Goodbye Granny's House

Well, next Saturday is the big day.  I'm glad I somewhat caught up with the family journal such as it is before this week begins.  The last month has been a complete zoo but things are really going to amp up this week.  Finishing and cleaning at the new house, packing and moving again, getting ready for Christmas...yikes.  I did go out and get most of my shopping done this weekend so that's a relief.  I'm truly considering today a day of rest in preparation for this week.  We were lucky to have my grandma's house available to us when we sold and needed to move so quickly.  The last move was really hard.  Last winter I felt the closest to depressed that I've ever been.  I was sad to leave our neighbors and neighborhood and although I still feel that a bit it has been almost a year, and I am so glad to move and get settled again.  We have already made some great friends in Wellsville, and I love our house and area.  The house has been such a life sucking project, so I am glad to see this chapter come to an end.  Luke is my sentimental kid and he mentioned the other day that he would miss this house a little when we leave.  I know what he means.  You make memories wherever you are.  Now no offense to my grandparents but there are a few things I will not miss about this house.

• This sign hung on the door to the upstairs for months.  It is not an exaggeration.  With no insulation and no A/C the upstairs where the kids were was stifling.  We eventually borrowed this huge exhaust fan my dad used to use in his shop and Jer installed it in a plywood frame in the upstairs window.  Yes, it was really trashy looking.  We turned it on as soon as it was cooler outside than in and it sucked all the hot air outside.  It made it bearable.  It sounded like a jet engine though and apparently used a lot of power.  One of our power bills was $240!!!!
• Carpet in the kitchen.  Enough said.
• Freezing winds that blow throughout the house in the winter time.  Those have resumed.  I will not miss them.
• A shower that's a big gross--I've worn flip flops in the shower for a year and a toilet that doesn't flush properly.  It's for #1 only.
• Having only one bathroom.  I know I'm spoiled, but I'll be glad to have more than one bathroom for the kids to use and plenty of hot water.
• The horror movie basement.  It's seriously a bit sketchy down there.
• The wasps.  We sprayed but there were still lots of wasps--especially by the upstairs windows.  I killed them daily during the summer.
• The bumpy lawn.  I love mowing the lawn but the grass here is so sketchy and bumpy.  It came to be a chore I dreaded here.
• The dangers:  busy road, canal, rotting chimney, sharp metal stuff everywhere...you name it!

That sounds like a lot of complaints, but they are actually pretty trivial.  I am just excited to move to what will hopefully be our forever home.  I'd love to transplant some of our friends and neighbors out there but luckily it's only about 15 minutes away.  I will miss Providence, but I've really missed having neighbors we know and a sense of community while renting so I will be so glad to have that again.  Pretty soon this next week will just be a blip on the radar.  I can move again (at Christmas time).  I'll just keep telling myself that!