer and crow bar took down that ugly piece of shoddy construction. Friend and handy man Berry came for a second Sunday in a row to lend his expertise and back and knees to the cause. I whipped out some baseboards like nobodies business on my handy power miter saw. Angela and friend Aaron cut down limbs and painted stuff that can only be reached by standing on the roof. Tessa has become a trim-and-door-painting savant.

Speaking of Tessa, the advertising major. I told her she could have half the profit if she sold a few things on Craig's List. She posted an enticing ad to sell our microwave (the new house has one built in) and three hours later she was deleting the post. A lovely family from Newcastle had given it a new home and she had her cash commission in hand. She said it was the easiest money she ever made! I'm taking an inventory of the house though, in case she decides to put all of the contents up on Craig's List. Maybe when we move, but right now we need something to sit on.

Other than that, we're just nursing our aching bodies, soothing our frazzled minds, and trying to figure out how all this is going to happen. I need a Gantt chart just to sort out the in-laws closing dates, move-in dates, packing, truck loading, reconstructing of a bathroom in the new house to make it handicapped accessible for my mother-in-law.

Oh, and tonight after my day job I have to finish teaching my Technical Communications class at a local university. Tomorrow I fly to Atlanta for a presentation at a national conference, back on Wednesday, in the office on Thursday, then off to Portland for a long-awaited family vacation. Then we'll finish up the vacation by heading to Newton to help the in-laws get packed up and ready to move. My head is spinning.

It's all good stuff and we're oh so grateful. Tired. But grateful.

2 comments:

tessa said...

It'll happen!!

Stephen said...

Ahh... Gantt charts. How did anyone get anything done before them?!