So long, Roosevelt

We have been moved out of the house for 23 days. Closed on June 12.  Everything couldn't have gone better; events happening according to a schedule even though the prerequisite offer to those said events was serendipitous.

I listed the house just when it needed to be, although it took a few weeks longer due to snow, final touches and negotiating with the real estate agent a proper price.  A very interested buyer submitted an offer, meeting the asking price plus 100.00, with in 24hrs of listing.  I accepted it after the weekend. The inspection, the negotiations, the bank assessment, the fixes, etc. all happened within  two month time frame. The buyer agreed to a later closing day to accommodate my child's school year schedule. The buyer was perfect and sweet, which made passing on the house so much easier.

 

The 4+ weeks time I gave myself for sorting through stuff, eliminating and moving boxes down two floors to main floor and then to basement and out to POD. Working several hours a day, enough to feel like I was making progress yet also spending valuable time with preschooler, scheduling swim lessons and book club assuring we get out of the house.  Enough of a work out but not kill me. Realizing and Recruiting my  neighbour to help me move one big item each day into the POD, allowing me to then stuff it like a puzzle with all the little boxes.   Everything that I wanted fit into POD and everything I decided to part with, either selling or giving away went.

An Ode & and Twang to the house on Roosevelt

It just could not have gone better. Even budgeting my savings to last a year, down to the last $100.00 dollars, before closing and receiving the house $$. Phew!

I'm officially a visitor in the US now, another thing I needed to deal with, surrendering my VISA. We are living out of suit cases in a friends house, enjoying our easy going month of nothingness but summer fun in July.

What happens next, a bit of mystery.  Hopefully events will unravel in the same smooth way. Moving to Ottawa, finding a job or making one happen. Getting kids enrolled in their new schools.... or perhaps some other kind of adventure. Who knows.

This blog was originally about renovating the house, with a whole lot of other stuff happening in between. I believe, this is where it ends too, until my future becomes more apparent!

"So long, Marianne", as we used to say

Rainy day update

1) Its a rainy day and perfect for curling up stretching out in bed and watching the last season of Gossip Girl ...

except I'm doing laundry and  first need to resheet the bed (because I apparently packed up all the other linen. What was I thinking I still have a 1.5 months).


2) This makes me smile.

A toothbrush holder. My 4 year old is with her dad and when I see where she places her tooth brush it warms my heart  ... but the fact that she is with her dad right now adds to the perfect day for stretching out in bed and sneaking in a few episodes of GG.


3) And my IKEA HACK, along with packing boxes, unloading stuff at salvation army, researching living options up there and making killer  decisions on what I may need up North and what I should give away here and repurchase up there so everything I LOVE fits into the 16 x 9 x9 POD that will be delivered in a few weeks I am researching ribbons and fabric for weaving on to the Gullhomen rocking chair

One of the pieces of furniture, er, I mean frame that I am opting to stuff in the POD is the wicker rocking chair, an IKEA favourite.  Mine has been moved around from one apartment to the next house to the next, to the next (that's 4 total moves), since 2000.  At first loved and oh so cool, and then eventually left outside where the elements got the better of it.  I tore of the leftover rattan and am researching weaving options. I want some kind of colourful ribbon weave or maybe a pvc yarn for out door use, left over fabric (check out pinterest) ... which would be a great way for me to reuse and monument my past collection of t-shirts rather then hauling them off to the thrift store.

4) House selling update. The house did sell, (did I mention that?) and besides the packing part, the inspection was signed off with a few minor things to fix (electrical covers in the basement, and a leaky faucet in the basement); the buyer's loan people came out to appraise the house since the selling price was significantly higher (for this area) then I bought it for.  They need to see for themselves the kitchen reno, bathroom reno, vestibule upgrade (even painted walls increase the value, he told me). That was all approved. So other then that, its up to me to pack before the closing day which is mid June and perhaps re weave the IKEA rocking chair..

Crochet! Foot stool cover

One of the last sort of home projects I wanted to complete before I sold the house was to update the ikat stools that were kicking around for many years.  They had resided in many rooms throughout the years but eventually landed in Little L's room. They worked well there but the colours were no longer relevant.

I took up crocheting last winter during my son's bi-weekly soccer practices. I completed his blanket in the fall.  My fingers were itching to do more, now that winter had arrived and the indoor bi-weekly soccer practices resumed. On a whim I checked out A.C. Moore's closing clearance sale and discovered the empty yarn aisles. Except for these two colours, peacock blue and coral yarn. The exact colours of Little L's room.  One done, another to go and a month left of indoor soccer practice.

In regards to the sale of my home, we listed it on a Thursday. Had a potential buyer come look at it the same Thursday evening and they were so thrilled with it they put in an offer the next day. We let the 4 other interested folks check it out on Fri and Sat and then I decided to sign off on the offer. The offer met the selling price plus a bit, they had no conditions and the young man really loved it. I believe the house would really suit him. It happened much faster then I anticipated and needed to ask for a few more weeks before closing day (mid June) so my kid could finish off his school year undisturbed. And he kindly accepted that.

We are just signing off on the inspection notes and then I will have two months to pack and load a POD.

Each step has brought me closer to my reality and moving back to my home country. Our hearts are heavy as we have lived here for 15 years.  My kids were born American.  My son has a close group of friends he has to part with. I too.  I wonder if I am doing the right thing, will my kids forgive me? is there a loop hole I missed? Could I have tried harder? Or perhaps I didn't want that fight (Visa requirements state once I close down my business  I must leave since I am no longer useful to the US). I hope to get warm fuzzy feelings upon my repatriation.  In the meantime I am day dreaming trips to Bora Bora. My coping strategy!

p.s. check out pinterest crocheted stool covers (I was put to shame, oh well! I like mine but some of these are beautiful and intricate)

Words of wisdom

A chalk board of quotes; stages & phases of the past few years.

Grey is the new black 2011 (lots of design blog reading)
If I had an English accent I would never shut up 2011 (trending quotes on pinterest)
Do Epic Shit 2012 (kitchen renovation)
Fruck Luck 2013 (contract ended Dec 2012; the world is your oyster attitude begins)
A friend loves at all times, a brother is born for adversity 2013 (tough sibling phase)
Though she be but little she is fierce 2013 (parenting a three year old with an opinion)
A soul on fire 2013 (parenting a three year old at loggerheads continues)

What are we going to today? Lets build a rocket! 2013, 2014 Hey, think big

We pulled out our old favourite Phineas & Ferb quote while selling the house and returning to Canada, to keep us upbeat and remind us that anything is possible; adventure lies ahead.

Details, details

Down to the last nitty, gritty prep-for-sale details.


Tidying up and staging,

Painting (again)

Purging and craigslisting.

Completing projects

So long winter, hello spring, good luck house.

Face lift stage - exterior - Phase 4

The "FEELS LIKE" temperatures (thats -16F)  have delayed schools and even closed them down, but it didn't stop me from removing the numbers. Most exterior fixes will occur on warmer days and hopefully that will happen in the next few weeks.

The above paragraph was written a month ago, and today, another snow day and 10 - 15 inches of snow in the forecast. But somehow I have managed to make a little progress on the front, such as spray paint the numbers, buy a new exterior light and I found some old exterior paint in the basement and started touching up. But still need a dryer and warmer day to complete  the exterior list.

Phase 4 - fix up the exterior - the pending list:

1) remove rusty street numbers, sand and spray paint.

 2) replace broken exterior door light - have purchased and returned two lights already - it remained broken for a reason - last attempt tonight and I'll get the right one!

3) Paint porch - wait for a dry week.

4) Purchase, install and paint railings and spindles for front entrance - some mortgage loans, like FHA, are more strict about safety concerns - thus, preemptive, but putting railings around the porch.

5) Deal with chipped paint.

6) Its winter, shovel and maintain drive for drive-by appeal; spring time, weed and and watch the spring blooms.

Luckily the sidewalk had been replaced before I bought the house. But the loan was via a property tax program,  transferred to me. It will transfer to the new owners, but there is only a year left,so they will be happy to see the taxes decrease.

Phase 1 - Chaos
Phase 2 - Big jobs
Phase 3 - Face lift interior

And in between, a whole lot of painting

Stairway

 My new, most cherished space in the house, the stairway...

My new, favourite colour combo, A Pinch of Spice & Cameo Stone...

And up and down the stairs I go. A LOT, moving toys up, to the new play area in the attic. Moving junk and boxes down from the attic, to the basement, clearing out the house...

My favourite little L. look, Really, not again... which I say a lot, while going up and down the stairs...

The agent came last week and now I am waiting to see what her research reveals about a selling price ... and if this open and bright and light stairway, with a really cool West Elm pendant light doesn't catch the prospective buyer at first sight, then boo on them.

And yes, I left the hand prints up and the agent did not even hesitate at the sight

The other side of the wall

One wall creates two rooms. And I know you have all been wondering what has been going on over there. (here's the other other side)

I'm still painting the baseboards and frames; paint supplies occupying most of the room, and I only have a zoom lens, so here are some close ups.

Yellow wall: Citrus Splash by Glidden
Gray wall: Horizon by Benjamin Moore
Blue wall: Evening Blue by Benjamin Moore
Light blue wall: white mixed with evening blue.

And the yellow blanket, laying on his duvet ... twice a week to soccer practice all winter long, an hour and a half each time, after a few practices just sitting there, I quickly realized that I can realize something from my bucket list too. And learn to crochet I did.

And no, the room was not painted for potential new occupants, I broke all the rules. I let my son choose the colours, after all it is his room until the end. I want him to feel like he has some control of his desires, opinions and future. He is handling the upcoming move well enough, but he is the one that has the best group of friends here and this place, this community is closest to his heart, having lived his first 11 years here.

The real estate agent comes next week, her initial run through. I decided to track down the same real estate agent I have used 3 other times. Once I heard her voice I knew I made the right decision. I know she will give me a list of things to add to my prep to sale lists, but I am looking forward to the visit, perhaps some validation on the work already done. After that visit, we are taking off for some winter fun, skating, sledding, snowboarding and visiting family and friends.

Bedroom, completed

 The last item on the bedroom list is completed. Well, not actually the last, but the last one I'm doing.

 The wall, the wall that makes this an official 3 bedroom house.

The baseboard window frames scraped and painted. Window pane hot glued back on. A few bolt holes filled and painted. And the vent grate painted. The cat is a bit pissed about that one, its covered with a side table and in the way of her sleeping on it.

 I did want to play around with the closet, either tear down the middle part of the wall, exposing the window and building a bench. This would allow lots of light in the room and a cozy place to sit. OR maybe I would have torn out the wall and put in Asian type sliding doors. For now, the blue patch door remains. Although I'm calling this room done, there is still work to be done on the doors, the one with the missing panel and the closet door. But that can go on a different list.

The to do list
Fix broken glass pane
paint trim
paint baseboard
remove mirror woo hoo!

Paint walls here
paint blue splotch on closet door.
Remove two shelves on other walls
Hang picture frames / Make gallery wall. here 
Remove hardware (door handles and plates) in order to remove years of white paint.
Refinish hardware.
Curtain rods - temporary solution installed.
Find a new OLD door or fix hole in door.
Create some kind of headboard.
Build & paint wall.
Or insert french doors.
Revamp closet - either open up middle section to expose window. Or....???
Edit wardrobe.
Mount a tv on the wall w/ a wooden console thing under it.
Paint ceiling. BUT first remove that bubble popcorn ceiling paint. Yuck (Will probably never get around to do this, but it should be done)
Install ceiling light - electrical work (probably wont get around to that either)
New linens and duvet.

Update 1
Update 2
Update 3