Monday and the cars

Today is a day I have been preparing for.

I have had a long standing offer to take a friend to get her driver's license.
She HAD it, but lost it, and it's a long story that I still don't totally understand but ANYWAY in order to get a replacement, she has to take a driving test.

SO she is going to use my car fo rthe test, and as the owner, I have to be there and SO I am voluntarily going to the DMV with a friend, on the last day of the month. Because no one will be there renewing licenses and registration on the last day of the month that said documents are due to expire. No one. (hahahahahaha)

I am The Best Friend Ever.

So after we take care of that little chore (and I am sure she will pass the test handily) we have to deal with MY car issues. Like getting my safety inspection and renewing my registration.

Because like I said, no one EVER waits till the last day of the month to take care of those things. That would be silly.

The "I'm Not Bringing it Back Inside so Make an Offfer" sale wrap up

Alright, so I said, over and over again, that I would not bring anything back in the house after the sale.

I lied.

Okay ? Are you happy ? I lied. I brought stuff back inside because no one was even vaguely interested, and I am going to try to sell these items on Craigslist this week before I give up. I only brought in stuff that I know is worth something more then $.25 which is remarkably the price many people seem to think you should sell things at during a yard sale.

"How much is this brand new video camera"
"Well, we never used it. Make me an offer."
"I'll give you $.25"
Which is when I picked up the camera and took it inside.

I brought it out later, and someone DID buy it. And not for $.25 I actually held out for $.75. I am such a ball-buster.

No, seriously, we sold a ton of stuff. We still have some big ticket items left, which I listed on Craigslist immediately after the sale, and now it is all back on the porch, ready to be tucked away for just a few more days.

And I have a party tonight, and work tomorrow, and then Monday - MONDAY - I have all sorts of fun things planned with my friend Willow. I'll also have pictures.

See you then !

Today mommy is going out in the great big scary world

Two days a week I wait tables at a cafe in Paia. So, no big plans for the house on Friday.

Thursday was an OK day - I got a lot accomplished, but not as much as I had hoped vis a vis The SALE.

HOWEVER - I feel pretty good about the preparations I have made, and I have managed to make a dent in the attic crap, which I had really been dreading. The kids rooms and the kitchen are done, and all that is left to do is sort out my clothes, go through a few random baskets and boxes we had in our room and the attic, and I think we are going to pull a few more items out of the attic. It will depend on how much I have time for.

We are going to hang a closet bar across the porch eaves for clothing, and Sam is setting up a screened tent thing-y in the yard tomorrow to prep for the big day.

In closing, tonight I am going to work my buns off before bed, and tomorrow afternoon I am going to do the same, and then Saturday morning I am getting up at the crack of dawn and dragging everything out to the front yard and hoping for the best.

In the meantime - is anyone on Maui in the market for a space heater? Or three ?

Good Morning my lovelies !

It is a gorgeous morning here in Hawaii, and I am just settling down at the computer after a busy start - it's just 8am and I have already dressed and showered (listen, that's big news around here) and gotten the kids dressed and fed, and made a lunch for Lucy and walked them both to school.

Well.....technically I walked Max halfway to school. I got him across the busy road and down the street to the crossing guard and took a big deep Grown Up breath, and let him walk the rest of the way by himself - about 4 blocks. I would just like it noted that I only shouted "Bye Honey I looooove Yooouuuuuu" twice. Okay, maybe three times. And I didn't stand there on the corner and stare at him walk away. I lifted my chin, sucked in the tears, and turned around and headed back the way I had come. *sob*

I did walk Lucy right into her classroom - pausing only to watch this poor, heartbroken little boy sobbing and shouting goodbye at his mom. Oh, he was fierce in his love for mommy, and so MAD that she was leaving. Thank god Lucy is totally down with me dropping her off and leaving - I don't htink i could bear to leave her sobbing and shrieking in a classroom. No matter how big my big girl panties might be.

And so now I am home again......alone. And I am pleased to report that yesterday I accomplished my task of cleaning both kids' rooms. Not only did I sort out, throw out, and bag for the yard sale - but I also CLEANED. Like, moved beds and other furniture around to vacuum under them kind of cleaned. Serious cleaned.

A few before and afters for your reference:

Max's room before



and after



Lucy's room before



and after



But really, the best way to tell is to look in here - our bathroom/yard sale storage area
Before:



And this morning - not even close to done gathering items, but it's a start !



Today I have a list of things to do, and much less time in which to accomplish the items on it.

First, the mortgage. We have been stuck in the quagmire that is the Mortgage Affordability Act. So today, I have printed out a brand new application, and we are starting over. Again.

This. Sucks.

So after thoroughly dissecting our finances, which is ALWAYS a good time, I am going to attempt to tackle our bedroom - it's a mess (seriously - way worse then the kids' rooms if I am being honest with myself).

I can hear you cheering for me, but frankly, your level of enthusiasm disappoints me. Perhaps you could attempt to work up a little more SPIRIT and really get my heart racing. Jeez. Have an espresso or something.

Thanks in advance.

And away we go

OK, so to recap:

Yesterday wasn't the first day of the rest of my life because it was only a half day, which I wasted by having a bloody mary right at the very beginning, leaving me completely useless for the rest of the day - and ornery to boot.

But TODAY. Oh, today. Today Is It.

I am on track to have an epic day in terms of clearing out this house. 6 hours of unencumbered, uinterrupted quiet, all the better to purge and reflect and decide and purge again.

Here is my rule of thumb:
If I wouldn't pack it and pay to ship it back to the mainland, it's going in the yard on Saturday.

Harsh, I know. But I think that's the only way to have an effective yard sale. You have to be ruthless. Cold hearted. Completely without emotion. And money hungry. That doesn't hurt. In the past, I have pussy-footed around selling things. "I might need that", I would think. And then
I'd end up not getting rid of all of the stuff I really NEED to get rid of.

And yes, Trippy, we did just have a yard sale last year. And I was a big, fat pussy and didn't even go in the attic for that one. That was a fraud of a yard sale. I mean, I didn't even rent tables ! That sale totally didn't even count. This one is going to be EPIC.

So, here's to you, mommies at home. Let's throw everything in the front yard, and start fresh !

Day One. It was only a half day, so...

Listen. I can't count 8-11am as "the first day of the rest of my life" because that is just PATHETIC.

Plus, it was drizzling and gray.

So I got a few things accomplished, but it certainly wasn't a benchmark for the days to come. I hope. Otherwise, seriously, this blog is going to be profoundly boring.

I started with a bloody mary. Which led to a swift change in plans - from "clean out kitchen drawers" to "take a nap". And then it was 11am and my first day was over and gee whiz - this empty nest thing is going to be a BREEZE ! I can't *believe* I was worried about how I was going to fill my days !

Tomorrow I have more lofty goals. Beginning with "Don't drink a bloody mary at 8am because it really slows you down."

(sigh)

The first day of the rest of my life...........

Welcome to the beginning of a life. This is quite an event. After years (and years) of trying to have first one child, and then a second, both children are off to school 5 days a week and I find myself at loose ends.

So.

We're going to figure this out together.

Since someone else has already deconstructed Mastering the Art of French Cooking, I gotta find something else. Something better. Something at once cooler and WAY LESS STRESSFUL.

But in order to think, I have to clear the clutter. Literally and figuratively.
I have a few little projects bumping around in my head, and some huge tasks at hand.

We shall start with The Purge.

I am having a yard sale in 5 days.
FIVE. DAYS.

In the next three days, I am going to tackle this entire house while the kids are at school. This is not about cleaning - in fact, I have a feeling that the house will be a complete disaster by the time I am done......but once I get everything sorted, and the items I am getting rid of out of the house, I can start dealing with what is left.

Sort of like my life.