This photo is by Matt Roth for the New York Times.

Saturday, February 27, 2016, there was a fabulous article about continuing care communities. We have several options here in the Seattle area. I've toured some, I know others more because I have friends who moved into them.



read the article here:


New York Times Article

Parents

I've been thinking about my parents lately. They have both passed over, so I am now the "older generation" in my family. Here they were with my oldest. Picture taken some 21 years ago. She looks pretty happy to be in the arms of a loving grandma. 

Thanksgiving-Selling my mommy's house part 5

Thanksgiving came to my family (siblings mostly) in the form of a thank you text message and happy buyers for my mommy's house. We couldn't be more pleased that this nice couple bought the home, and plan to live there with their multigenerational family. Here is a shot of the happy homeowners.

Selling my mommy's house part 4

So now we had to clear out the home, clean it, paint some rooms, repair a few items, have the gutters cleaned and the windows washed, and...then stage it. I think most people know what staging is now, where a designer comes in and places furniture, artwork and accessories in a home to show it's best features. I'll connect you HERE to the photos of the home after staging. Oh, by the way the investor told me he would pay $185,000 for the house. I don't recommend answering those letters and calls that come to the executor right after a person has passed. I recommend hiring a professional to give you advice.

Selling my mommy's house part three

 We now need to clear out all of the belongings in Mom's house to get it ready for sale.
















An investor called me to make an appointment to see the house.
Against my better judgement, I said yes.

Selling my mommy's house

My dear mother died and it was up to me to sell her home. This took quite some time, as she and my father built the home and in 1965 moved in, raised four kids there and kept quite a bit of "stuff".
The city of Tukwila also had plans to repair a storm drain that ran through her yard. It took several months of planning and cleaning to get the home ready for market.

Here I am with my mom before her cancer took her to the other side.

Day one and Day two

Is Life worth It?

This was the question of the day.  She, talking about her dead grandfather and her mother pondering...

Here is a quote from Kate Braestrup, the  tail end of a blessing she wrote:

"Let the shadows flee, let that miraculous moment breathe, let the joy rise up you like the flowers of flame from the sacred earth on which you stand"

and here is Willie Nelson, singing: "Gravedigger" Sorry about the annoying ad that plays, but the video and song are worth a listen.

Napping

I just read a sweet article by

Cathleen Schine 

about napping which reminded me of so many things. I was recently napping on a summer afternoon, and thinking of being a child napping on a summer afternoon, with the lawn mower and the smell of grass and gasoline exhaust coming in the window, and cool cotton sheets. You can read the article here

The Boundaries of a Breakup

Facebook and how to get or lose your "friends"...interesting article. Ok, it's an old article, but I just found my note on a scrap of paper, and wanted to share it here in November....so here it is!

Jury Duty

Whew! They didn't pick me for a two week (first trial) or a three week (second) trial, so I was sent home after only two grueling days serving on Jury duty downtown Seattle. Bus. People. Fluorescent lights (so bright, they could seriously make a prisoner of war crack) in the room they had us waiting in. I brought sunglasses to wear the second day so I could tolerate the lights. The slow, grind of justice. I am not sure how random this process really is. Last year I was summoned, and served on a trial. This year, out of 55 possible jurors. 25 asked to be let go for hardship in the first minute. The stories! The drama! The pleading! I am quite sure the guy accused of stabbing a woman, or the the bloodshot eyed businessman disputing an eminent domain case thought the jurors complaints were small compared to the hell they were in. Well, I've done my civic duty for the month. I'll be so happy when I get the check in the mail for twenty dollars for my trouble.

Dead Dads

My sweetie's dad died this week. He was 99 years old. What makes a good life? We are quite bad at death and dying in the U.S.A.

My dad made his transition to the other side last year. I am still amazed that I can't see him or speak with him. My dad died even though we all tried to keep him alive, with drugs, food, and whatever we could conjure. I still miss the guy.

A father's gift is complicated...How to be a man, a husband, a father. In some cases, how not to be, but the gift is the same. It's what they do or don't do that molds us.

Rest in peace, dear dads.