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Saturday, November 4, 2017

Carrying on

     
Last week I came up on the edge of quitting, blogging at least. Don’t know why I do much of anything these days. To stay connected to earth, I guess. The bad health consequences of my encounter with the Red Bus just keep piling in. I want them over. I want “it” over. Won’t happen, that’s for sure.

There are two kid projects to document. Laura and Kay are closing in on shield and stick. Not in a leisurely two week jaunt, like Cathy and little Red Shoes, but a four day sprint. The two day marathon devolved into a four day sprint. Last day is tomorrow.

I think I have not said enough about Kay. First, that’s not her name, and if I ever write it down, you will say “How could anyone have such a mystery name?” I don’t know; I’ve never asked her. Way over a year ago, Kay made an offer on the old house down the road, and my real estate agent said she could present it, but, in full disclosure, there was another possible offer coming in. Would I like to have both at once, if she could shake it loose?

I set a deadline of six p.m. the following afternoon. About 6:30 that day I looked at the clock and said “This guy better get moving.” I called Kathy, my agent, and said “Is he serious?” Kathy said it was just rolling off her fax, but I could reject it as it was late. “No, bring them both over.”

Kathy laid each on the table. She said each potential buyer was a single parent with children. Did I want the single mother first, or the father. I took the mother and heard the offer. Then the father. His offer was eerily identical, to the dollar, except she would pay for the home inspection and he would have me pay. I accepted her offer.

Kathy asked why, in case she was asked. I said it wasn’t the hundred dollar home inspection, but that he had to be tracked down by his agent, told to make an offer or not, sent it after the deadline, and then asked me to pay the inspection, too. I accepted Kay’s offer.

Wham! Bob (and that was the other fellow’s name) initiated a campaign of how much he wanted the house for his boys, and tried to start a bidding war. And I said “fuck you,” and sold the house to Kay. Who, as you may have realized by now, is quite a gem.

So, Kay has been by at eight a.m. for Laura, last weekend and this. That is a “lock the door behind you and don’t wake me” scenario; especially after getting in well after midnight last night from the playoff football game. They lost. Smile.



Laura has no idea where they are. “Kay has GPS!” Laura has no idea how far they hike. “One was 1.5 miles, one was 1 mile and one was .5, on the signs.” Three miles, said I, of this morning’s hike. At twenty minutes a mile, about an hour. “We’re doing twenty four minute miles. Kay has a measuring thing on her phone.”

It has rained the entire time. I bought her a raincoat for Washington DC. It’s come out of the drawer. “It’s ugly, but I’m warm and dry.” Who could require more?


Next up: experimental pennies.

29 comments:

  1. I know the feeling Joanne, but I would miss you terribly. I wish I could go on that jaunt with them. Need to get up and go, but I think it got up and left. The old physics lesson about things moving...

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  2. You would indeed be missed. Badly. Your decision though.
    How wonderful that you are getting such constant reminders that your decision to sell the house to Kay was emphatically the right one.

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  3. I know you get discouraged, but please don't leave us. Reading your Blog is an important part of my day. Glad you picked Kay, you picked a winner.

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  4. Kay is a gem. You trusted your instincts and they did not betray you.

    I would miss your blog, Joanne but you have to do what's right fir you.

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  5. I have come close to giving up a lot recently. Long posts written and then a hover on 'publish' and then finger flips to 'save' and it doesn't get published. I would miss you if you went away.

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  6. I hope so much you will stay in blogland, i shall miss you if not.

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  7. "It's ugly, but I'm warm and dry" describes so much of my own winter wardrobe.
    The hiking is going well, a twenty four minute mile sounds quite doable to me, but I'd have to be on level ground.
    I would have taken Kay's offer over that man's too. Over here, buyers are expected to pay for the home inspections, if you buy without getting a building inspection, and later find any problems, too bad for you.

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  8. Hari OM
    You still have it to offer us Joanne, even when low in the tank. And Kay has the kinda face that says, 'welcome, wanna cuppa?'. You picked the good people. Bravo to the walkers! YAM xx

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  9. I gather you sold your home? And made a friend of the new owner? That sounds grand. That is what I call a twofer--two for one--you got a sale and a friend. Keep writing. It's good for what ails you.

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  10. I keep blogging as a discipline and also because I feel a responsibility to readers who follow me. I'm not real fond of the guilt I feel when it's been more than a week, though.

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  11. That feeling is surely one that has appeared to us all at some point. I went away for a few months myself. I believe in the end only you can decide if you want to stop or continue.

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  12. I think "in the fullness of time" most of these effects will be over, but it may take a long time and feel discouraging. Still, you seem nothing if not persistent. Do not give up. You have a lot to offer many people! In many ways. Be well! We begin regular time the middle of the coming night, and the short hours of daylight, but spring is on its way, if ever so slowly! Be well!

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  13. I sympathize about not wanting to do anything. After I was in a car accident which was nowhere near as serious as your incident on the bus I felt stupid. I could not remember things, I could not laugh (it was physically not happening), I could not sing (again just not happening), tears would flow every time I ate, and I could not read because I retained nothing. I felt stupid, stupid, stupid. It is hard to muster interest in things when your brain fights you. I'm glad you haven't given up. You have an excellent blog.

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  14. I hope you don't stop blogging. I would miss you and Laura so much. Watching Laura grow up keeps me tethered to humanity in some way. Kay is a treasure.

    Love,
    Janie

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  15. Kay does indeed sound like a gem and her smile shows her to be a kind, sincere person. I'm glad you picked her and that you became friends. The photo of her and Laura is a beauty. I'm sorry you almost quit blogging but I am glad you stayed on. Like Roth says, I think "it's good for what ails you".

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  16. Maybe take a break from blogging until you might be ready to resume it or not and then if you choose not to resume it, let people know. I'm struggling with the same thoughts; haven't blogged anything since August, but do enjoy keeping up with those I've met along the way, like your blog.

    Kay does indeed sound like a gem!

    betty

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  17. So glad Kay came into your life.

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  18. Don't stop blogging. We all enjoy what you have to write. ❤️Linda@Wetcreek Blog

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  19. Write what you like when you like , it's your blog, but write, don't give up.

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  20. I would have taken Kay's offer too...the chap would only have messed you about.

    Do carry on blogging...i like to hear your voice.

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  21. oh, don't stop Joanne. when you quit striving to live then you start dying. are you ready to die? you may feel less than yourself but we still love having the person you are around.

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  22. I haven't known you long at all, but I would miss you, but certainly respect you needing to take whatever steps you feel necessary to have the best life you can. :: hugs ::

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  23. I look forward to reading your witty blog posts. I hope you perk up as your health improves. I'll send you some virtual mojo :-))

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  24. Highly interesting story of how you got your neighbour Kay! I'm glad that worked out well. She sounds like a highly reliable person to have as a friend.

    I would miss your down-to-earth, intelligent, and get-er-done outlook and writing, Joanne, if you should stop blogging. I know you have to do what you have to do, but I'd hope you could update us from time to time. We really are a kind of family here in Blogland, and we really do worry about each other when things go wrong - or go silent.

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  25. 1. You have excellent intuition and 2. If you left, I'd miss you. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. 3. I haven't been hiking since late summer and I'm missing it. There is no feeling like being in the woods with a friend or two.

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  26. Being new here, I feel like I miss some context to some posts, but I enjoy them anyway. You seem to lead an interesting life.

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