MOVING ON…………….

Last Sunday I had taken my morning walk with the dog, going to Julie’s instead of to Bug Light Park.  I normally walk on the Greenbelt (a rails to trails walk), but decided on the way home to walk on a side of the street where I rarely walk.  At the end of one street was a tiny, homemade sign that said “House For Sale By Owner” and a phone number.  I walked up the street and there was a very small ranch that looked interesting. I called and set up an appointment and also notified my realtor to join me.

Now I have looked at several houses in the few weeks that I have been here and none of them have really moved me, so I was prepared for the same with this one.  The house was empty and the minute I walked in, I thought “yes”.  It is small, 806 square feet, with two bedrooms and a bath, a nice-sized kitchen, a deck, a one car garage and a dry basement.  The yard is just what I wanted, small and manageable.  The street is neat and quiet.  It is an apartment sized house with a lawn and a garage.

Julie and Dave both looked at it and declared it in good shape, but they thought it was too small and that the owner was asking too much.  Now Dave is very tall and this is a family with four young children, so I dismissed their first concern.  The fact that the price was too high was true.

Anyway, I made an offer and we dickered for a few days and settled on a price, which was more than I had hoped for, but I knew that if I let this one go, I would regret it.  So the closing is NEXT FRIDAY, the 10^th.

I will send pictures of the house as soon as I can. 

I tried to get pictures of the kids when I was babysitting today, but they are such moving targets.  I feature here little Ramona, 2, and my lovely Julie with half brother, Jeff, and the girlies.

I’M BACK……………!             

      

I have been a Maineiac for almost two weeks now.  I made my final exit from New York State on Saturday, July 14, and the house closing was Friday, July 20^th (I did not attend).  I had packed a POD earlier in the month, which is now sitting somewhere here in Maine, then proceeded to totally clean out my house--packing, throwing out, giving away, etc.  On that final morning, my friend Susan (bless her) came and helped me get everything in the car…….drugged cat, dog and my belongs, and looking like the Joads, we began our trip to Maine, with me praying the whole way that my old car would hold out, and being the faithful Subaru that it is, we arrived safely and without incident (except for some things shifting and landing in poor Grayling’s space).

I had moved into a larger apartment here in Maine in the same building that I was in at the end of May, so that is where we are now.  Everyone seems to have settled in well….my 16 year old cat,  Fellini, that I was so worried about adjusting, never missed a beat, sleeping his usual 23 hours a day between feedings.  He hides under the bed when the four grandkids arrive.

It is wonderful to be near Julie and her family.  We discussed our expectations of each other in this new situation and all has gone very well.  I am close enough so that the boys (6 and 9) can ride their bikes here to visit.  They only have one major street to cross to get here.  I often pick up both or one of the girlies (2 and 4) and we go shopping or just come here and hang out.  The little one, Ramona, just loves Grayling.  Needless to say Grayling is totally exhausted after their visits.

Here are some pictures of my new apartment.  It has wonderful light, 12’ ceilings and a view of the water.  And I can see the same lovely sunsets that I had at my old house.

I will try to be a better blogger.  I was so afraid to talk about the impending sale for fear of jinxing it.

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I had written the above a few days ago and had trouble posting it due to my Ludditeness, so tune in tomorrow for the next phase of my “never let dirt settle under your feet” adventure!