When the new couch was delivered, I had the delivery guys move the existing couch to the downstairs den. As you know if you have been reading for a while, I had been covered up with furniture from the sale of the lake house and from Mom's. Though I was able to get rid of most of it, when something happens like shuffling sofas, I wind up with excess pieces once again. The shift left me with 2 virtually new upholstered chairs and no room to use them. (They were in a ground level room at the lake house which we rarely used) My initial thought was to try and sell them, but I honestly did not want strangers in the house looking at them. (Covid rates are still pretty high here) I got in touch with a woman we had given some of the lake furnishings to, who outfits apartments for homeless vets. She wants them, it gets them out of my hair, someone will really appreciate them, and it makes me happy they will find a needed home.
I had phone calls from all three sons this week and of course that makes me very happy, as well as my daily phone call(s) with my beloved sister.
The business of finalizing Mom and Dad's estate has been a difficult process, but is not without some chuckles along the way. It seems that my folks had several small accounts that we did not know about and tiny sums appear out of nowhere.
One of the most irritating (yet oddly funny) bits, was wasting about an hour of my time on the phone to legally find a way to have 107 dollars mailed to one of us rather than to my parents address, which was the address on file. (Even though according to all the documents they have, it clearly states that MBS and I are to split everything. I would be fine if they would just mail it to her and she can have the whole thing. I tried telling them that! It was akin to some sort of blasphemy that I would be willing forgo a claim to 53.50)
I cleaned out the coat closet this week. Some of you might be neat and tidy with your storage, but this closet is my catch-all and if someone is coming over and I have to stash something quickly it goes into the coat closet. I know it has been well over a year since I cleaned it out, and oh the things I found! I have been looking for my upholstery tack hammer for well over a year. Found it! I also could not find the box I keep Christmas gift bags in when I was wrapping gifts this year. Found that too.
Now the closet is neat and clean and jam packed with coats. (Most are not mine) Just exactly how many coats are required for an Alabama winter?
Other than TheHub and my sister I did not see a single person this past week. (I am not counting drive through encounters at the bank or Starbucks) I have kept my tail at home and left the house only to go out in my own yard, or do a couple of errands I could do without leaving my car. I understand the covid case numbers are on their way down, so I am ready to venture out a little (very little).
I suppose the biggest joys this week are having a home I can hole up in, having enough food stored so I did not have to go to the grocery store, being able to be warm, having digital library books available, streaming video and FaceTime! We finished Billions finally, just in time for Ozark's release so our nightly entertainment is set for the next week!
I hope everyone had a good week and I hope yours was filled with joys. They are there if you look for them, and I promise this next week I will keep a sharper eye out for them.
May all your weeds be wildflowers.
Anne
Taking a break between cleaning(I promise). Some weeks we just have to feel joy that we're breathing and healthy, we have our necessities provided for, and belief that things will get better. I love the joy of helping the Vets get their homes furnished. That's a true joy to give joy to others.
ReplyDeleteYou are right about the joy of breathing and being healthy! One of our acquaintances died this week of Covid and a young friend is in the hospital struggling with it.
DeleteI was home all week and I had started to have some cabin fever but I did go out yesterday and today. I visited an open produce market which was extremely crowded. I acted fast to get what I needed. I also spoke to my sister. Her husband took a week off to go see his parents. Their caregiver needs to go back to her country and while she is away, someone else is going to take over. Also, a piece of land that his father inherited years ago needs to be sold. He has power of attorney. He will also take care of that.
ReplyDeleteI saw the pictures you posted of your produce market. I would love to have something like that to go to!
DeleteYour Bil's parents are lucky to have him!
Glad you found a place for the chairs. Hope you like the new couch. That's nice about all of your phone calls. We have been having a heck of a time with my brother's estate. It is not fun! Way to go on cleaning out the closet. We are staying low key too with Covid out there. Hope it goes down soon. We haven't started the new season of Ozark yet but I can't wait. We are finishing up a couple of other series. Enjoy your weekend.
DeleteEstate closing is a bear, and we could not officially close it until we sold the house.
DeleteI am glad this is Ozark's last season! We are caught up with Billions and nI am glad it is ending also.
What a great way to donate the furniture, & free up space in your own house. I have a yin & yang with organization, and am typically pretty organized. But, every so often, a space gets nuts, and it feels so good to bring order back to it.
ReplyDeleteDespite the drama at the soccer game last night, it was a joy to watch one of the kids play. (Sam missed a practice due to being ill earlier in the week, so was ineligible to play.) Soak up those moments! The boys were also thrilled to get to try Shake Shack, which wasn't quite as good as In & Out (for me, at least), but was something new to try.
Yes enjoy the time with the boys, because they are fleeting!
DeleteWe have Shake Shack here and I have never tried it though DIL1 loves it. She is an ice cream milk shake kind of gal!
Love your joys and am glad that with a little thought you could find them. I have discovered that having started looking for them they are both easier to spot - and essential. I hope your coming week is packed with them.
ReplyDeleteI need to keep up with them daily instead of trying to remember what they were. I have been crabby this week and probably let that affect my memory of good things.
DeleteI think it's great that you donated those chairs to the Vets Association. I'm sure someone will get a lot of pleasure out of them. And it's odd that you mentioned coats. I was just thinking this week that I have SO MANY WINTER COATS, and while I obviously get more wear out of them than you do, do I really need that many?
ReplyDeleteI have 2 coats. Someone else who lives here has a full closet of them.
DeleteTrying to get rid of furniture this past few weeks so that someone could use it was very stressful. I didn't mind donating it, but pickups needed to be made before rain. Eventually, someone did get all three pieces. I suppose too much furniture is a good problem to have!
ReplyDeleteThese chairs are virtually new and I know I could have sold them easily, but I just did not want several people walking through my home to look at them during this time of covid. I had rather just send them on to someone who needs it.
DeleteWe're trying to figure out places to donate older, but working well appliances. They are old enough that some places won't take them. And no one will send a truck to pick them up. When they delivered the new ones, we were still using the old ones, so we didn't want them to take them away then. I hope we find some place as good as you found for your chairs because I'd hate for them to go into a dumpster.
ReplyDeleteI would check some local one on one charities (through a church perhaps) rather than a charity resale store.
DeleteWhat a nice gesture to give the furniture away to the vets! Very generous of you and I'm certain it will be much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI recall working at the bank (many, many, many years ago) when one of my favorite clients passed away. His wife learned, and shared with me, that Harold had bank accounts at every local bank and trust company in our downtown area. I don't recall if ours was the main account, but he had dribs and drabs of money at all of these places and would go and visit when his pension cheque came in monthly. He was a lovely man, and I still have the wooden top that he made for me out of walnut. I wonder how many more bank staff got a similar gift? :)
Yes, sometimes the greatest joy is being able to cocoon at home - especially now. Take care!
Dad was very organized, but these are various little accounts inside the same institution and we knew nothing about them.
DeleteTHAT IS GREAT THAT YOU CAN DONATE TO HOMELESS VETS. I was thinking of flipping some furniture for foster care kids that are getting released from the system into their own places. They have to start out with nothing. January is always a hard month for me. I am so happy it is almost over, although I swore I would not live hoping time had passed. But here I am.
ReplyDeleteIf I knew of a place that outfits kids who have aged out of foster care I would have done that. I don't necessarily want time to pass but I do want this damned pandemic to be over.
DeleteI haven't been counting a whole lot of joys lately, I've been mostly miserable, but that's all going to change soon. The joys you did find are good ones as always. They are always there when we take the time to look for them. Have a nice relaxing Sunday Ann. :)
ReplyDeleteI have been acting like a 2 year old lately. I have been on the verge of a temper tantrum aimed at no one in particular, and have been ignoring the joys that happen every day.
DeleteThat was very kind and generous of you to donate those two chairs for a good cause. Sounds like a win-win situation to me. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm staying home, too, for the most part! Our Covid numbers (for my county) has gone down from 46,000 shortly after Christmas to only 24,000, yesterday, but, even so, that is too high for my comfort! I had to go for 2 medical appointments this week and plan to visit my friend who is having cancer, tomorrow, but, I declined my cousin's invitation for a party for her grandson (it won't be a small family gathering). This week's joys include good health reports and learning that my daughter will be able to work from home a little longer. :)
I am so happy for you that your daughter can stay a bit longer!
DeleteAnne, stay with your angst and see where it takes you. You're kind as evidenced by your choice to donate vs sell.
ReplyDelete