We spent 4 hours clearing the crawl space/ slash 6 feet by 8 feet area which is under the concrete steps coming into the house and underneath the stairs that go up to the main floor. There’s a lot of storage in this house which I’m going to miss immensely. I’ve stored Christmas and Halloween in that space. Yes, I have a lot of seasonal decorations. What a time consuming event but for me the most frustrating part was the previous owners left 30 cans of paint underneath there. I never needed to get that far back under the stairs so I never touched them. I should have left them for her to clean out but I’m not that kind of person. I feel like a maid… I swear once I relocate I am not going to clean for at least a month maybe two. I’m so over this. Cleaning like you don’t live here.

While I was cleaning, I redid the caulk on the showers, tubs and toilets so they’re all spifty again. I can’t help but wonder if the roles were reversed would she be as nice. Probably not.

After meeting her for the first time , it’s reasonably clear that my gardens will never be cared for like I do. It’s sad…. no heartbreaking better sums it up. I feel like I’m leaving my babies behind with a neglectful caretaker or questionable caretaker. I wish I could say the perspective owner made a good impression but she didn’t.

The man who came for the home inspection was nice enough but the other man for pest inspections was another matter. He was rude as all get out. He walks up the driveway and the first thing he says you have carpenter bees. Well, yes they are flying around but I don’t have any holes on my house but my neighbor does. Our houses are attached in clusters of four. She has huge holes in her trim boards and the bees are always going in and out. I’ve spoken to her about the bees and she’s ignored me. So we get to pay for an exterminator because of her. He also said there were carpenter ants. I asked him where and he didn’t answer that either. Moments like that, I can understand why people give exterminators bad raps. He’s a classic example of TOTAL DICKHEAD. I’m not even convinced we have carpenter ants, I’ve been treating around our house for 5 years now with Terro Ant traps that you stick in the ground by the foundation. I have them every 12 inches in the back and the granulated powder in the front.

We spoke to an exterminator friend who told us it is challenging to eliminate the bees and ants with connected homes. Unfortunately, his company doesn’t do our development because the houses are connected and they can’t guarantee their result. So we’re going to have to find someone that does do the work and hopefully reasonably priced because cash wise we don’t have a lot to spare either.

This house is the nightmare that keeps on giving. The roller on the garage door broke on Saturday. Naturally, the door is heavy and requires a larger wheel and the box stores don’t carry it so we had to order one online. It doesn’t come in until May 6th – 11th. So we don’t dare use the door very often except to get the trash bin out because don’t want more damage if it actually falls.

I was so proud of Macavity today. He sat on my lap on the front step while the people went inside the house and then went back inside his carrier listening while Vic, Stephen ( our realtor) and I talked. Not a peep. He’s such a trooper. People under estimate how stressful all of the in and out is involved in selling a house for a pet.

This losing streak continues. Vic won two games of Scrabble, three games of cribbage and two of Yahtzee. GRRRRR…

On a high note, our youngest granddaughter has been invited to the gifted program in her school district. We’re so proud of her. She’s already way ahead of her grade level and finds it boring to do the same work as her classmates. Hopefully, this will help balance things out for her.

So far no calls from the mother-in-law since she dumped the last crap on Vic. I’m only looking at two bedrooms, two baths for us. Gotta have a guest room for Olyvia. Not going to have room for any long term guests.