Mystic

I took the boys on a short vacation over the Labor Day weekend - to Mystic, Connecticut. We actually left after Leo was let out of Kindergarten at noon on Thursday. The boys napped in the car for the drive down to Mystic. It was nice not having to deal with airplanes or a real long drive - its just under 2 hours to get there, and the Red Sox were playing an afternoon game against the Yankees that day, so I was able to relax and listen to the game on the radio while the boys slept. (The Red Sox lost, though . . .)

What a great time the three of us had. There was beautiful weather every day except Saturday morning - so we chose that day to go to the aquarium. Apparently, we weren't the only ones who had the same idea and the aquarium was mobbed. But we still had a lot of fun. We were at the Mystic Seaport all day on Friday where we went on two boat rides and spent a lot of time at the small children's museum and playing on the small model boats they have there. I just enjoyed watching them explore and learn about boats and the seaport (and tried to keep them out of trouble!) By the time Sunday rolled around we were all tired and were glad to be home.

Kindergarten

Leo is now a Kindergartner! Today was the first day of Kindergarten - yes, before Labor Day. What they do here in Lexington is get 3 half-days in before Labor Day to ease the kids back into school mode, then start full time after Labor Day.

I guess I was a little anxious this morning. Since Leo was with his mom, I got to school and waited for them to arrive. And when they did, Daniel wanted me to carry him, so I wasn't really able to talk to Leo and ask him how he felt. We were able to find his new classroom on our own, and Leo was very curious as he spent a good deal of time looking around the room. Other children started filing in, and eventually the teacher, Mrs. Barker. She immediately took control of the situation, getting all of the children to sit in a circle on the rug - then ordering the parents to quickly say our goodbyes so she could get to work. After we left the classroom, Daniel had a meltdown in the parking lot because he wanted to leave with me instead of his mother - and she was mad because the morning drop-off time at school will not allow her to get to work by 9:00. She said, "You had to pick a school that was the most inconvenient for me, didn't you." I'm sure she would have preferred I let her have her way - which means Leo would be attending a $30,000 a year private school where they teach in French!

I saw Leo later in the day as there was an open house at 5:00 at the school for the after-school program he is enrolled in. He told me his morning was "good". We then met the teachers that run the after-school program. Lexington's kindergarten is "full-day", which is 8:45-3:15. I was able to get Leo enrolled in Lextended Day, which takes the kids at 3:15 and has outdoor playtime when the weather is nice along with arts&crafts projects until parents can pick the kids up between 5 and 6. My neighbor across the street didn't get their child enrolled in time and he is on a waiting list (which the teacher there said he probably won't get into the program at all this year). So, I'm glad I was proactive in getting the house here and getting Leo enrolled.

And I can't wait until tomorrow when I get to pick Leo up from his 2nd day in Kindergarten!

Fast Summer

Wow, its hard to believe the summer is almost over. We missed out on a lot as I had to spend too much time dealing with selling the other house and getting moved. But as we're settling into the new house, we've been able to get out and have some fun. Last week we went blueberry picking and enjoyed a hayride at Wards Berry Farm, and the week before we spent a great day at Nantasket Beach. (Pictures below)

At night I've been unpacking boxes and am very happy to say that every box has been unpacked! There are a quite a few stacks of belongings in the basement and a lot of organizing yet to do down there, but my goal was to get every box (except the Christmas stuff) unpacked so I wouldn't have anything in boxes. This has allowed me to pitch a lot of unwanted stuff. Over the last few days I've been hanging pictures. I don't have anywhere near as much wall space as I did in the other house, so some nice pictures and paintings are being relegated to the basement. But I'm determined to get everything ready for the big housewarming party on the 20th, and I'm just about there.

I've got a few more things to add to the Home Depot list. After installing new wall sconces in the dining room (to match the chandelier I moved from the old house), I found out there is a short in the dimmer switch, so I need to get a new one of those. I also need bathrobe hooks for the boys, an edge guard for the kitchen (where the new refrigerator door swings into a cabinet!), and lastly, for now, I need a new lawnmower. The old one I had used for almost 10 years so it had served me well, but the handle snapped as I was mowing my weeds at the new house. Yes, I said weeds. The previous owners of this house didn't take care of the lawn or any of the gardens (which I found out had been meticulously designed by the owners before them), and so everything is overgrown with weeds. I'll save that work for next spring - summer is almost over and it looks like its going to be a very busy fall.

Boxes

So, I'm now in Lexington. The move was hectic - one of the movers said, "You've got a lot of stuff - is the house you're moving into just as big?" Actually, the house is smaller, and I tried to get rid of some of the larger things before I moved, but now that I'm here with stuff crammed in everywhere, its time to get rid of some more.

And the boxes! They are everywhere! I didn't realize I had packed so much. My goal now is to unpack every box - nothing left in any boxes (except, of course, the Christmas stuff). This way, everything will be out, and then I can better decide what to get rid of and what to keep.

The kids' playroom is going to be great. I've already set some new rules as to what toys are in the Family Room so that it doesn't get too cluttered. Everything else - down in the playroom. The boys have already accepted a new routine, as they go down to the playroom when they get home from school while I cook dinner. There is still a lot of organizing to do in the playroom as well - gonna try to keep the toys in bins and on shelves so the room isn't always a complete mess.

As for the rest of the house - I'm slowly getting things in place. I had a pretty good idea where I wanted to put the big pieces of furniture before I moved - and since I've been here I've only had to switch around a couple of big things. But I'm still unpacking boxes, and as I do, I've got to find some place to put everything, at least temporarily.

And then there's the house utilities. The dryer needed a longer lint exhaust. The washing machine needed a longer discharge hose. And then when I got the washing machine installed and turned the water on, there was a leak in one of the hoses so I had to get a new hose. Once the new hose was installed, I was able to start a load of laundry, only to find that during the rinse cycle the longer discharge hose doesn't sit well in the drain pipe and so water spills over. Then I woke up the next morning to find water all over the laundry room floor as there was a small leak in the water valve which dripped all night. Got the new refrigerator delivered, and when I turned on the water for the automatic ice maker, found out there was a leak in the copper pipe at the floor, and more water spilled all over the floor in part of the basement. Which was, of course, where I had a pile of boxes stacked waiting to be unpacked. I think its now time to call a plumber!

I'm Trying

I'm trying to put thoughts, feelings, emotions aside and concentrate on the move, now less than 2 weeks away. Packing is a pain - pitching is more therapeutic. Moving into a smaller house - downsizing. That feels good. Not as much to deal with. But still have to plan where things are going to go - the movers will ask. Can't figure it all out, but I can get close. Posted some unwanted furniture on Craigslist - 3 pieces posted, 3 pieces sold. Offered used cribs on the single parents message board and found a way to pass them on. Feeling lighter already. Have a bag of old clothes ready for the Salvation Army. Wanted to get through the unwanted CD's and DVD's and list them on eBay but haven't found the time for that. But those things are smaller and so can make the move. Only so many hours in a day. Still have to work. Still have the boys to take care of. The house still needs to operate, right up to moving day. Change of address forms are in progress. Magazines and credit cards are already switched over. There's usually a missed periodical when you move, but maybe not this time. I'm aware of many 'lasts' - the last time I will do this, the last time I will go there. I try to push those thoughts away. Gotta pack more boxes. Gotta pitch more junk. Now is the time to do it. I will miss this town, neighborhood, street, yard, house, room. But this move was set up almost a year ago. I didn't want to move. I was ready to fight to stay. I've got to remind myself I'm the bigger person. And this will be better for the boys. I believe it. I have to.

Finally!

Finally sold the house - what a relief. With the real estate market like it is, I was facing the probability of being handcuffed with this house for a long time. The buyer put in a low offer - we countered back and forth a couple of times, then I finally accepted a number which a few months ago I never would have imagined I would accept. The buyer is getting this house for a steal.

If it weren't for the agreement, I wouldn't have had to go through this. I didn't want to move in the first place. But, its now time to let this house go and move on. The boys will miss it - but they are already excited for the new house. I took them there a couple of weeks ago and they ran around the empty house screaming in delight.

What will this move mean for my life? Aside from the pain of finding new stores to shop at, a new doctor for the boys, and new ways to get to and from school/work, the biggest challenge will be in maintaining great friendships with people who will now live farther away. But on the bright side, the boys and I will have a house that is just ours, and we will be set for whatever the future has in store for us.

Sealy

Rest in peace . . .