April 2012 - Condo Closed, Staging Home

April 2012

We closed on the new condo on April 16.  Movers came the very next day and took out some of our extra furniture so we could declutter and sell our current home.  For example, the complete dining room set was always too cramped for our existing dining room, so the sideboard was taken out.  Then cousin-in-law/friend Susanne Carey and I rolled up our sleeves and started painting!  Aunt Helen Carey (aka The Old Auntie) came and lent a hand too!

 

  It was fun being creative and trying to decorate on a minimal budget quickly.  The entire main floor was painted.  Old brass coffee & end tables with glass tops were painted.  The sewing room was transformed with a quick change of wallpaper border to a Maple Leafs themed bedroom.  Susanne loaned me some pictures, and other items were (ahem) “rented” from Wal-Mart (and returned with receipts after the house sold).  Our favourite project was probably taking Pringles chip cans, covering them with wallpaper scraps, and putting in decorative grasses bought from the Dollar Store.  Eating those cans of Pringles was such a hardship…  Big shout-out THANK YOU to Susanne & Helen!

And as Murphy's Law would have it, Ibby was on a golfing holiday in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina from April 21 to 27.  Yes, a short 5 days after closing he hit the road…  Actually the trip with 9 other guys had been planned way back in December, and it’s just the way the timing all worked out.  But when he came home he had quite the “reveal” just like on the decorating shows!

During this time we also firmed up and chose our contractor, Bill Weisflock.  Bill had been quite helpful with advice all along during our process so far, and we have confidence in him and his team.  Bill will take the building up to the point of foundation & framing and the roof on and windows in.  Basically so we can lock the doors, which should bring us up to mid-October if all goes well.  Then the local building inspector has convinced me to try my hand at general contracting.  I’ll bring in the trades individually such as electrician, plumber, HVAC, etc.  We’re told you can save quite a bit of money this way.  I was skeptical to think that I won’t know if something isn’t done correctly, but the inspector has reassured me that if it’s wrong he will raise the red flag.  I also fully realize that the scheduling likely won’t be as efficient as Bill could do, but we do have a bed to sleep on and won’t be living out of our car if things are delayed.  And if it just doesn’t work out, Bill is on notice I may hand the entire project back to him, but I’m willing to give it a go!

Jaime was kicked out of school (again).  Still an extreme level of aggression.  A big shout-out THANK YOU to teacher Mrs. Dillon, the EA’s at Anderson High School, Christian Horizons Group Home Supervisor Priscilla Holden, and all the CH staff for their support during this difficult time.  Jaime finally got his meds increased, and after a gradual transition period finally seems to be doing better.