Showing posts with label Moving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moving. Show all posts

Saturday, September 24, 2022

Moving on to New Adventures

 

6155 Rainbow Drive
Elkridge, MD
November 11, 2015


It was a significant Friday. 

Chris and I had been looking forward to this day for well over a month because it was settlement day on our Maryland house. 

According to reports, it went smoothly, although with a 4 PM start time it was not over until almost 6 PM. There were only a few questions on some of the unique items we had deployed in the house that they noticed during the walk through. As we had signed our portion on Tuesday afternoon, we were not directly involved in the settlement. 

In all, we owned our little pot of gold at the end of Rainbow Drive for 21 years, 6 months, and 23 days. I know there is a lot of sadness in my family that we sold the house which was a great home--but, sometimes holding too tightly to the past prevents us from moving on to new adventures. 

The memories of all of the good times, parties, Happy Hours, fire pit evenings, celebrations, reunions, and dinners on the screened porch with friends, family, and co-workers will remain. 

Our best to the new owners, may they have many years of happiness and enjoyment at the end of Rainbow and the house is once again transformed into a home!


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

 

Saturday, September 17, 2022

Phase 1 of Move-in--Complete

The Fully Loaded PODS
Elkridge, MD
August 24, 2022

 

Yesterday was a momentous day in the saga of the move.

Chris and I completed Phase 1 of the Move-in. It may not seem like much, but we emptied the PODS and turned it back over to the company. All of our belongings are now either in our house or in a small storage unit we are renting. 

We are working very hard not to over-stuff the house. I think we had more space for storage than we believed, but we still need the storage unit to hold the overflow. 

A note about PODS. What a great idea. It worked exactly as advertised. Chris and I loaded it at our leisure over the course of two weeks, we got to pick the time, and it was available at the PODS center for our access when we wanted it to be. Had we been moving to a home and not a condo community we could have had it delivered to the house. About breakage--we had only one item break and that was due to poor placement in the PODS. Everything else arrived in great shape. 

I did strap the load every 4 feet to help stabilize it from moving around. 

As the PODS facility was a 30 minute drive each way, we are very excited that it is empty and we no longer need to make the trek.

And now comes the harder part of moving--the assimilation: incorporating the treasures we brought with us into the fully furnished house.

 And that is Phase 2 of the move-in.


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Sunday, September 11, 2022

Crush of Activity


 I had hoped that as Chris and I returned to Florida, our level of activity would moderate.

I was wrong.

We are incredibly busy unpacking and trying to fit our Maryland belongings into our already complete Florida home. Today's project is to find a storage unit to hold the excess. And there are is lot. I had no idea we were bringing as many wall hangings as we brought. Art prints, mostly. And there are multiple boxes of pictures--many of family historical significance.

And Christmas decorations. I think we have six containers of Christmas. 

We are also blessed with too many plastic containers. Some of them are too large to be fully useful. I wonder what we are going to do with them? 

Maybe I will get to watch some football today! It is opening Sunday. Otherwise, I will be slinging boxes around.

Moving sucks! Just saying.

P.S. It is Patriot Day the remembrance of 9/11. Where were you?  Say thank-you to a First Responder.


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Saturday, September 10, 2022

Hitting the Streets

 

After making three trips to the PODS during the past two days, about two-hours roundtrip, Chris and I decided to stay home and return the house to a more livable state. 

Bike Route
Tequesta, FL
September 9, 2022


We were successful! But, we still have at least two more trips to make to the PODS to retrieve the remainder of our treasures. I will be getting a storage room today.

One of the things we did yesterday was locate the recycling transfer facility and get rid of the wrapping paper and cardboard boxes that were filling the garage. That helped to reclaim significant space in the garage.

To start the day, however, I went on a long bike ride around Tequesta and Jupiter. I was able to visit some new territory and enjoy the day before it got too hot or rainy. I was amazed that, as I hit the streets, my legs were tired before I even began from racing up and down stairs during the past days. I have been exercising more than I had thought. 

I was dog-tired at the end of the ride. I need to eat breakfast before heading out on these rides! There is a small hill near the end that can seem mountainous, although it is only a slight incline. After 18 or so miles, however, it provides the opportunity to push myself one more time. 

It is great to be hitting the streets again!


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Thursday, September 8, 2022

Moving - Garage Stress

Garage Stress
Tequesta, FL
September 7, 2022


I have a severe case of garage stress!

Chris and I have unloaded about half of our PODS and while we are maintaining the house in livable fashion, the garage is a disaster! I am used to having a garage in which cars can be parked. The moving-in mess we have created is causing undue stress. Between boxes which have been collapsed waiting for recycling, and empty tubs along with some wardrobe boxes which still need to be carried upstairs, the garage is unworkable!

Ugh. 

I will work on organizing the garage today before we make another trip to the PODS facility. We are donating a many items which have been replaced by counterparts brought from Maryland. We knew this would happen and so it is not a shock. 

In reality, it is all going pretty smoothly so far, but I  know that the hard part is coming because space is filling up quickly. I have been moving shelves to accommodate kitchenware--we are going from a house blessed with drawers to one with less than the minimum necessary. We are rethinking what we keep in the kitchen. And where are we going to keep the other stuff which occupied our perpetual junk drawer where almost anything could be found? 

First, I need to get a handle on the garage. That is my morning project. Everything comes through the garage and if there is no space to move and stage, there is no way to transition items from the truck to their new home.

The good news? I'm retired and we do not have a deadline! Or rather, the deadline is self-imposed and can slip without consequences. 

Another day dawns! The sun is not yet up an I am already plotting a course for the day.


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Saturday, September 3, 2022

September and a Deep Breath

 

Evening Storm Clouds
Jupiter, FL
September 1, 2022

It was a strange coincidence that as the new month began, so did the next chapter in our journey. 

It was hard to leave, but exciting to arrive and we have already begun to resume the life we left behind during mid-April when we relocated to Maryland. 

It is freeing and scary. 

I am recovering from my fire ant encounter. The itching woke me during the night, but slathering the spots with cortisone and Benadryl reduced the urge to scrape the skin off my foot to a manageable level. 

The weather is hot, but not as hot nor humid as what we had been experiencing in Maryland. The morning and evening were both comfortable enough to be outside. Chris and I spent the day unpacking, organizing, and obtaining the essential items we needed to live comfortably. We prepared a salmon dinner at home last evening and even our furry family members adjusted to the new pace and relaxed from the past months of continual upheaval.

While I would like to say, "It is over," there remain more than a few tings to accomplish. We need to be reunited with the PODS and assimilate those treasures into the home. We have decided that we will require a storage room even though the weeding process will continue. Many more things will be thrown off the raft, but more than a few will be retained--at least for a while.

Now is the time to take a deep breath and move forward in an unhurried, but deliberate manner. 


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL


Friday, September 2, 2022

Moving--Arrived

Happy Hour on the Beach
Jupiter, FL
September 1, 2022

 After a two-day road trip, the two-car caravan arrived safely in Tequesta about 1:30PM yesterday. We spent a couple hours unpacking the cars and moving back into our Beach House which is now home and received some great help from Fran and Mary. 

I was exhausted! I could hardly think when I arrived because Riordin meowed the entire second-day drive and it was all I could do not to open the window and offer him the escape from the car that he was seeking. But I didn't. 

We managed to miss the thunderstorms that have been pounding the South and only had to drive through one significant rainstorm within 20 minutes of our destination. 

My Fire Ant Ravaged Foot
Tequesta, FL
September 2, 2022


The only mishap was my run-in with fire ants yesterday morning in South Carolina. It was dark when I took the dogs out and I did not see a small mound--suffice it to say, I am now itching ferociously my right foot. I probably will not stop for the night again in South Carolina as a result. 

I had forgotten about the low season here in South Florida. I wondered where all the traffic had gone, but was reminded that we were last here during high season. 

I had not, however, forgotten about Happy Hour on the beach and it was a fantastic ending to the trip. We enjoyed the water and the sand and our friends. OK, there may have been some adult beverages as well, but being back on one of our favorite beaches was the perfect exclamation point to the trip. 

Now the work begins. We need to assimilate a lot of treasures into an already complete house and transform it all into a home. 

And so the day begins, bright, sunny, and relatively low humidity as compared with the conditions we have been experiencing in Maryland. 

I realized, just now, that I might never, or only rarely ever, sign my blog from Elkridge, MD again.


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Under the Cover of Darkness

Empty and Dark
Elkridge, MD
August 30, 2022

 Chris and I departed our house in Elkridge for likely the last time early this morning. The world was dark as we drove the streets that had been our local neighborhood for more than two decades. The good-byes had been tearful, but we know not permanent. It is sad that sometimes we don't appreciate the people we know until it is time to say good-bye.

The last item that I sold was my tractor and I have to admit that more than a few tears fell as I mowed the lawn for the last time and remembered everything we had done during the past 22 summers. Wow. And it really does seem like just yesterday that we moved into the house that became a fantastic home which is again a house waiting for a family to make it a home.

We are on our way home. Where we are headed is no longer our beach house, but it is our home. Chris and I have spent much of the day talking about transforming our Florida townhouse from a vacation place to our home. We have many plans and ideas. 

We should arrive in Tequesta tomorrow during the bright part of the day to start our lives there. I expect to be on the beach tomorrow night celebrating a new beginning.


-- Bob Doan, Yemassee, SC


Tuesday, August 30, 2022

Clock Delivery

 

Our Ithaca Grandfather Clock's New Home
Odenton, MD
August 29, 2022


Yesterday marked another point along the journey of relocation. For the first time in over 30 years there are no grandfather clocks in our house. I awoke this morning and the reassuring chimes to which I have become accustomed were not heard as our three (yes, three) grandfather clocks have been re-homed. 

It was no small task and I can report that two of them are happily ticking in their new homes, while the other seems a bit off. I will have to make a quick call on it this afternoon to see if I can straighten out the problem, which likely involves the escapement. This clock did have a bit of a problem in during transit and actually required a more extensive set-up than expected. It is also on a carpet which has a lot of pile and so that may be causing some issues because the clock rocks a bit when the pendulum sways.

We have a busy day planned completing the final tasks before departure. Although our drive-away date is not cast in stone, we have a hotel reservation about halfway because we are caravanning with two vehicles and three furry friends. It should be a challenging two days on the road. But the driving will be easier. We are planning to get over halfway the first day leaving a shorter drive the second.

At least the clocks are in their new homes.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Saturday, August 27, 2022

Cat's last Ride

 It was a sobering move-related day, yesterday. I drove my Jaguar, Cat, for the last time as I delivered her to the new owner in Stafford, VA. 

Before the Last Drive
Elkridge, MD
August 26, 2022


It was a beautiful almost two-hour ride along I-95 with the top down and the wind in my hair before the heat of the day arrived. Chris followed along behind to bring me home. I relished the ride knowing that my days as a Jaguar and a convertible owner were ending. I have owned the car for 12 years and selling it was hard, but necessary. Where we are moving allows only two vehicles and we still need to shed the Camry, that we purchased as our Florida car fur use when we were using the Townhouse as a vacation home, to get to the two car limit. 

My time as a Jaguar owner has drawn to a close. I have owned two of the cars, a 1987 XJ-6 Vanden Plas known as Kitty, and Cat, the 2005 XK8 Convertible. After my final drive, Cat had driven just over 67,000 miles. I forgot to actually look at the odometer, but it rolled over 67,000 near the end of the trip. 

Good-bye Cat. I have many fond memories.

The one thing that makes me smile, however, is remembering a question that was asked of me during an oil change. The attendant asked me if the windshield wipers were OK. I responded, I don't know, I never drive it in the rain.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Thursday, August 25, 2022

And it is Gone

 

PODS Headed to Florida
Elkridge, MD
August 24, 2022 

The PODS departed yesterday. 

Tear were shed as the reality of the downsizing and move became a reality. Our stuff will arrive in Florida the day after our planned arrival.

It was fun to watch the PODZILLA maneuver to load the container onto the truck. And then it was trucking our of the driveway and the nearly all consuming work of the past weeks was effectively completed. All that remains in the house will either travel with us, get distributed to family members, become a donation, or find its way to the landfill/recycling center. I have already made two trips to the landfill this week and I expect at least one more. I made arrangements with Howard County to pick up our mattress and box springs from the curb the day we depart. It will be weird to sleep on the bed and then drag it to the street just before we head up the driveway for the last time. 

I hope I did a good job packing and securing. I think I used about 16 tie down straps and bungees to secure everything.

I got great news yesterday. I sold the Jaguar. I will drive it to its new owner tomorrow. So things are drawing to a conclusion.

In the it is hard to believe it happened this way category, the title company emailed forms to complete,  wet sign and PDF back to them. Suddenly this becomes a problem because my printer is in the PODS on its way to Florida. Nice one.

The house appraisal is today and that is the final piece of the house sale puzzle. I expect by this time am retired and we really do not have a hard must arrive by time--so the departure date is still fuzzy, although since it will be a two-day trip, I will need a hotel reservation because we will be traveling with furry friends.

Enough rambling. 


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wednesday, August 24, 2022

Downsizing--Cat in a Bag

Riordin in the Wrapping Materials
Elkridge, MD
August 23, 2022

 Packing reached a fevered pitch yesterday. The PODS departs this morning for Florida and hopefully we are less than a week behind in making the trek south. The PODS is packed, although not fully, because we are not taking any furniture, save some lamps and a couple small tables. The PODS is full of mostly possessions and treasures intended to replace like possessions already in place in Florida. I expect that I will be actively on Facebook Marketplace once I arrive. 

As we were packing and wrapping the last of the items, Riordin, our cat, decided to crawl into a bag of wrapping material and cocoon himself inside. He wound up napping there most of the afternoon. He loves to nap in warm places and so this was not too out of the ordinary for him. We kept a close watch on him to ensure that is head remained outside of the plastic bag.

At least he found a place to hide out during the flurry of activity. 

Smart cat!


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


P.S. Within a week, I expect that I my daily posts will be from Tequesta! Time in Maryland is drawing short. 

Sunday, August 21, 2022

Moving--Kick it into Gear

 Moving has become serious now. We effectively have a table with chairs, a small futon sofa, and the bedroom set remaining in the house along with items that are destined for family members and donations. The PODS departs Wednesday and I have lost the better part of the past two days taking a much needed time-out to enjoy family.

Mostly Empty Living Room in the Morning Light
Elkridge, MD
August 21, 2022


Well, there may have been the issue of the sump pump that needed attention as well. But, I actually watched some of the Little League World Series and enjoyed it, despite everything that I need to do, because I miss baseball. 

Today it is back to the grind. I have three days to finish loading the half-full PODS. I had to unpack some of the items yesterday to find something we needed for a project. I hate it when we accidentally pack something and then need it. Ugh. Now I have to repack that part of the PODS and continue with the overall packing. I am looking forward to the PODS departure because I am fairly certain we will begin our journey south soon thereafter.

A hard deadline is a true motivator.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, August 20, 2022

Home Inspection Blues

 As part of the sale of our house, we suffered through a home inspection yesterday. The appointment was scheduled for 2PM, but was changed to 12:45PM at 12:40PM. Great. We had the animals running loose in the house as we were sitting down to eat at a local establishment. It worked out, but was just a bit of added stress.

The Venerable Old Pump
Elkridge, MD
August 20, 2022


It is all part of the home sale process in America today. 

Do we know what they found? Well, no, except that the sump pump started smoking when it was checked. I wonder how long it has been non-functional? So, at least I was glad to know the sump pump needed replacing after 32 years. It was built during March 1990.

A new pump and check valve was installed today and I am really very happy that the non-functioning pump was discovered as I never really think about the sump pump. It just always did its job when it was needed. 

Well, at least the new owners will not have to worry about it for a few years.

I wonder what other repairs I will be negotiating about. I can't think of anything--the pool is in fantastic shape and the house is likewise in great repair. At least I think it is.

Moving is such fun.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Thursday, August 18, 2022

Downsizing--When Treasures Become Cast-offs

 They are gone.

On the Auction House Table
Hunt Valley, MD
August 17, 2022


30+ years of clock collecting and repairing is over. The clocks, save for the few we gave away and the two we retained, have been placed out for auction. 

I took my treasures to two auction houses yesterday, a high end house cherry picked the collection and then a more moderate house took the remainder. I have been pretty successful in selling the best of the collection on Marketplace and of course the real gems are staying in the family. 

The Other Part of the Table
Hunt Valley, MD
August 17, 2022


Downsizing sucks! But, in fact. most of the clocks have been sitting in bins for the past few years as we transitioned from decorating with clocks and timepieces to a more modern approach. As it turned out I took only 17 clocks to auction. We determined another 6 were not worthy of being sold and they will be relegated to the landfill. They were in various states of disrepair and were project clocks that I never got around to repairing.

The house is becoming very empty. I was in the car talking to Chris on the phone yesterday and I could hear the echo. We are selling the last remaining table and chairs on Sunday leaving only our bedroom as the last remaining room with furniture. We are going to be sitting on plastic Adirondack chairs until we leave. 


-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Rocket Sled Ride Through the Week

 My rocket sled ride through another week continues. 

Tuesday has arrived and it is chock full of previously unplanned activities. 

In the best news department we received and accepted an offer for the house yesterday! This happened less than a week after we terminated the previous contract to allow us to get back onto the market.

There is so much still to do and with the new contract the closing has slipped into mid-September. The new closing date presents a host of new problems--like when to close the pool and how to keep the house prepared if we decide to depart before settlement. I wonder if it is OK to close a pool before Labor Day? I can get the lawn mowed in the intervening weeks, but I worry about the pool if I close it too early. And I will still be paying for electricity and internet during that time so I will be able to monitor the place, much like my Florida home. 

But how do I turn in the cable boxes and modem if I am not there? I worry about dumb stuff like that.

The PODS is half packed--well it is half-full but mostly we are packed. We are getting down to the remnants, like golf clubs and push carts--stuff like that. I'm not thinking that I will be playing golf before I leave and I need the space in the truck to haul those "critical for living" items to Florida with us. Those are the items we need to survive after the PODS has departed and before we actually leave for Florida.


-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD


Tuesday, August 9, 2022

Downsizing Transition to Moving

PODS-zilla Placing the Pod
Elkridge, MD
August 8, 2022

 The PODS arrived yesterday. 

It was quite an event and I was really impressed with the driver and his ability to get the PODS into the spot that I wanted. 

The PODS is in place and ready to be loaded. Now the real fun begins! Loading. But we need to be careful not to leave too much stuff behind because I only have the pick-up to get the remaining belongings to Florida. I am sure I will be getting 10 pounds of treasures into a 5 pound bag at that time. 

Of course, the expected 105 degree feels like temperature for the afternoon means that we will take it easy and since I have the PODS for the next week, we can stay inside for the afternoon, or in the pool.

In other news, we terminated the contract for sale of our house due to non-performance and are putting it back on the market. Hopefully, we will get another contract soon--but, we are planning on heading to Florida before the end of the month as planned. 

Remember, however, plans are made to be changed.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, August 7, 2022

Downsizing - The Estate Sale



 Estate Sale Day 1 is complete. 

Wow! 

Living Room without a Sofa
Elkridge, MD
August 6, 2022
Suddenly there is no place to sit in either our living room or our family room in the basement. Both couches and their associated chair or love seat were sold. I guess I didn't think that one out very well.

My leather recliner is also sold, but not picked up yet, as is the rug in the picture. The coffee table, which I made, is going to Florida as is the table on the right side. 

The house is getting that empty sound as our treasures are re-homed. It is kind of funny to be using fold-up chairs as the main seating in the living room. 

Uh, how many more weeks are we expecting to be living here? 

This is a lot different from previous moves where we packed our belongings and took them with us. This time the downsizing is very serious and most of the larger belongings are leaving before we do. 

Day 2 of the Estate Sale is today. It was supposed to be a single day sale, but our turn-pout was kind of light and so we decided to add a second day with advertisements going our on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. There is still a lot of stuff to sell, including both tables and their associated chairs, bedroom  furniture, and most all of our art prints.

So much to do and so little time.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday, August 5, 2022

Downsizing - As the Dog Barks

Finnegan is a bundle of energy. 

Finnegan at Halloween
Elkridge, MD
October 31, 2021
He is an excellent watch dog and is always aware of what is happening around the house. 

And that, is the problem--he alerts on everything. He has a shrill, ear-piercing bark that does not stop even when people arrive at the house. It is, at the very least, annoying. I have noticed it more lately as we have had many people coming and going as we downsize. 

But Finn has a soft and gentle side. He loves to curl up in a lap and sleep or to lay in a sunbeam during the morning hours when the sun comes through the window before we lower the shades to keep the house cool.

Finnegan is a gamer and allows himself to be thoroughly humiliated at Halloween. Somehow the costume was too cute. 

When visitors arrive, however, his energy overflows and he runs circles around them, non-stop. It is amazing that he has escaped being stepped-on and hurt.

The joys of downsizing and moving. Finnegan is ever and extra vigilant. And loud.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Thursday, August 4, 2022

Houses and Homes

Houses are meant to become homes.

Truck Loaded with Belongings
Glen Burnie, MD
August 3, 2022
Yesterday, I spent the afternoon and evening helping Jen and Patrick transition from their old house to their new home. It was hot and the work was hard, but they were well organized and we were able to get the final items, including the most massive bed that I have ever seen, out and reinstalled.

Mind you, this was only the stuff they had been living with for the past 80-some days. Most of their furniture and belongings are in storage waiting for the real move-in day next week when the movers will relocate everything in their storage units, yes plural, to the home.

Empty Porches and Yard
Glen Burnie, MD
August 3, 2022
But, back to my original thought. Houses are meant to become homes. Yes, there is a difference. I can see it in my own house as we begin the process of changing it from a home to a house. Homes have character and are a reflection of the occupants. Houses are a blank slate providing the raw materials and space to become a home. 

I have been watching the construction of Jen and Patrick's new house for the past months and have been lucky to see the hole in the ground become a house. And last evening the transition from house to home began.

Conversely, at the old house it was clear that transition from home to house was complete. It was sad, but I know that house will soon undergo the transition back to being a home.

My house is preparing for a similar transition with a lot of work yet ahead.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

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