All I want for Christmas

Posted on December 12, 2014December 12, 2014 by Dusty Roads

Sigh! I’m beginning to understand a bit about the aging process.

All I want right now is to get my home back in order and cleaned up. It seems like forever that I’ve been living in boxes. First the kitchen and now the furniture that I need moved.

And it’s mainly because I can’t do this by myself. I used to be able to move this furniture alone but now I can’t get it to budge! So I am at the mercy of other people’s schedules.

I can see how someone, particularly the elderly, could become hoarders! No strength or energy to throw stuff out!

The kitchen still isn’t finished.

I’m still waiting for the electrician to install the microwave range hood. That would get one big box out of the way. Then I’m waiting for my neighbor to help me move the sideboard and hutch.

I emptied that out to make it easier and lighter to move but I haven’t connected with him since he said he’d help. So that means I have all those boxes sitting here.

There’s an armoire on it’s way. It’s a Saunders so I know that means it will have to be put together. I hate putting together furniture. My knees and back hurt so much it makes it very hard but the ones that were already assembled were terribly expensive. To make room for the armoire I need to clean out the book case and move it to another corner. I used to be able to move this book case by myself. Now I don’t know if I still can or not. I sure hope so!

Then there’s an old rickety book case in that corner that needs to be cleaned off and thrown out. It’s sitting where I want to put the book case that’s where the armoire is going to go.

It’s like a puzzle.

It makes me tired just thinking about it but everything is at a standstill until either my electrician gets here or my neighbor. Until one of them makes me some room I am stuck and I hate being dependent on someone else. I hope one of them gets here before the armoire otherwise I have no idea where that box will go!

In the meantime I am living surrounded by boxes, dust and cat hair. I may not be the best housekeeper but I’ve never lived this long surrounded by such chaos, not even when I’ve just moved.

I mean it when I say all I want for Christmas is a clean and organized home.

Of Furniture, Shingles and Life

Posted on July 12, 2014July 12, 2014 by Dusty Roads

I feel like I’m neglecting this page. 🙁 I’ve so little time/energy during the week. I felt much better this week than last. I had much more energy. I wonder if the crushing tiredness was more from the meds they had me on for shingles than the disease itself. It hasn’t been too painful. The nasty rash reminded me of poison ivy. It blistered and oozed but it didn’t really hurt like I expected it to. I had one bad day when my right side from my toes to my head throbbed like a toothache. I even had an earache in my right ear. But it was just one day and some extra strength Aleve took care of that in short order. Now the rash has scabbed over but I’m tormented by a strange kind of itchy feeling; like I have little creatures running around just under the skin. Can’t wait for my check up on Tuesday!

One thing I did decide was that I needed more comfortable furniture. My old sectional couch was just too lumpy and uncomfortable. So after almost 20 years it was consigned to the trash. Getting rid of furniture in the city is an adventure. You can’t leave it in the dumpster. You can put it by the road and the city will give you 24 hours to remove it. Cross your fingers a “picker” will grab it or you’re in big trouble.

I didn’t have those options because I couldn’t move the pieces out of the apartment by myself anyway. I felt like the moving commercial that Comcast runs where the guy calls all his friends for help and no one steps up. My friends and friends with trucks all managed to disappear this week. So I called “Got Junk” and they arrived right on time to take my old furniture and my money. But at least it was done. Now I had an empty living room until Saturday when my delivery would arrive.

I had some concerns when I was told my delivery was scheduled for 6:30 AM Saturday…I live in a condo. I’m sure my neighbors would be thrilled with the bumping and banging and loud voices from the movers at 6:30 in the morning on a weekend! Arguing, begging and threatening to cancel my order didn’t have any effect. My delivery time was still 6:30 am – 9:30 am.

On Saturday I rolled out of bed at 6:15 am and waited and waited and waited. At exactly 8 AM my doorbell rang. There were 4 movers and they had my love seat and chair in the unit in less than 10 minutes! Yes they banged and yes their voices were loud, but it was 8 am not 6:30 and it was quick!

I didn’t measure the room. I just figured a love seat was smaller than my old sectional. I was about to be surprised.

My new love seat turned out to be much larger than I planned but even though the furniture takes up more room than I expected, I love it and its sooooo comfy. I should have replaced that old sofa years ago! (PS Ignore the messy “office” in the background)

Good bye Arthur

Posted on July 6, 2014July 6, 2014 by Dusty Roads

Hurricane Arthur swept through the region and left a lot of downed trees in its wake.

There was some flooding and if the news reports are true, a lot of boats sitting on shore now that had been moored in various harbors.

The rain has cleared out and it is a most beautiful day. The air smells fresh and clean. the humidity is gone and there’s a beautiful gusty breeze. It’s a perfect kind of day.

And I’ve had it with being cooped up! The rash seems to finally be subsiding although I expect it’s going to take a couple more days before it’s completely gone. At least now it doesn’t feel hot to the touch and I seem to be able to button the waistband of a pair of jeans.

I started out the morning checking out a few kitchen places in the area. They were closed for the holiday weekend so then I started hitting the furniture stores. I worked my way from Bernie and Phyl’s in Raynham to Jordan’s Furniture in Avon ending up at Bob’s Discount Furniture in Randolph/Soughton.

I thought I was just getting ideas but I was really discouraged by the time I got to “Bob’s”. I knew exactly what I wanted but no one seemed to have it. Jordan’s Furniture was so crazy expensive I couldn’t get over it. I did check their outlet section but only found recliners, no matching love seat. They had the material and style I was looking for in the discontinued lines. I didn’t see anything at all in the main store.

Bernie and Phyl’s had an adorable recliner rocker that was so comfortable that I almost bought it on the spot but it would have never lasted in my house.

It was upholstered in a nubby fabric that would have called “here Kitty Kitty” to my cats and I would have no one to blame but myself for bringing in such a temptation.

So by the time I reached Bob’s I was vulnerable and when I found a love seat and matching recliner in chocolate brown (love that color). I was sold.

Plus the cost of both pieces was less that the cost of just one anywhere else! I know the argument, you get what you pay for. But my $400 couch lasted 15 years and it’s just me (and 2 cats) so I expect it will last.