A day of endings
Yesterday is done, and so are two parts of my life. We moved my Mom to her new, ground-level apartment. Even though it was pouring rain for the last part (carrying her stuff from the truck to the new place) it was the best move ever, and I've had a LOT of moves!
The whole thing was supposed to start at 9:00, but my son had gone to bed at 5:00 a.m. Pseudo son also is a night owl, as is V-Man because he works nights. So I didn't really think the crew would be ready by 9:00, and they weren't. Pseudo son decided (when I finally called him) that "it wasn't really a good day for him..." and that he wouldn't be able to help. Son was still in bed, of course, and I'd been calling V-Man since 1:00 on Tuesday and he hadn't called me back yet. What Mom and I thought was a sure-thing and all set up was in danger of falling apart. And I had rented the truck and taken the day off from work. It also was my son's only day off from work for a long time (yes, I do feel bad about that part!)
I spent at least 15-minutes on the phone to re-convince Pseudo son to help us out with my Mom making gestures from her chair and saying stuff to me that I couldn't hear, because I was on the phone. What probably saved the day was the fact that V-Man was already enroute (so I thought, turns out that he really wasn't, yet) to pick up Pseudo son because they both live out in the country. V-Man had to make a few stops but he and PS came around noon. I was so relieved, especially not to have to continue to make lame conversation with my Mom while she waited.
She wasn't actually there when they came, as she had the delivery of her new bed to the new place at 11:30 and had to leave to wait there instead. That gave me time to peek into her largely unpacked bedroom and get to work. She had claimed she was all packed, of course. I knew that wasn't so because she had barely packed a thing from the rest of the apartment but didn't want to call her a liar. I also found out that she has ruined the mattress on one of my beds that she was using. So it worked out much better. In fact V-Man said as they first came in, "Aren't you missing something?" And son and I chimed in, "NO!"
So, while moves are never fun, this one had some funny and fun moments. V-Man was in a good humor, but we could not figure out how he had done his former "feat of strength" and carried Mom's recliner up the stairs on his head! He tried carrying it down and it didn't fit well through the doors or in the hallway this time. At the new place I had picked up a lot of fast food and we ate and set up Mom's place with kitchen stuff, plugged in lamps, TV and VCR and all of that sort of thing.
We brought back the truck and I had to get ready for my CPA graduation! The mayor, police chief and others were there. I had bought a thank you card to circulate among the class members to sign. Actually I brought two cards, one kind of mushy about heroes and all and the other plain. I took a quick poll from a couple of class members outside the door and the mushy one won (and I liked it better, too.) Thank you cards are hard to get just right. Some are too funny and silly, some too pompous and some just too plain. I gave the card to the police chief after we had all written something in it.
After all the speeches I was the first name called and hesitated, wondering if I was supposed to go up to the front. I was, of course, and walked through the line and shook everyone's hand. I got a pin and a nice diploma in a blue cloth cover like a book. We had a pizza party with a decorated cake after that. It was hard to say goodbye to everyone.
It was a long day, and kind of bittersweet. It will be sad to not attend CPA any more. And I really thought that the extended family living might have worked out. Don't know why, as I barely saw my Mom as a kid and didn't really get along with her that well as an adult. Wishful thinking, I guess, I haven't outgrown it yet!
V-Man did pick up on something she said, at the end as we were sitting around in her new living room, "I'll have to get back to domesticity. It will be fun, I'm looking forward to it." Huh? She did as little as possible when living with me, sigh.
Oh well. This morning is so peaceful, and late last night after coming home from graduation was too. I love it. Have a great day.
The whole thing was supposed to start at 9:00, but my son had gone to bed at 5:00 a.m. Pseudo son also is a night owl, as is V-Man because he works nights. So I didn't really think the crew would be ready by 9:00, and they weren't. Pseudo son decided (when I finally called him) that "it wasn't really a good day for him..." and that he wouldn't be able to help. Son was still in bed, of course, and I'd been calling V-Man since 1:00 on Tuesday and he hadn't called me back yet. What Mom and I thought was a sure-thing and all set up was in danger of falling apart. And I had rented the truck and taken the day off from work. It also was my son's only day off from work for a long time (yes, I do feel bad about that part!)
I spent at least 15-minutes on the phone to re-convince Pseudo son to help us out with my Mom making gestures from her chair and saying stuff to me that I couldn't hear, because I was on the phone. What probably saved the day was the fact that V-Man was already enroute (so I thought, turns out that he really wasn't, yet) to pick up Pseudo son because they both live out in the country. V-Man had to make a few stops but he and PS came around noon. I was so relieved, especially not to have to continue to make lame conversation with my Mom while she waited.
She wasn't actually there when they came, as she had the delivery of her new bed to the new place at 11:30 and had to leave to wait there instead. That gave me time to peek into her largely unpacked bedroom and get to work. She had claimed she was all packed, of course. I knew that wasn't so because she had barely packed a thing from the rest of the apartment but didn't want to call her a liar. I also found out that she has ruined the mattress on one of my beds that she was using. So it worked out much better. In fact V-Man said as they first came in, "Aren't you missing something?" And son and I chimed in, "NO!"
So, while moves are never fun, this one had some funny and fun moments. V-Man was in a good humor, but we could not figure out how he had done his former "feat of strength" and carried Mom's recliner up the stairs on his head! He tried carrying it down and it didn't fit well through the doors or in the hallway this time. At the new place I had picked up a lot of fast food and we ate and set up Mom's place with kitchen stuff, plugged in lamps, TV and VCR and all of that sort of thing.
We brought back the truck and I had to get ready for my CPA graduation! The mayor, police chief and others were there. I had bought a thank you card to circulate among the class members to sign. Actually I brought two cards, one kind of mushy about heroes and all and the other plain. I took a quick poll from a couple of class members outside the door and the mushy one won (and I liked it better, too.) Thank you cards are hard to get just right. Some are too funny and silly, some too pompous and some just too plain. I gave the card to the police chief after we had all written something in it.
After all the speeches I was the first name called and hesitated, wondering if I was supposed to go up to the front. I was, of course, and walked through the line and shook everyone's hand. I got a pin and a nice diploma in a blue cloth cover like a book. We had a pizza party with a decorated cake after that. It was hard to say goodbye to everyone.
It was a long day, and kind of bittersweet. It will be sad to not attend CPA any more. And I really thought that the extended family living might have worked out. Don't know why, as I barely saw my Mom as a kid and didn't really get along with her that well as an adult. Wishful thinking, I guess, I haven't outgrown it yet!
V-Man did pick up on something she said, at the end as we were sitting around in her new living room, "I'll have to get back to domesticity. It will be fun, I'm looking forward to it." Huh? She did as little as possible when living with me, sigh.
Oh well. This morning is so peaceful, and late last night after coming home from graduation was too. I love it. Have a great day.
11 Comments:
It may be a day of endings, but it's also a day of new beginnings. Enjoy some peace and relaxation, and perhaps think about another project to stimulate those brain cells :o)
I am SO GLAD it's worked out for everyone all the way around. Your mom got her own place, you got some peace of mind (and maybe some quiet time to yourself every now and then???) and you graduated!
Good for you! :)
I'm breathing a huge sigh of relief for you, PBS. It was good of you to try the extended family thing, but wise of you to admit defeat. Peace at last, eh? LOL!!
I'm glad things worked out well!
Enjoy the peace. :)
Congrats on graduating! I think this move will be a good thing, you'll have some downtime again! So take advantage and relax!
A good move sounds about as likely as a good root canal, but I'm glad it wasn't too painful for you. Will you become an auxilliary officer now?
So pleased to read that the move went so well.What a relief to have finally found somewhere everyone is happy with and now you get your own space back.
Yay for graduating! Boo, for no more CPA. Think you'll continue to keep in touch with some of your classmates?
Anyway, Congratulations on such a productive day. Go you!
Oh, I feel so relieved for you, and I hope you do too---relieved and proud. I wish you could stay in the place you're in after all.
its a new beginning, just think of it as a good thing for everyone...you have all the peace you will want now...
congrats on your graduation and diploma...
:0)
hopped over from lisa's page, congratulations on receiving your diploma, and i hope everything works out well for you. enjoy some R&R.
You were a busy bee...don't get too tired.
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