One More Step

toward getting the house fit for sale will finally happen tomorrow.

 

I am getting the 2 bathrooms and the laundry room tiled. Gary and I had the majority of the floors redone with a good looking wide plank laminate when we moved in.  Although he thought about it, we knew Gary could not do it, so we got a name of an installer from Floor & Decor, the store we LOVE to shop at for flooring and tile of all sorts.  We have spent lotsa hours and money at Floor & Decor here in Glendale and over in Norco, CA buying flooring for 5 houses now. Gary, having worked as a tile setter for many years could imagine and install any design I thought of and a lot that I never dreamed of.  But now I am like every other schmuck out there who has to hire this stuff done.
These tile guys did a nice job with the laminate so I called the same company back and he gave me what I thought was a decent price. I didn't find the best price on tile at Floor & Decor this time, however. Lowe's was having a closeout on a tile I liked and so I bought it and all the materials there.  I know exactly what to buy and I know that Gary always pointed out that Lowe's had cheaper prices on grout and thinset. So I made my decision and am happy with it. 

I am also happy to report I got the deck of the pergola in the backyard fixed by a neighborhood handyman a week ago.  What a relief that is.  After he fixed it and built me a new, more Asian style bridge, I applied deck cleaner on the deck, let it dry and put two coats of stain on it. Two coats of paint went on the bridge. They look great now and should make it through the summer heat.

So, slowly, slowly, I am coming to the conclusion of what I wanted to accomplish on this house.  Fingers crossed, if all goes well, I will put the house up for sale in the fall when I return. By then I will have made up my mind on where I want to move. I have to be an optimist for once.

I am putting things out in the garage that I no longer wish to pay a mover to move to a new location. I've got to try another garage sale before I go back north this spring. There are still tools of Gary's to sell. I am also taking things that I want to give to family and putting them in bags to keep them clean while traveling, finally getting them out of my life and into someone else's. Some things, like our concrete birdbath have moved with us for over 25 years, but no more. This heavy stuff needs to be sold or left behind. A solo person needs to travel light.

On how to decide where to live-- I really, really wish I could afford to rent a house or apartment somewhere and try on a place before making a permanent move there. I also wish I could travel and check out new states and cities that might finally feel right.
Well, for a little while anyway, I will admire and enjoy my updated tiled bathrooms and hope they will help the house sell a little faster.

That will be the final step.