Getting Ready to Move

I don't know if anyone besides Alison reads this blog, but I will write this post as if there were other readers. So those of you non offspring readers may not know Robin and I are getting ready to move to Dallas, TX. I have taken a new job with State Farm in a new operation they have started in an office in Richardson which is just a little north of Dallas; between Dallas and Plano if that makes it any clearer. This job comes with a relocation benefit so we are going through the process of getting our house ready to sell and finding a house in the Richardson area. I think this is the most stressful thing I have ever done. What makes it even more stressful are the decisions I have made to procrastinate completing some of the renovation projects I had started or needed to start.

We were in the final stages of remodeling the master bathroom so that was pretty much done. But while we were at it we went ahead and bought a new counter top for the hall bathroom and hired one of the employees of the counter contractor to build a vanity cabinet to match the one I built for the master bath. That was back in February before we went to Seattle. It took him a month after we got back to finish and install the cabinet. Then I had to stain and finish it in place. Then I interviewed for and got the new job. Everything changed.

I have to start my new job on May 13. That did not leave us much time to get the house on the market and buy another one up there. We were supposed to get it on the market within two weeks. That deadline passed last wednesday. We had to have two market analyses and two appraisals done. Problem was that we were in the process of completing the incompleted projects and the values came back lower than they would if everything were done. now we have to try to make adjustments.

The list of stuff we had to do in two weeks was pretty long; Replaced the soffit and fascia on the front of the house, tile the kitchen floor and finish the drywall repair I started in there six years ago. also had to replace and repair some of the bead board wainscot, and remove a hole in the wall created for a doggy door. We had to get the counter top in the hall bathroom, and re-tile the floor. Oh, we also got all the trim painted; it is 90% finished. We had to move the washer and dryer out because the tile also extended into the laundry and the pantry. I hired a friend to do the exterior work, and another member of the church who is a contractor to install the tile in the kitchen. I did the bathroom work. I also hired a painter who is also a member to pain the trim. I have worked until 10 pm or later many nights. Yesterday I painted the ceiling in the kitchen and the bead board wainscot. I worked right up until priesthood meeting and wore my overalls to the meeting. Everything has turned out great, but it was really really stressful. Delays, people not showing up to work when they said they would. Every day I would wake up overwhelmed and think I can't do this. I still have a little more trim to paint on the wainscot. the sidewalk and deck need to be power washed and the house need more de-cluttering and staging. The cargo trailer is full of stuff including our food storage that was stored in the laundry room. Anyone want to buy a Bowflex? I'll make you a good deal.