Yes, I’m still here…..

Felicia on the left ..... Me on the right.

I know I haven’t updated in a while but life is going full speed ahead and I am holding on for dear life. Many of you know that Felicia has been in the process of moving since January. Her friend Virginia and I have been helping her pack and get ready for the actual move. Well that has now happened and I am in a bit of a funk because I feel like I just lost my best friend. Actually she is more like a mother to me but we have become really close the 16 years she has been here. Felicia got an offer on her house and it was accepted. All the workings of the sale were put into action and it was time to get Felicia ready for the actual move. Her son had signed a lease on and apartment in a “seniors” building and got it ready for his mother.

Virginia and I stepped up the packing. As many of you know, we started packing last March. We packed up the best of her kitchen items, packed her dinning room hutch, her closets and emptied the entire upstairs. We had ladies in from the church to help clean. We took several truck loads of “things” to the Salvation Army and we gave away lots of her furniture. We arranged repairs on the house which included foundation work and replacing siding on the back of her house. A friend of ours came over and completely pressure washed the entire outside of her house. In June we took time off and waited for the house to sell.

Finally, last month, an offer was made and accepted, time to go to work again. Two weeks before the move we put things in full gear. We gave away more things, took 4 more loads of items to the Salvation Army and packed more things. Where in the world did she get all that stuff???? A friend of ours volunteered to drive the U-Haul all the way from Houston to Columbia, Maryland. I arranged for a 24 foot truck with an auto transport. A week ago last Thursday, 10 men from our church came over and loaded the U-Haul. We put Felicia in a hotel for the night and crashed into bed. The next day her son arrived and took Felicia into his care. Friday at 4:00pm., Chris took off on his trek to Maryland, driving the U-Haul, after working a full day teaching at school. We gave him money for gas, food and a hotel. I worried for his safety, but his wife called him at intervals and kept him awake. All in all, he made good time and arrived there Sunday around noon. He delivered the truck to Felicia’s daughter and was home in Houston by 7:00pm. I went over to the house and swept the floors and vacuumed the carpet so that we could leave it in good condition. I also needed to be there so that the people getting her large appliances could pick them up.

Monday I ate breakfast with Felicia and her son, Rodney, and said my good-buys. The house still hasn’t closed because of problems with the title company, but Felicia and Rodney flew out of here Monday at 3:00pm. I am totally drained from the experience and it took me several days to get back into gear. The rest of the week we have been painting in our dining room and getting ready to install the wood floors in our living room and dining room. I want them done before Thanksgiving! So busy, so much to do.
So now you see why I haven’t posted in a while. I’m tired just writing this…

On a frugal note: Here are some articles that I have read in the last few weeks that I thought you might be interested in.

http://money.aol.com/usat/insurance/canvas3/_a/spending-time-studying-insurance/20061101112609990001 Spending Time Studying Insurance Enrollment Now Can Save Money Later

http://money.aol.com/smoney/insurance/canvas3/_a/cheap-drugs/20061031175709990001 Paying too much for your prescriptions? Check this out.

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06oct23c.cfm Learn what to do to be Energy Efficient this winter season.

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06oct16c.cfm - How to Curb Impulse Buying.

http://www.bankrate.com/dls/news/pf/20061027_toys_holiday_a1.asp - 15 Hot Holiday Toys. (With my grandson, it’s anything Mario Brothers)

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/00/001023f.cfm - Avoiding Irreconcilable Differences.

http://www.stretcher.com/menu/outrage.cfm - That’s Outrageous - Is Free Always Good?