Feeling the Pressure (Tuesday Afternnoon)

I have been very busy the last week and into this one.  Hence the later than usual post.  Being busy is usually a good thing but I am feeling pressured by others.  We are trying to wrap up getting my Mother's house ready for a garage sale that we hope will get rid of most of what's left and that's not much.  Most of it's clothes, lots of clothes.  Both my Mother's and my Dad's.  She just hasn't been able to let go of his things.  Whatever doesn't sell will be donated somewhere.  We hope to a place that can haul it off.  

I am handling the disposal of my Mother's car.  We finally convinced her that she shouldn't be driving anymore.  I've got an estimate based on the Kelly Blue Book and Carmax even made an offer online that's in line with the estimate.  Simple right?  We can't find the title.  OK, apply for a replacement.  Again, no big deal other than spending almost 2 hours waiting in line to get it done and striking out.  I had all the documents they listed online and then some.  However, no one knew who was listed on the title as owner.  So I was prepared with a death certificate for my Father and a power of attorney.  Since Dad has passed they wanted to know if he had a Will.  Yes, but we didn't go to probate.  So everything I had was useless without a signed and notarized Affidavit of Heirship.  Not listed anywhere that I found on the website.  So I am going to make an extra effort to find her copy of the title.  Not sure that will be any good either with my Dad's name still on it.  I'll see about the Heirship thing and see how that goes.  Or find a copy of his will but since we didn't go to probate...

Mom's house has a deposit from a renter already.  Got it a week ago.  April 1 is the move in day. I understand the feeling of getting it all done in time.  So I am rearranging my brain to get with the program so we can move on from this stuff.  

I found a place online that sells onion bulbs.  They are here in Texas and the ones I got are the 10/15 sweet onions.  I couldn't find ANY onion bulbs anywhere here.  We are just barely still in the last part of planting for them.  Of course I assume the heat will determine if they will be successful.  Next will be potatoes again.  Earlier this time.  Hopefully that will help too.  I have to find some tomatoes.  It's much earlier than I usually plant tomatoes.  And I have a feeling a late frost is very likely.  But I do want them in the ground earlier this year than last.  Maybe mid March will be OK.  HEB usually carries them.  I don't buy them there, it just tells me my usual place is likely to have them too.  So I will keep my eyes open.

We did go out for our usual birthday steak dinner last night.  Mine wasn't as good as usual, 'K's' was great.  I wasn't very good company due to feeling the pressure I mentioned, and we were both beat so celebrating the 70th (I can't say 'K's' age)was a flop.  Can I get a do over and just be 69 one more year?

I'm sure there's tons more I could tell you but my mind is pretty much pudding now.  So I will sign off.

Happy Trails

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Last Day of Packing Before Tomorrow's Big Move

Today, Monday is the last day before the movers come to get everything of my Mother's things to her new place.  I had planned to head over with 'K' this morning. or at least tomorrow for the actual more.  However 'K' believes having less people around is less stressful for my Mother.  She has been pretty confused and calls 'K' over and over about the same things.  The closer the move gets, it has caused her more stress.  The more stress, the less capable she is and more confused.  Hopefully 'K' and my sister-in-law can get things wrapped up for the big day and help my Mother be a little calmer.  We are looking forward to a little down time from all this later this week.  Or maybe later.  I anticipate a lot of phone calls from her the first few days, trying to find her things and her way around the facility.  There will be some adjustments as we learned from her first move with my Dad a few years ago. 

Tomorrow is 'K's birthday.  I will make it up to her when this is over.  A great steak is something she always enjoys at her favorite steak house.

I will try to stay busy to keep my mind moving while all this is gong on.  I will start cleaning out the years of collected junk etc. in my garage.  There is enough there to keep me very busy but I also need to head to the grocery store.  That will take precedent and then...

Happy Trails

Patience Paid Off

I had been fighting off the urge to get all our broken tree limbs laying in the yard after the ice storm cleaned up.  (Our neighborhood made the news with our damage).  From shopping for a new chain saw so I could tackle it myself to getting a bid from a gouger.  Also did a little clean up already.  Monday our neighbor had a crew working at his house.  I walked over and had a conversation with him about my limbs.  He gave me a bid the next day.  I was being pushed by the gouger to give him an answer ASAP.  He would have done much more work than I really intended but not for what he wanted, 2,500$.  'K' was even in more of a rush to get it cleaned up.  So I had to resist her concerns too.  She relented a little when she heard the bid.  When I got the bid from the guy next door my eyes went wide.  I couldn't believe it.  My reaction got his attention and he immediately asked if he was too high, LOL.  I quickly agreed to his amount.  It was a small fraction, miniscule, of the other.  I doubled the amount to show my appreciation.  He had an extra man that came over and got it all cut up and hauled out to the street where he used a Bobcat to load his trailer.  Took an hour and a half.  I also got a pile of firewood.  I have a ton of leaves to clean up now.  I think those will be burned.  They may wait for the early Spring leaf drop and then the Oak tassel drop.  

There are a few broken limbs at the top of some trees, I counted six.  There is no danger.  I can reach a couple, others are much too high.  They will stay until they fall.  That is part of the work the other guys wanted to handle and said that is why they charge so much.  However, I am happy with the way it turned out.

'K' took my Mother to sign her lease yesterday.  Turned into an all day affair.  She is back today to start the serious packing.  'K' is in a hurry to get it done.  She wants to be done with it once the movers have come.  I am more the wait and do a little at a time after the move.  I see her point, she comes home worn out after a visit.

Happy Trails

The Aftermath

The latest Winter Storm wreaked havoc with the Oak trees here in my neighborhood.  I have a lot of limbs that were broken and fell in the yard.  We have had quite few ice storms while we have been here.  But none did the damage to my trees (and the neighborhood trees) like this one.  It never got real cold but stayed just below freezing for more than 48 hours.  On top of that, it rained almost the entire time, 2 inches worth.  That caused a lot of ice to form on the trees causing many limbs to break.  Some fared much worse than we did.  We only lost limbs, no real damage to the house or cars.  We had to move some big limbs just to get our car out of the driveway.  And then more limbs fell there after.  Below is just a small sample of what we are dealing with.  Even more fell the next day.

Double the amount you see below is what we have

There are a lot of contractors out here making good quick money.  I am waiting for one to stop by and give me a bid.  There is one next door right now I will flag down.  All this on top of trying to get my Mother packed for the upcoming move in less than three weeks plus the everyday stuff.

Happy Trails