Friday, June 30 th   My 69^th and would have been Dan’s 44^th birthday – we headed over to the new house with Kelly and her friend, Jim to do the cleaning and prep work to get ready for moving.   Jim got all of the bigger items done---door locks changed, hardwiring the electrical for the drip system, replacing fan light in bedroom #2, replacing the garbage disposal, and installing the grab bars in both bathrooms.    Kelly was here to get the cleaning done and put the shelving together for the garage items, but kept getting sidetracked with other jobs.  She watered the plants front and back and checked the chemical levels in the pool, and changed out the RO filters while Jim had the garbage disposal out of her way.   Gary was bored out of his mind when he wasn’t napping so I parked him in the living room, facing the wall where we would eventually put the big tv, and told him to pretend he was watching his favorite show on tv.  I asked him to please sit still while we worked.   As usual, he had to be a smartass and told me  “change the channel.”  

Saturday –Kelly was supposed to pick me up at 6:30 so we could go get the Uhaul truck by 7 a.m.  I had arranged for a neighbor, David to come over and sit with Gary for about a half hour while we went to get truck.  It was nearly 7:10 when Kelly showed up with the Uhaul.   David stuck around and helped with the loading of items in the truck once Joel and Ryan arrived to help.  I had been up since 3:30 and got all the computer stuff unplugged and ready to go so tried to stay out of their way and keep my feet elevated.   Carmen arrived at 8 a.m. to start cleaning up behind us as we emptied out the rooms.  We were on the road to the new house by 10 a.m. and they managed to get it all unloaded from the Uhaul truck, son’s pickup and my SUV,  and were out of here by 1:30.   Gary and I were here alone with no internet, no tv and no phone service till the 3^rd.    My cell phone carrier – Consumer Cellular has intermittent service here at the house – looks like I’ll be changing carriers soon.

We ate a late lunch after everyone left since none of them wanted to stick around for lunch.  By 5:30 pm the pool in the back yard was shaded over enough that I didn’t need to lather myself in sunscreen, so we headed out back – me in my granny swimsuit, and him in a sleeveless top and shorts.  I parked him on the patio and grabbed the skimmer to clean the few leaves out of the pool before getting in.   It didn’t take me long to realize I need grab bars for myself to get in and out of that pool.  There was nothing to hold onto as I took the few steps down into the pool nearest the back patio area.   It was even worse trying to get out.   I had to get out on my knees and try standing up from there without anything to hold on to.  We need to remedy that sooner rather than later.   I managed a 40 min. swim and because I had been awake since 3:30 a.m., I finally hit the new bed by 7:30 p.m. and slept until 2:30 a.m.   I was exhausted.  Gary didn’t wake up to pee until nearly 5:30 a.m., and then rolled over and went back to sleep until 9 a.m.  

While the new grab bars in the bathrooms work well for me, we still have a problem with getting Gary in and out of a tub.  The bathroom off the master bedroom is narrow and he has to turn a corner to get to the tub area – looks like bathroom door removal is inevitable.   For now, we can get him on back patio in a shower chair and hose him off.  

We survived Sunday in the new house – just the two of us ….cell phone coverage was still very spotty and driving me crazy.  I did get a few incoming texts but could not respond to them.  Jim had texted me several times about picking up the ADA toilets and when he could install them.  I finally was able to get a text back to him that Monday was not a good day with the cable guy coming to do phone, internet, and tv hookups and Kelly would be here to help get household stuff in from the boxes in the garage.   We didn’t need more people in and out tripping over each other in the narrow hallway from the garage.  He agreed to wait until Tuesday to get it done and figure out what we need for ramps in and out of garage and back patio area.   Gary and I managed a trip out to the local Walmart for some grocery items and picked up a KFC meal at their drive-up window and headed home.  I also managed to get to the washer and dryer in the garage to run a load of clothes.

Monday morning, July 3^rd, Gary was yelling about 4 a.m.  I decided there was no point in trying to go back to sleep so I got up and ate my bowl of cheerios before it was even light outside.  I found a few more items I had been searching for in that pile in the garage and brought them in, but I’m still missing the connection cable for the printer.  At least I got all the computer cables hooked up so COX can hook us up to internet today whenever they get here.   I have no idea what time they are coming, but hope it’s early so I can get out to the bank and Walmart while Kelly is here.   I didn’t get all the items on my list when we went to Walmart yesterday because it’s not easy pushing a grocery cart and a 220 lb. man in a wheelchair…feeling it in my back and neck this morning….won’t do that again! 

Things will eventually calm down and we can start enjoying our new home.  Once all the boxes and bins are unpacked and things neatly put away, we can enjoy the peace and quiet of a smaller community.  Our biggest problem here will be keeping the pigeons away, and I think Kelly had a good suggestion for that.  I have no idea why the house was designed with a ledge above the garage and the front entrance, but I’m sure there must have been a pigeon involved in that decision making process.  I wouldn’t mind if they just sat on the ledge, but if I want to clean up crap every day, I’ll get another dog.   No pigeon poop for me…..thanks anyhow!!!!

Sarah