So as some of you have realized I haven't been up to date the last few weeks. I even posted a new post stating that I was going to be blogging again, which was two weeks ago. Simply put, massive changes have been occurring in my life of late. The biggest is that I moved. Let me rephrase that. Technically I moved, technically I didn't. Let me explain.
The idea was in my mom's head around ten years ago, at least what she made me aware of it. I recall her saying when I was applying for college "You know, if you go to school down south to Florida I will follow you". Well I didn't get accepted to Rollins College in Florida for baseball so it wasn't in the cards for her quite then. Every winter I would listen to her complain with the exact phrase "Why do we live here?" Mom was never one for the cold and especially the snow. Fast forward quite a few years to present time. She had gotten back with her off again on again (that is a rocky story all it own) boyfriend Curt. For quite a while she was all talk, but this year she decided to pull the trigger. She let myself first then Kara and Jeff, my siblings know that she was moving down to South Carolina. In truth there was nothing keeping her here so it wasn't a surprise to me at all. Kara and especially Jeff were a little dumbfounded I think, more so the latter. Jeff hated Curt because of the stuff her put my mom through mentally this last decade. I hated him for a while for the same thing but in the end they reconciled and decided to move together.
The first step was getting their respective houses on the market. I had a fun job cleaning the entire place for the first showing. Curt's house was on the market for two days my moms one weekend before they had multiple offers and sold. I'd say the real estate market it back, folks (actually my dad is a real estate developer so I knew what was possible). This came as a shock to everyone. His closing was very quick and no, these were not short sales either. My mom took a bit longer while FHA did there thing for what seemed like forever. What was holding it up was that the house, which had full amenities on the other side, was going to be condo'ed into two units had to have everything to a T. When there are two parties involved everything has to be set straight from the start as there is no tie breaker should a dispute come up. So mom was a stress ball for a couple months and then when summer was ending and Curt had already been living with us a few weeks by that point. FHA would say they were close but then not respond for a week and then come up with a new complaint about what needed to be done. I'm certain the new owners wanted to be in before school started and that is just what happened. Mid August we got a notice that we had 14 days (my lucky number) until closing. Things moved really fast after that.
I was moving in with my brother next door as I mentioned earlier (if I didn't you know now) to the condo that would become the same address followed by "A". I remember my last night in my old room which was neutral, I guess, just mixed feelings for me. I woke up did my usual routine and later that day moved most of my stuff over to the other side. I had to get at least the bed and other big stuff out and Curt had a buddy helping him load their truck headed to SC. They moved my stuff over no problem and I had a new home, just like that.
The first couple nights the bedroom didn't feel like mine. I wasn't startled when I awoke to use the bathroom late night or those mornings. You get used to something and then its gone. Growing up we lived in lots of houses (my dad is a real estate developer) and it always felt the same. We always stayed in the same town, until my parents divorced and I went to live with her a town over, but I have always considered myself a lifelong resident of Andover, MA because that is where I grew up and went to everything through high school even while living with mom a town over. After about a week the room finally felt like it was mine and I belonged there.
Getting my cat to believe it was another thing. Crosby and his rival pretty much rule the neighborhood. The first night I moved his food bowl out on the porch onto the patio table mom gave us and he came up to eat after I gave his treat bag a few hearty shakes. I then opened the door and tried to lure him in with treats (would have been easier but the cat nip was packed still) but he just leaned over the edge of the table with an inquisitive look in his eye. This went on four a few minutes. I wasn't going to pick him up and force him in, rather let him make the choice. He did eventually cross the threshold, treats helped to coax him, and once we was in I released the screen door that gave a metallic crash sound he did not like. He jumped and looked around startled and then I said "We live here now" to him. I moved his food bowl to the carpeted ledge going towards the basement and he began to eat. After that he explored the space with wide eyes and a low posture with his back bent like a surfer about to catch a wave. He explored the entire space like that then mowed to be let back out. The next time he came in it took about half the time and by the fourth or fifth time he was fine. He stills hangs out on the front steps and on the lawn but the neighbors like him so its fine. Even today, three weeks later, he is still a little wide eyed when walking around but I put some cat nip with his padded bed in my room (it was raining so he didn't want to go out anyways) and after eating his food and devouring the nip he lay in his bed grooming himself and then took a nap. I knew then that he was fine. As for me, let me backtrack to after my mom and Curt left but before I gave the keys to the attorney doing the sale.
With all the houses I've lived in starting with Salem St I have done the same routine when all the furniture is out. I walk in the door and go to each room and spend about a minute or so, sometimes more depending on how much time I was each over my time there, and recall all the memories in each. I visit every single room including bathrooms and the basement. I then visit my own room last and look out the window a la Sling Blade and reflect and tell myself that things are changing and I don't live here anymore. It all acts as a way of closing the door before I open a new one. I then walk downstairs and exit the house, never to return as a person who lives there. I've been to a couple houses after the fact but they don't feel like mine anymore. Even with this one the bulkhead access is for both I the doors are set up in a hallway for both but with walls my brother built and sets of keys that open the respective doors to each electrical panel. I had to go down there recently but it felt different than it used to. The memories I had there will always remain with me, and that will always be something I will cherish.
Before we did move, actually about six months ago when they were doing the plumbing for the basement and switching it over to two units, the workers had to pour new cement over the trench they dug. I took the opportunity to leave a mark, which you can see in the photo I included. I don't think the new owners know what it means and I honestly wouldn't mind if they asked me. All I know is that it is there. As for when I made it, I told myself that I had to, which I guess is reason enough for me.
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Questions or comments? Let me know
The idea was in my mom's head around ten years ago, at least what she made me aware of it. I recall her saying when I was applying for college "You know, if you go to school down south to Florida I will follow you". Well I didn't get accepted to Rollins College in Florida for baseball so it wasn't in the cards for her quite then. Every winter I would listen to her complain with the exact phrase "Why do we live here?" Mom was never one for the cold and especially the snow. Fast forward quite a few years to present time. She had gotten back with her off again on again (that is a rocky story all it own) boyfriend Curt. For quite a while she was all talk, but this year she decided to pull the trigger. She let myself first then Kara and Jeff, my siblings know that she was moving down to South Carolina. In truth there was nothing keeping her here so it wasn't a surprise to me at all. Kara and especially Jeff were a little dumbfounded I think, more so the latter. Jeff hated Curt because of the stuff her put my mom through mentally this last decade. I hated him for a while for the same thing but in the end they reconciled and decided to move together.
The first step was getting their respective houses on the market. I had a fun job cleaning the entire place for the first showing. Curt's house was on the market for two days my moms one weekend before they had multiple offers and sold. I'd say the real estate market it back, folks (actually my dad is a real estate developer so I knew what was possible). This came as a shock to everyone. His closing was very quick and no, these were not short sales either. My mom took a bit longer while FHA did there thing for what seemed like forever. What was holding it up was that the house, which had full amenities on the other side, was going to be condo'ed into two units had to have everything to a T. When there are two parties involved everything has to be set straight from the start as there is no tie breaker should a dispute come up. So mom was a stress ball for a couple months and then when summer was ending and Curt had already been living with us a few weeks by that point. FHA would say they were close but then not respond for a week and then come up with a new complaint about what needed to be done. I'm certain the new owners wanted to be in before school started and that is just what happened. Mid August we got a notice that we had 14 days (my lucky number) until closing. Things moved really fast after that.
I was moving in with my brother next door as I mentioned earlier (if I didn't you know now) to the condo that would become the same address followed by "A". I remember my last night in my old room which was neutral, I guess, just mixed feelings for me. I woke up did my usual routine and later that day moved most of my stuff over to the other side. I had to get at least the bed and other big stuff out and Curt had a buddy helping him load their truck headed to SC. They moved my stuff over no problem and I had a new home, just like that.
The first couple nights the bedroom didn't feel like mine. I wasn't startled when I awoke to use the bathroom late night or those mornings. You get used to something and then its gone. Growing up we lived in lots of houses (my dad is a real estate developer) and it always felt the same. We always stayed in the same town, until my parents divorced and I went to live with her a town over, but I have always considered myself a lifelong resident of Andover, MA because that is where I grew up and went to everything through high school even while living with mom a town over. After about a week the room finally felt like it was mine and I belonged there.
Getting my cat to believe it was another thing. Crosby and his rival pretty much rule the neighborhood. The first night I moved his food bowl out on the porch onto the patio table mom gave us and he came up to eat after I gave his treat bag a few hearty shakes. I then opened the door and tried to lure him in with treats (would have been easier but the cat nip was packed still) but he just leaned over the edge of the table with an inquisitive look in his eye. This went on four a few minutes. I wasn't going to pick him up and force him in, rather let him make the choice. He did eventually cross the threshold, treats helped to coax him, and once we was in I released the screen door that gave a metallic crash sound he did not like. He jumped and looked around startled and then I said "We live here now" to him. I moved his food bowl to the carpeted ledge going towards the basement and he began to eat. After that he explored the space with wide eyes and a low posture with his back bent like a surfer about to catch a wave. He explored the entire space like that then mowed to be let back out. The next time he came in it took about half the time and by the fourth or fifth time he was fine. He stills hangs out on the front steps and on the lawn but the neighbors like him so its fine. Even today, three weeks later, he is still a little wide eyed when walking around but I put some cat nip with his padded bed in my room (it was raining so he didn't want to go out anyways) and after eating his food and devouring the nip he lay in his bed grooming himself and then took a nap. I knew then that he was fine. As for me, let me backtrack to after my mom and Curt left but before I gave the keys to the attorney doing the sale.
With all the houses I've lived in starting with Salem St I have done the same routine when all the furniture is out. I walk in the door and go to each room and spend about a minute or so, sometimes more depending on how much time I was each over my time there, and recall all the memories in each. I visit every single room including bathrooms and the basement. I then visit my own room last and look out the window a la Sling Blade and reflect and tell myself that things are changing and I don't live here anymore. It all acts as a way of closing the door before I open a new one. I then walk downstairs and exit the house, never to return as a person who lives there. I've been to a couple houses after the fact but they don't feel like mine anymore. Even with this one the bulkhead access is for both I the doors are set up in a hallway for both but with walls my brother built and sets of keys that open the respective doors to each electrical panel. I had to go down there recently but it felt different than it used to. The memories I had there will always remain with me, and that will always be something I will cherish.
Before we did move, actually about six months ago when they were doing the plumbing for the basement and switching it over to two units, the workers had to pour new cement over the trench they dug. I took the opportunity to leave a mark, which you can see in the photo I included. I don't think the new owners know what it means and I honestly wouldn't mind if they asked me. All I know is that it is there. As for when I made it, I told myself that I had to, which I guess is reason enough for me.
Questions or comments? Let me know
