Basement Transformation

I just posted about my new soap workshop at my company blog. Check out the crazy transformation of our basement!

We just got internet service and I've got tons to catch up on. I'm hoping to post house pics soon, too. For now, suffice it to say that we are very happy campers!

P.S. Dustin Pedroia is super human.

Moving Pics

Some packing shots ...

The skeleton looks like Iron Maiden's Eddie from The Trooper, leaning over the boxes.

This is weird. A refrigerator void of menus, magnets, kid's drawings and bumper stickers. We are fridge clutter whores, it seems.


The cats love this bag. It's beyond love, I think. This morning, I went to feed them and Larry decided he would rather chew on the bag. IKEA must put something special in their plastic.


*sigh*

First Night in the New Casa

So, we slept in the new house last night. Since our sofa bed was delivered on Sunday, it was pretty easy to crash there. I went straight after work and, after picking up an inexpensive manual push mower from a Craigslist seller in North Providence, I went right to work in the basement. I ripped up the bad, dank-smelling carpet, scraped up the glue and foam-like residue, and swept. Scraped, swept, scraped, swept. I should take some pics so I can document the progress. I read today that the foam-like stuff comes up much easier if you wet it first. It also cuts down on the amount of dust flying around. Jere showed up around 10 PM, just about when I was fully covered in basement floor stuff and ready for a shower (BTW - the shower works well and we have a nice, deep tub). He is mowing our lawn today and hopefully scraping more of the basement floor. The plan is to get down to bare cement, then cover it with a nice gray floor paint. The walls - which are wood paneled - will be painted white. The trim will be either gray or red. Phase one is just about complete!

It was cool to sleep in the house, but I must admit that I didn't sleep well. I was actually cold. The windows were open (because it's summer) and I forgot a blanket. I remembered sheets and pillows, thank goodness. I was also terrified that I wasn't going to wake up on time. I set my phone alarm for 6, not knowing how long it was going to take to get to Waltham. I left Providence at 7:15 and got to work in an hour. The commute was moving along swimmingly until I hit 128. There was a broken down vehicle in the far left lane and it had an impact. I got in the office early despite it. I think I could probably leave at 7:30 everyday and make it in well before 9. So, this means getting up at 6:30 everyday, which isn't too bad. I still need to find a decent coffee spot on the way, but it looks like it's going to be Cumberland Farms for a while. They have decent varieties, but no ambience. The bonus is that they also sell gas, so I can do one-stop shopping.

IKEAR (Bostonians add r's to words that don't technically have them.)

Between waiting in line at the register, waiting to pick up our furniture, and waiting in line to get our furniture shipped, we spent a good 2 hours in a queue at IKEA today. You might think we're nuts, but we saved over 50 bucks due to the tax-free weekend purchase!

Here are the goods:

[Red Sofa Bed]

[black and white rocker]

Pics from the New House

Okay, these were the pictures that were on New England Moves Dot Com, so please know that the furniture and accessories are not ours. Though, I must say that the sellers have good taste.

[front of the house]

[patio and backyard]

[this will be my new office - I'm going to paint the walls white, me thinks]

[this is going to be Jere's new writing room]

[master bedroom]

[living room - the fireplace works, but I'm terrified of fireplaces - some of you know why]

[dining room]

[kitchen - all new appliances and stuff]

Soon, this blog is going to be called: Gibberish from the 02905

Closing Is Tomorrow!

Firstly, I would like to publicly apologize to my friend Taylor (he is a friend - and an attorney - who has offered to eyeball our paperwork) for not getting him our real estate documents to look over. This time, the process seemed very rushed. However, I did read everything over carefully and I think we are in very good shape.

The closing is scheduled for 10 AM in Warwick. Rhode Island, that is. We had a few "jump through major hoops at the last minute" moments, but that isn't very unusual when it comes to buying real estate, as many of you can probably attest to.

This coming weekend is tax free in the state of Massachusetts, so we are going to buy a new sofa bed. We could drive about 20 minutes to the NH border and do this any old time, but I guess there is something kind of special about doing it in your own state. Which won't be our state much longer. Until we finally move to Northampton, which is the long term goal.

I hope you all come visit us in our new pad soon!

Boston Sports Media being Boston Sports Media

I really wish that baseball fans didn't have to be privy to the beefs between players and management. It's icky. I love Manny and I've supported him during past "Manny Being Manny" episodes because, let's face it, the Red Sox need him. I'm not going to take issue with one or two questionable moments when the dude brings it time and time again. I know that players and management have always had issues. Red Sox front office can be jerky (I'll never understand the abrupt firing of Doctor Morgan or Papa Jack). Baseball players can be jerky, too. Most of them are spoiled rotten and have sort of lost their connection to reality, especially the huge stars. As a big fan of the team and baseball in general, I don't want to have to be forced into these dealings. I just want to continue loving Manny and the Red Sox. I don't want to have to take sides. It isn't a fair expectation to place on fans. I blame the media, of course, because they hang onto Manny's words, take a lot of them out of context and ask him inappropriate questions about his relationship with FO. I don't want to know, but I have to know. Because it's splashed all over the front page of the Herald, which hits me in the face when I step out of my neighborhood coffee shop every morning.

Dear Boston Sports Media,

Please stop printing crappy baseball gossip about the Red Sox. If Manny says something like, "I want to be traded," simply wave your hand in an understanding gesture and say, "Yup, thank you, Manny," and be on your way.

Thank you.

I mean, I have plenty of anxiety about other stuff (REAL stuff) why do I have to worry about this, too? If Manny does get traded, I want to be able to wish him well. I don't want another heartbreaking Johnny Damon-style situation to contend with. I've invested in Manny. The least that he and the Red Sox can do is let us part from him on good terms.

In Mom News:
I'm so excited - she was able to skip a week of chemo! She had enough energy yesterday to do 2 loads of wash and clean the floor. She went out for ice cream, too! This is a major deal, since all she's been doing is sleeping or feeling like she's going to start sleeping for the past 2 weeks. She's going in for her body scans today and hopefully, the results will be in tomorrow. I am praying for something - ANYTHING - that shows that the chemo is working. This is such an agonizing process.

In House News:
We are on schedule to close mid-August and move in the last week of the month. Hurray! I can't wait!

You know, every day we are told that the housing market situation is more dire than the day before. If this is the case, why aren't people buying homes? Are they waiting for prices to go back up again? I don't get it.

There is a silver lining.

Well, the house deal we had in place didn't pan out. The seller was not willing to budge on repairs that were major safety concerns. We even agreed to split some of the cost with him, but he was not flexible. We decided to back out, knowing that the market is still very good for buyers right now. It's hard to let go of something you have your heart set on, but we were already spending so much before moving in, we thought that it wasn't worth it in the end. The good news is that we were able to get our deposit back in full, as what we were asking the seller to do was pretty serious. Also, our agent is very familiar with our needs now, so I think the process should be a bit quicker moving ahead.

Since we backed out, we've found a number of awesome listings and we are excited about looking at new places. Some of these homes are in mint condition, which is great because we can take our savings and use it toward decorating or even leave it in the bank!

To read about our fun flat tire adventure this weekend, go here!

House Update

First and foremost - CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BOSTON CELTICS! That was beyond exciting! I wish I had been able to go to the parade, but since paring down to a 4-day workweek, I try not to ask for more than I need from my employer.

Secondly, we are inching ever so closely to buying the house, but it isn't easy. Is it ever? We had a mold specialist come into the home yesterday to take samples from the basement where there are 2 distinct patches of mold. One of the patches contains a number of different types of mold, and a small amount of it is toxic. This is not good news. It means that the basement must undergo a remediation. And the question now becomes: Who is going to pay for it? It's a small area, which is good, but all mold remediations are expensive. They start at $1000. We've already negotiated with the seller to absorb full closing costs and he's come down a considerable amount since his initial asking price. We've asked him to deal with some electrical and plumbing issues that our inspector identified. We are wondering how much further he's going to be pushed.

It's in his best interest to take care of the mold because if he refuses and we back out of the deal, the mold must be disclosed to all potential buyers and in this market, ain't nobody gonna select a home that has toxic mold in the basement, no matter how little.

It may also be in our interest to pay for the remediation, because we've already invested $1000 in testing and assessment. We would be able to retain our deposit (as toxic mold is a serious enough problem to merit our backing out of the deal), but we would lose all the upfront $$$.

I am thinking that if he refuses to deal with the problem, we can ask if he would go in for half. Or possible a full/partial credit at the closing.

Either which way, the mold is outta there before August 14th. My agent is working up an extension right now for the final Purchase and Sale.

Fun!

Game 5 Pooper

Well, it's too bad about the game last night. I had a feeling that the Lakers would show up with everything they had. The series now stands: Celtics: 3, Lakers: 2. It was nice to see Matt Damon courtside. There has to be an answer for Jack Nicholson, who obviously thinks that he has some control over the outcome of these games. What a jackass.

The good part about this, of course, is that the C's might win it right here at home tomorrow. I will boycott WEEI until then. Today and tomorrow will probably be filled with nothing but harsh criticism from fans who think they can do a better job than the Celtics.

In home buying news, we had the inspection on Saturday. There are some repairs that need to be addressed (some are safety concerns, others are structural), but over time, it should be pretty easy to get them all done. The next step is figuring out which ones we need the seller to do vs. which ones we can live with until we get around to them. The whole process of a home inspection is so nerve-racking. I feel like we're taking a test and every time the inspector finds something, we're inching toward failure.

Oh - and I hope all of you dads had a great Father's Day! I would like to once again thank my late father for teaching me about the important things in life: Rock and roll, illegal fireworks, motorcycles, sticking it to the man, and amusement parks. Miss you, Dad!

Game Five

Wouldn't it be amazing if the Celtics won the championship in five games? Given that it's Garnett's number, I think that would blow my mind.

We will be taking in the game at our friend Anne's house on Sunday. I am incredibly pumped.

The home inspection is today - wish us luck!

Rajon Rondo: He'll Holla!

Check out Rondo's blog. He's pretty consistent with posting, too, considering how busy he is right now. He's been icing the ankle and taking it easy. I've got a good feeling about this game. I think that KG and Pierce are going to bring it. I hope they do it in front of grumpy, old Jack Nicholson. God, that man gets under my skin (save for The Shining and The Witches of Eastwick).

I am wondering if maybe Bill Russell can fly to L.A. for extra motivation. I'm not joking.

In house news: We are getting the house inspected on Saturday. My mom and Bill will be coming along for the fun. Whippee! Three hours of the 3 Ps: poking, prodding and praying that we don't find termites.

In sunburn news: I'm peeling like a mofo. I'm hideous.

And congratulations to David Ortiz for becoming a United States citizen!

We've Got a House!

In theory, anyway. Lots of paperwork still needs to be processed (and looked over by an attorney), but we accepted the counter-offer, with a few conditions. The deposit is in! Soon, we will be "Pawtucketites." "Rhode Islanders." "People who live in a very small state." Wait, we are already people who live in a very small state.

Word to the wise: Don't buy spray on sun screen. It doesn't work all that well. My lobster burn today is proof. And Jere's little nephew (one of the family members we spent yesterday with on his parents' beach) came running into their condo at the end of the day screaming about the sunburn on his back. He then looked at us and said, "I'm gonna take a tub!" He is so adorable. By the way, the sunburn was the only drawback to yesterday's fun. We had such a blast hanging out with everyone, including Jere's cousin Kara, her husband Ben and their super cute daughter, Lanie. It was the first real summer day. I think we checked every box - kayak, float, ocean, swimming pool, beach, picnic. Good times!

Speaking of good times, I should also mention that we went to Manny's big 500 home run game in Baltimore last weekend! Special thanks to Taylor and Kathie for treating us and letting us stay at their place in Philadelphia after the game. Loved the waffles! It was nice to get a real crab cake, too. I know New England offers kickass seafood, but nobody makes a crab cake like the fine people of Baltimore. And I am a big fan of it.

Mom update: She's doing well, though I could punch that old E.R. doctor in the head. After more scans by her oncologist, she was told that there is still cancer in the lungs. And everywhere else. Bu the good news is that it hasn't gotten worse or metastasized any further. They changed up her chemo, so her side affects won't be so bad. This one just gives her an intolerance to cold temperatures (she likens drinking cold beverages to swallowing shards of glass) and messes around with her jaw when she chews. Other than that, it seems to be better for her. She prefers this to vomiting.

I will be spending this sweltering day indoors making soap and other bath products to prepare for a pretty big Stella Marie spa party on Friday. It is best for me to stay out of the sun for a while. Besides, game 2 of the NBA finals is on tonight. Not to be missed!

GO CELTICS!

I am totally ready for this game. Cannot wait!

Crazy re: that green line train collision in Newton (less than an hour ago). I just had dinner across the street from that station less than a week ago. So far, no casualties. Luckily, the injured passengers can quite literally walk across the street to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. God, that was terrible.

We saw some interesting properties over the weekend. We are looking at 2 more on Friday night. One is in the Oak Hill part of Pawtucket, which, from what I read, is a pretty desirable area. Kind of artsy. The place looks very promising. Kind of like Pee Wee's house from the outside. Ish. Wish us luck.

First Road Win!

The Celtics came out with both barrels loaded last night! They beat the Pistons 94-80. They kept a 10-15 point lead consistently. They kept their composure, even though there was at least one instance of funny business. Kevin Garnett was forced into his 2nd personal foul because one of the Pistons grabbed his arm (very clear in the replay) and tried to pull Garnett down to the floor. Garnett yanked his arm back and a foul was called on him. He was a little shocked, but he let it go. The C's proceeded to answer for every point scored by Detroit. It was the compete opposite of Game 2. I guess the Pistons have learned what the Celtics are capable of.

We are looking at 6 properties today. I can't wait!

Wig Shopping

Though my mom's chemo is not technically supposed to cause her to loose her hair, it's thinning quite a bit (it was already very thin to begin with) and she's decided to have it cut really short and buy a wig. So ... that's what's on the agenda today. Somehow, I don't think it's going to be as fun as the old days of going to department stores and trying on the worst ones, then breaking out in huge fits of laughter. Who knows? Maybe she'll be in a goofy mood. She had a blood transfusion this week and she feels like a million bucks. Lots of energy, full appetite, more color in her face. She's like a new person.

I can't WAIT to start looking at houses this weekend. If I had loads of expendable cash, I would opt for a retro kitchen in black, red and white. Check out these amazing (and super expensive) appliances from Northstar in Candy Apple red:





I would also go with a 1950's table and chairs. Look at this gorgeous number:



I adore this button back chair in Tiffany blue, but they do make them in a "crushed ice" red:




And in sports:

The Celtics are going to have to win a road game, it seems. And how about the Red Sox? Two grand slams? The Royals are probably feeling pretty low right now. They really got knocked around.

Speaking of ...

A little after 5 PM yesterday, I called my mother. I had been on the phone with a mortgage lender earlier in the day and felt really good about beginning the process of buying a home. The pre-approval should happen before the end of the week. Between some money I have saved and some savings bonds I inherited from my father (who inherited them from my grandmother), I've managed to put together a little down payment. I wanted to share this with my mom. She answered her cell phone from the emergency room. At this point, I don't panic at the idea of knowing she is there. It's more like, "What, now?" She's had shortness of breath and lightheadedness and was advised by her oncologist to go to the ER. They proceeded to run their usual battery of tests, including an EKG and a chest x-ray. Both came back normal. To the chest x-ray results, my mother replied, "Normal, except for the cancer, right?" (I may have mentioned that the cancer metastasized to both lungs.) "There is no evidence of cancer in your lungs," the doctor said.

No cancer in the lungs.

NO CANCER IN THE LUNGS!

I guess the chemotherapy is doing it's job. We don't know about the other areas, but my mother did say that the tumor under her rib is loosening up. I don't want to get my hopes up, but when you are dealing with cancer, you have to celebrate all the victories - big and small. Because you don't know when it's going come around and take the wind out of your sails again.

The shortness of breath is due to a low oxygen level in her blood. She will need to discuss a way to treat that with her oncologist. It is supposed to be at least 60 and it's fallen, continuously, down to 21 since last year. This, combined with her asthma, is causing her to feel winded just by walking from the driveway to the back door. She may need iron supplements or possibly a blood transfusion.

She is going in for a port-o-catheter today to make her chemotherapy treatments a little easier. It's better than digging and digging for a vein that eventually presents itself. She's got tricky veins. She would make a terrible heroin addict. Or, at the very least, a very slow one.

Speaking of cancer ...

On another happy note, Lester pulled a no-hitter out of the ether yesterday! I wonder if he had a port-o-catheter. Someone at work just pointed out that he has an enormous head. It's true. And it's all fuzzy bear on top. Anyway, you've got to tip your hat to John Lester. Cancer survivor. Pitcher extraordinaire. Until his next start, anyway.

Speaking of pitching ...

We lost our softball game last night. You want to know why? Because we played a team that clearly belongs in a more advanced league. It sucks that a group of highly skilled players gets together and decides, unanimously, to play in the recreational league simple because they'll breeze their way through. Jerks. Plus, I struck out looking during my last at bat. Jere did great! Came up HUGE in the outfield and robbed these jackasses of a few good rips.

Speaking of coming up HUGE ...

The Celtics play game one against the Pistons tonight at the Gah-din. I am so excited! Prepare to be riveted, people! I predict that Ray Allen is going to step up his game tonight. And hopefully Doc will let Eddie House play again.

Ocean State

After that exhausting, but incredibly exciting 7 game series, I hope that the Celtics advance to the big show. I still can't believe they've made it this far. Paul Pierce was just incredible. 42 points, all by himself? I think that was the number. He was definitely in the zone, making all of his shots and the whole team displayed tight defense all game long. It's a tough break for Cleveland, but the Celtics are so deserving. I just hope that they aren't too pooped out for the series with Detroit.

Well folks, we are officially moving to the greater Providence area in September. This decision was made so that I can be closer to my mother's house. We have a very helpful real estate agent and I feel really good about this move. I will still commute to Waltham 4 days a week. We begin looking at properties next weekend. I have to get pre-approved before the weekend. The prices are really good and I don't anticipate any bidding wars, so we should be able to snag a sweet deal. I am hoping to have a large, usable basement to turn into a workshop for my soap business. I will need a sink, electricity, lots of available space and a refrigerator. I will miss Somerville miserably.

Mom update: She's had her 4th dose of chemo. At this point, she's fatigued 24/7. And she's really weak. At least she's in a position where she can continue to sleep as she needs it, totally uninterrupted. But I'm sure it's frustrating for her to not really be able to accomplish much on a daily basis.