May 31, 2007
so long, farewell . . .
I thought, as the last days in our house drew near, that I would be nostalgic; I imagined myself walking from room to room, reminiscing about how Henry took his first steps in the yard and Charlie took his first steps . . . uh, somewhere, probably in the house, but who can really remember after all that time. I expected to feel a little sad about leaving, because after all this is the end of a significant chapter of our life as a family.
Instead, I am palpably crabby. CRABBY! And the house is pissing me off.
At five am, Henry bolted out of his room and into the hall and yelled, “NOSEBLEED!” Which was really not how I wanted to wake up. We staunched the bleeding and got him cleaned up and ready to go back to bed (because he really wasn’t awake yet) but then I realized that his BED was big old bloody mess, so I put him in MY bed and started stripping his sheets. Which was when I noticed that in the scramble to find his glasses, he had bled on two library books and the CARPET IN HIS BEDROOM.
At 5:15 this morning, I was cleaning the ugly green carpet, because on Monday, it belongs to someone else, someone who probably does NOT want my son’s blood on it. I was also breathing a sigh of relief that he bled on books with plastic covers, which wiped off nicely.
At 7:15, Wade left for work. He went in the garage and came straight back in because one of the florescent bulbs in the light on his side of the garage had FALLEN OUT in the night and shattered on the floor. He swept up some of the glass and left for work. I promised to clean up the rest.
At 8:30, after the kids had spent an hour WRESTLING in Henry’s room, I announced, “WE ARE GOING TO THE ZOO AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE FUN, DAMMIT” and ordered everyone out into the garage. And THEN remembered about the glass, which was all the hell over the place, including RIGHT next to my car. So I did the only logical thing, which was to start yelling like a crazy woman, “STOP! STOP!!! DO NOT GET IN THE CAR! GO IN THE HOUSE!” The kids stood perfectly still and looked at me, and then at each other, and I know they were thinking, “Mom has finally REALLY lost her mind.” Or they were waiting for my head to ACTUALLY explode, since I’m always telling them it’s going to.
It didn’t. But there is still time.
The zoo was fun. Caroline and her sons came and met us, which was a miracle because the first thing I said when I called her this morning was “I AM IN A BAAAAAAAD MOOD.” It was the kind of mood that people need to be prepared for, though, because there was no way I was going to put on a happy face, after the blood and the glass. But Caroline is my friend because she’s smart and funny and can be both in the course of a playdate that involved dragging our kids all over the zoo (”Keep walking! Just a little further!”) and then taking them to lunch at McDonald’s and ignoring them while they played in the gigantic germ factory climber.
I felt much better after I complained to her for three hours. Or I did until Wade called to say that he has to go to work in the morning, which was totally NOT PART OF THE PLAN. And when I am crabby, you do NOT want to mess with my plan.
Our closing on the new house is tomorrow afternoon. The final walk through for THIS house is in the morning. We are not done packing, the house is a sty, and Wade may have to go to the office for a while tomorrow. I wish I had the time and energy to feel nostalgic, but frankly I have too damn much to do, and all of it is pissing me off.
I will miss this house, I truly will; we have been very happy here. But right now I just want to get the hell out before anything else breaks or anyone else bleeds. I suppose that’s a good way to leave, looking forward to the new house rather than pining over the old house, but I think I need to get over the crabby before tomorrow, when I have a long day of shuffling papers and handing over gigantic sums of money.
My internet will be turned off in the morning (I think) but I can send photos to Flickr from my cell phone, so watch for updates. Because what could be more fun than watching my head explode me move!
Posted by Susan @ 3:37 pm • Uncategorized
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May 31st, 2007 at 5:23 pm, daysgoby Says:
Just another….week? and everything will be unpacked and it’ll feel like home and you can relax.
Heck, Henry’ll probably christen his new carpeting if you ask!
May 31st, 2007 at 6:31 pm, Karyn Says:
Oh Susan.
Would some of that chocolate chip shortbread help? You know, if we dunked it in Bailey’s or something?
Hang tight - you’re almost there.
May 31st, 2007 at 8:01 pm, Daisy Says:
I’d send you good luck, but I’ve run out myself. I’ll just think good house-type thoughts in your honor.
May 31st, 2007 at 8:06 pm, Mary Says:
Oh my. I’m worn out just reading about this all. You are right, there’s no time to be nostalgic right now. Wait a few weeks for when everything is unpacked and life feels a bit more settled, then you can spare a few minutes to wistfully remember your old digs.
Here’s hoping for smooth walk-throughs, easy fast and paper-cut free settlements, and a bloody-nose free night. Whew!
May 31st, 2007 at 9:40 pm, Melissa Says:
Tomorrow will be a better day. Well, maybe not actually TOMORROW, but one of the days after tomorrow. One day soon. How’s next Tuesday? Next Tuesday will be a better day.
June 1st, 2007 at 1:08 am, Blythe Says:
This is the universe’s way of allowing you to move on to your new home. Either that or to get you to drink more margaritas.
I felt the same way when we moved out of our house 2 years ago. After the movers left, I thought I would walk nostalgically through the rooms, recalling good times. Instead, I couldn’t get out of there fast enough, I threw the cleaning supplies in the back of my car and burned rubber.
June 1st, 2007 at 5:24 am, ManagerMom Says:
LOL! Are you SURE you weren’t with me when we moved from Boston to Texas a couple of years ago?! My hell was that on top of the packing and other chaos, I was having hot flashes during a 45 degree rain storm on July 6! I was sure the world was coming to an end. As long as no tornadoes hit in your immediate area today, life will be sweet. Take a deep breath and have a chocolate martini after the closing. Cheers!
June 1st, 2007 at 5:29 am, Susan Says:
Okay, I had NOT thought about the possibility of a tornado. Argh.
No bloody noses! So far! Woo hoo!
June 1st, 2007 at 8:32 am, The June Cleaver Diaries Says:
When we moved, I took a break from supervising the movers to hop over the fence and enjoy some Goodbye Daquiris with the neighbors. While I was there, my next-door neighbor snuck into my house with her cleaning supplies and cleaned the kitchen, mopped the hardwoods and wiped down the walls. I came home, totally surprised, found her in the kitchen, and THAT’S when I started to cry. For us, it wasn’t about the house, but the friends we left behind.
(you can slip me that 20 bucks later for dropping this BIG HINT on your neighbors— because I’m sure thay read your blog!)
June 1st, 2007 at 9:08 am, Susan Says:
Sadly, Katy, my neighbors are all well into their eighties, which is why we’re moving. Nice people, but not really the happy hour crowd.
And a daquiri sounds pretty good just now . . . at 10:00 am.
On the upside, I still have my internet connection!
June 1st, 2007 at 9:58 am, bgirl Says:
“no way I was going to put on a happy face, after the blood and the glass”
If there is a better quotation than that, I’ve never heard it.
June 1st, 2007 at 3:42 pm, Jody Says:
Ohman! Good luck and all that! I hate moving, and know what you mean about just getting it over with. The best feeling in the world is the first morning you wake up in your new home.
Daquiris do sound good…and the 10am thing, remember it is 5pm somewhere in the world!
June 1st, 2007 at 9:21 pm, Rocks In My Dryer Says:
Oh! Sending you many good wishes–can’t wait to see pictures of your new place all settled in.
And don’t worry–my kids have given me that “are-you-off-your-rocker” look MANY times.
June 3rd, 2007 at 1:04 am, ewe are here Says:
oh dear. and I thought I was having a bad day.
I hope the rest of the move goes smoothly.
June 3rd, 2007 at 10:13 pm, Heather B. Says:
hoo boy. Ok now I understand re: the internet. I just sent you a REALLY awesome email and it got rejected and I freaked out. But hey! You’re moving. Wheee! I’m very excited for you, but as soon as you get new email, you’ll be super excited for me.
June 6th, 2007 at 10:06 am, Karianna Says:
Oh, I can’t wait for you to be settled, as “exciting” as the chaos may be.
If you were a scrapbooker, you could title the moving page “BLOOD AND GLASS!” No time to be nostalgic might end up being for the best.
June 6th, 2007 at 10:15 am, dani Says:
Hope your move is going smothly and your days filled will well packed boxes and chilled wine.
June 6th, 2007 at 10:57 am, dorothy Says:
We moved into our new house this week, but we don’t have to feel nostalgic about our old house, because, well, we still own it.
Trust me - your situation is sooo much better!
How did you sell your house so fast? Please tell.