random thoughts – Day 1,937 – (Sunday) – routines

I thought being up at 6:00 for work was early, but this past week of not having to get up for work or dance or any other early in the day activities has had an unintended side effect. It turns out there are other hours before then that I have unfortunately been introduced to nearly every day this past week. There were unwelcomed wake-ups at 5:00, 4:30, and even 3:30. The extra morning awake time mostly meant more time for sitting on the couch like a zombie drinking coffee and reading news and then I was barely able to stay awake mid-afternoon.

Kiki in a corner.

My additional hours spent lurking around the house don’t seem to have inspired any alterations in Kiki’s daytime schedule. She still hangs around upstairs all day where she has enjoyed the emptied out spare room and newly discovered nooks of the bedroom before she makes an appearance at her usual hour of 5:30 pm. The bedroom wastebasket was recently relocated and Kiki has comfortably commandeered the spot. 

Routines will be shattered in a few weeks when we leave the house for the last time, so she can enjoy things as they are for now. Trauma is on the horizon and I’m already worrying about how I’ll get her into the carrier for moving.

My 18-month strategic practice of putting treats into the carrier to get her to be comfortable and maybe even go inside the thing hasn’t worked. Sometimes she would execute a stretch and fetch and retrieve a treat or two, but that wasn’t as frequent as I thought. When I took the crate up in the house showing declutter, there were dozens of treats accumulated in the back of the thing.

random thoughts – Day 1,936 – (Saturday) – wonder and bluster

Confusion continues to reign. What day is it? Seriously, what day is this? I’m going to need to start X-ing off days on a wall calendar like a prisoner in a cartoon.

Some packing was done this morning. Artwork came off the walls and was packed into padded silver bags saved from the ice cream and frozen food items delivered during the Pandemic from Whole Foods when deliveries were free for Amazon Prime members. Pack rat tendencies sometimes pay off in surprising ways.

It feels like it’s time to start putting bigger furniture pieces into the cube. Bookcases can be managed solo, so that seems like a good start. It would be great to get as much done as possible before calling in reinforcements for the buffet and dressers.

Fish in a furniture store pond.

In-store furniture browsing continued today. The day's targeted retailers were Bob’s Discount Furniture and Bernie and Phyl’s, down the street from each other (and Jordan's Furniture) in Nashua. 

Each purveyor of home furnishings was a multilevel wonder. I wondered if the white fish sitting motionless on the bottom of the pond inside Bob’s Discount was resting, sleeping, or deceased. I wondered why they had a fish pond in there at all, unless they really wanted a reason to have to post signs telling people not to throw coins in the pond and not to walk on the edge of it. It felt like they were trying to look high end, despite the word “Discount” in their name and the cartoon character mascot. I also wondered why they had almost no furniture I liked, save for a mid-century modern styled sofa that comes in teal or olive.

Down the road at Bernie & Phyl’s, it wasn’t much better. I didn’t see a sofa I liked, but they had some nice looking Amish built bedroom sets that caught my eye. There was no fish pond to admire from the staircase at Bernie & Phyl’s. Mostly, the furniture at both stores looked the same, which reminded me of car shopping a few years ago where the car lots were vast seas of sameness.

The third place visited is a consignment store with a lot of furniture. It felt the most crowded of all the stores visited, but maybe it was just because it’s the smallest store. It was next to impossible to walk down an aisle thanks to shoppers who had little to no awareness of other people being in the store. There was a sofa plus a sofa table and some kitchen stools I like, just not quite enough to open the wallet.

Big boom, and a blob of smoke.

Tonight, the neighborhood fireworks continue, beginning before it was dark (again). There were a couple loud booms from one street over and I went to the porch to watch the fireworks. I stood there with the camera ready, hoping for an airborne bloom. There were three big noises, each one followed by a disappointing blob of black smoke. Basically, it was a whole lot of annoying noise followed by a bunch of nothingness, like some people I have known. 

random thoughts – Day 1,935 – (Friday) – fireworks

It was another long day, which began at 3:30 am when I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep. At 4:00 I opened the 600-page book I’ve been reading in short spurts for months and hope to someday finish. It’s the second book in a five-book series and while the writing is good, four of these books are long.

Dressed for
July 4th.

There were holiday things to do and I dressed accordingly in blue linen cropped drawstring pants with white and silver flip flops and a gray tee shirt with flag patterned heart on the front. It’s my official Independence Day shirt, part of the very small special collection of tee shirts worn basically one day a year. This exclusive collection includes a Star Wars shirt for Star Wars day, and two Christmas options – one in tan with a reindeer head of snowflakes, and the other one in red with a silver studded reindeer.

There were some furniture sales that started today and two stores were on the way to a cookout I planned to attend that was an hour from home. It seemed like the perfect routing scenario down Route 2 with two stops. Unfortunately, I was so tired from the tragically brief nap of Thursday night and a week of mostly minimal sleep that I couldn’t imagine driving to the cookout and then back home.

Instead of a holiday cookout on a beautiful summer day, I stayed home with Netflix for company, first with The Royals, a British series starring Elizabeth Hurley about British royalty that keeps making me think of Dynasty and the other nighttime soaps of decades ago. I fell asleep during the next to last episode and was totally confused when I woke up and had no idea what was going on. It was easy enough to remedy with streaming and I went back to the earlier episode. After The Royals, it was the new season of Yellowjackets.

On the porch, 7-4-25.

When my bare feet got too chilly from the A/C I went and sat on the porch for a few minutes. When I got too warm, I went back inside. This is a common summertime activity. It was still, with barely enough breeze to move the sheer curtains that filter the bright sun. It's exciting to be moving in a month, but I'm going to miss the enclosed porch.

The neighborhood amateur fireworks racket started it's third night of activity a street away around 7:30. The time seemed dumb because it was still complete daylight out, but I guess someone felt the need to be first with an opening act until the official city fireworks began hours later. The back yard neighbor's tree is tall and wide enough to block the view of all the highest of the city fireworks. After the professional show ended, the home-based fireworks show began on the Centralville side of Beaver Brook. 

Kiki was scarce most of the day, which is her usual routine. She remained scarce during most of the three acts of pyrotechnics. She slunk downstairs during the third stage and dashed under the couch, where she has remained for the past half-hour. Poor Keeks.

random thoughts – Day 1,934 – (Thursday) – furnishings

Day three of unemployment and things have now hit the “What day is this?” stage. Already. I figured it would take a couple weeks, at least. Thank goodness my cell phone displays the time, day, and date.

There was an errand needed at the Post Office, and I’m pleased to report that at 10:30 am there was no line and two (very pleasant) people working the counter. I was in and out of there in no time at all. In the parking lot, I saw a (now former) colleague who had just dropped off a bucket of mail and we exchanged pleasantries. That makes two consecutive days of seeing (now-former) colleagues outside the work campus and “in the wild,” which is a new record.

There was some hanging around the house and a load of laundry done before I had to head out on an excursion. The buyer’s inspection was this afternoon and my responsibility was to not be at the house.

Options considered (and discarded) for entertainment included visiting the library (downtown parking), going to the gym (ha ha ha I meant to join one while I had health insurance with a reimbursement, but failed to do so), thrift store (afraid I’d spend money on stuff needing to be moved), and Jordan’s Furniture to scope out a sofa and bed that could be delivered directly to the new house (the winner).

Jordan’s Furniture turned out to be the perfect escape. It was calm. Peaceful. Not crowded. Almost everything was pretty. Unlike a visit there many years ago when I thought I needed a sleep sofa, my presence was acknowledged. On that earlier visit, I did everything but jump up and down waving money but my invisibility cloak had somehow activated and I eventually wondered if I was in the store at all or just dreaming it. Today, I was greeted. People engaged in conversation and offered help in a very non-pushy manner. It was pleasant.

The wood! The bed!

I wandered the store and found a few sofas I liked and also a platform bed with many storage drawers underneath. The mission oak wood (according to the tag) glowed and reminded me of a gorgeous tiger oak set I once had and did not get in the division of property in Divorce #1. 

I haven’t had a headboard at all since Tennessee when I went from a full to a queen mattress, and then never got around to shopping for one because I truly can be the queen of not doing things that cost money and aren’t really that important. Plus, at The BungaLowell, the head of the bed sits in an alcove and a headboard felt superfluous. Excessive. Possibly crowded.

Leading contender in the sofa search.

As much as I have detested the recent gray/greige paint and decorating fixation, I was drawn to two gray sofas and a medium blue one. They seemed more practical than the gorgeous creams (I’m a bit klutzy and Kiki is a mostly black cat) and the plentiful pale blues that scream “beach house” (would I still like it in the winter? Probably not). 

Anyway. I don’t have room measurements for the new place, but I had the very helpful glossy realtor brochure in my purse. A nice salesperson keyed in on the sofa in the living room glamour shots (full sofa with a roll arm) to help ferret out  a couple of sofas and sectionals that will fit in the room without being overwhelming. He suggested a swivel side chair to allow for TV watching and conversation with sofa guests. 

The helpful salesperson also noted that the one and only bed I like (mission oak platform bed) should have a low-profile mattress as the bed itself is rather high. This is a most excellent point which I had not noticed.

I left the store without making a purchase. I want to think things over, crunch some numbers, review the timelines for delivery, and maybe check a few more places. It was a beneficial experience, and unless the perfect sofa falls from the sky and lands on me a la Wile E Coyote/Roadrunner cartoons, I’ll probably be back for one of the sofas and possibly the bed. It will be the first time I’ve bought new furniture in decades (white leather dining chairs for the house in Tennessee). Most of what I currently possess is either family hand-me-downs or from a yard sale or a thrift store. Maybe this new chapter (and new home) deserves an upgrade from shabby chic to some new furnishings.

random thoughts – Day 1,933 – (Wednesday) – preparations

The second morning of not having to get up for work arrived with the usual natural elements of light and birdsong, followed by a small meowy greeting from Kiki. Tuesday night had been spent more awake than asleep, partly due to tossing and turning in an effort to be comfortable, and partly due to excitement over The BungaLowell being under contract combined with the news received last night that my offer on what will be my next home was accepted.

Thoughts of “why does my hip hurt?” and “what’s wrong with this pillow?” alternated with “where should I put Kiki’s food station in the new house?” and “maybe I should get a sectional for the living room,” plus a litany of other issues and ideas. Monkey chatter brain was operating in high gear.

The plastics container project started Tuesday was completed this morning. A large, sturdy box procured last week from the mail room was perfect for the task. It was also awkward and tricky to manage when full. It felt like a comedy skit as I first dragged it across the rug, then managed to lift it enough to get it off the deck and then into the moving cube. If my arms were just a smidge longer it would have been easier. In the process, an edge of the box and the top edge of my right kneecap had a brief encounter the led to a flash of pain that had me dragging my leg. At least the plastic containers and plates, bowls, and cups for outdoor use are logically packed together except for the ones still in use in the freezer.

There was paperwork to deal with – both digital and old timey paper. The first deposit check for the purchase of my next home needed to be delivered to the realty office. Luckily, the real estate company has a location in Chelmsford, where Independence Day fever has taken over the town. Two days before the famed parade, chairs marked front row real estate claims along the parade route. There were chairs still in carry bags laid on the ground and opened up chairs tethered to each other with rope. Some lawns featured plastic yard chairs neatly arranged several rows deep. Bunting draped buildings and flags waved in the breeze.

Parade preparations.

A small dumpster was being set up on a lawn opposite the real estate office I was headed towards, and where the parking lot was filled with cars. Several people were busy arranging decorated Christmas trees on a trailer as I arrived. At my departure, inflatable palm trees and a Santa sleigh were being placed. For years I’ve heard that the Chelmsford July 4th Parade is a big deal, and I was seeing some of the preparations.

On the way home, a bag of plastic food containers, swimsuits bought last year that just didn’t work out, and a box of Christmas decorations that haven’t been touched in years were delivered to the donation drop bins at St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Shop. I caved to temptation and went inside for a walkabout, where I ran into a bank friend and succeeded in not buying anything.

Also during the day, updates were shared with Mom and plans to attend a cookout on Friday were finalized, and inspection appointments were confirmed for the house being sold and set for the house being bought. The second day of unemployment was as tiring as the first and somehow, both felt more exhausting than a day at the former job.

random thoughts – Day 1,932 – (Tuesday) – new day, pink night

The first day of being unemployed started like the employed days preceding it. The morning light woke me around 5:40, then the alarm went off at the usual 6:15. Things deviated a bit and I stayed in bed until 7:00 before getting up and making coffee. Nearly every day starts with coffee. It's better that way. Trust me.

By 9:30, I was caffeinated and seated at the desk, logged on to the state website opening a claim for unemployment benefits as instructed in a seminar provided by the bank a couple weeks ago. There was some other paperwork and emails to tend to, and except for the specific nature of the business being conducted at the desk and the fact I was still in my pajamas, it felt like a work day.

It was humid enough outside to require the A/C running inside. I'm glad I have A/C, but it depresses me to have to run it so much lately (cha-ching!). The activity level and stress of recent days (weeks?) caught up with me and I ended up napping on the couch for a chunk of the afternoon. I love a good nap and it has been a while since I last indulged in one in the middle of an afternoon. 

I'll finish this tomorrow.

One of the tasks on the list for the day was to deal with the cabinet of plastic food containers. The plan was to review the contents of  “Plastics Purgatory,” so-named due to its hellacious condition. Despite frequent attempts to contain the containers, it seems they breed and multiply in there. 

The objective of the exercise was to match the lids with the containers and segregate the ones I rarely use to either donate or discard. Containers were pulled up onto the counter and many were matched up and then the task was paused because the box to pack them in is in the really big storage box in the driveway and I didn't feel like going outside to get it. Tomorrow. I'll finish it tomorrow. (Famous last words.)

Pink sky at night.

A storm rolled through the area in the evening. At 7:30, the wind was whipping the trees, thunder rumbled, lightning flashed, and driving rain pelted the front and deck side of the house. Then it was quiet again. 

Afterwards, I remembered to look outside and at 8:30 finally caught a bright pink summer sky over the rooftops across the street. The color reflected in the puddles from the rain. And then it was gone.

random thoughts – Day 1,931 – (Monday) –portals and departures

Fairy door, 6-30-25.

The final walk from the garage to the office featured an unexpected sight and I have no idea how I even spotted it. At a building at John and Merrimack Streets, where the sidewalk meets the wall, there was a little fairy door. So cute! Is it the only one downtown or are there more? Did a human put it there, or was it a fairy? Is it a portal to a magical world? Answers please. 

Over at the Lazy Cat Lounge  I looked for the kitties. Instead, I saw a plastic nip bottle left by a littering human on a ledge at one of the windows. 

Like so many other days at the office, there was food. The bagels were fresh and plump, with sides of whipped cream cheese. The doughnuts were fresh and varied. We all stood around and a few delivered some words to the collective, sometimes with a catch in the throat and/or a moist eye. It was bittersweet. It was heavy and also light. Then we splintered off to our desks to do whatever it was we needed to do.

There was a steady flow of people into and through the department, and all I could think was “farewell tour.” Meanwhile, I was actually trying to work. I know, right? It definitely wasn’t my plan, just how it worked out.

As I ran through the project statuses in our request portal for the last time, I realized two ads hadn’t been delivered. Worse, I hadn’t even had them reviewed. Oops. Time to hustle. The ads were reviewed and delivered, because our team (may it rest in peace) is (was) amazing.

Then, as the clock was ticking towards the time on my calendar noted for returning my company laptop and turning in my access badge, I got answers to questions asked last week. Another review project was opened and the project was reviewed in record time, thanks to most of the reviewers having been involved in the earlier discussions. Updates were delivered to the parties handling the next step. I could finally log off with a clear conscience.

Goodbye, desk.

I left my desk in a hurry and only later realized I had left behind my mouse pad which was a gift from a former manager. There are probably more things I forgot, but I'm sure I'll live. 

There were hugs. In the department, in the hallways, in the parking lot. Whenever two colleagues approached each other, the conversation started and ended in a hug. It took a while getting out the door. Across the parking lot. Off campus.

Luckily, it took next to no time to get home, where it was time to get busy with real estate stuff. My realtor connected me with a real estate attorney for the closing and I missed the earlier call from his office. The legal office sent forms for my signature. My realtor and I had forms to review and things to discuss.

At 3:45, shocked at the time, I remembered the inspection sticker that expires today. Luckily, Hank’s Garage is only two streets away. The sign said inspections take place until 4:00 and I felt bad for being so late but another vehicle pulled in after me, and then another after that. It seems a few of us remembered the same thing around the same time. Anyway, it’s done now and I can forget about it for another year.

On tap for tomorrow – adventures in unemployment begin with combing the job listings for a new place to land and opening the magic portal to apply for unemployment benefits.