moving – Page 2 – New England's Narrow Road

Packing and Selling and Downsizing – Again

In 2005 I did a big move from Florida to New Hampshire. That was not fun. In 2007 I moved out of my nice house into a rental in Hopkinton. (Long, unhappy story) It was the beginning of my life as a renter again after 25 years of owning my own home. In 2008 I moved to a 3-story condo in Bennington – well almost. Almost all my things were moved into it, but then it flooded, from the top floor down, when a bathroom sprung a leak. It was unlivable and this was one week before I was to live there.

The property manager who was renting the place to me found me another temporary place (a small camp-type house with a composting toilet) where we lived for one month, but realizing that the water damage would take a long time to fix, I decided not to wait and ultimately found the duplex to rent where I have lived for the past three years.
Now I am moving into a home of my own and this move is a very happy one for me, but there is so much to take care of and lots more downsizing to do. My wood stove that sits in the basement here won’t fit in the small fireplace of my new place so I have to sell it.

I put up flyers in town, but truthfully I don’t think anyone wants to even think about winter and wood stoves at this time of year, so I have my doubts about selling it.

** The guy from the Heat is On stove shop was suppose to take my stove and put it up for consignment. He came by my house but didn’t have the right vehicle to take the stove. He and his friend left to get a van – and NEVER RETURNED. They didn’t even call to tell me they had decided not to take it – nothing! So he has lost a customer. And I love to support the “little guy” and small business, but I will not be buying my next stove from him.

I have to go pack.

I May Be Moving To A HOME! (newenglandsnarrowroad.wordpress.com)
Wood Burning Stoves for a Winter Ready Kitchen (moneysupermarket.com)

The Shed Is Gone

One of the few things you can count on is the fact that life is always changing. It changes more and faster for some people than for others, but change is inevitable.

I was looking at my banner on this page and remembering the old man who owned that little shed that is shown at the end of the road in my photo. I only met him a couple of times and he was hard to talk to because he was very deaf, but the last time I spoke with him was on his birthday and he was 92 (I think he said). Shortly after that he had some sort of medical problem and ended up in a nursing home and later died. His little house went up for sale and was bought up quickly.

I never knew what that little shed was used for but it stood in a small grassy area with lots of blackberry bushes behind it and a bear once startled the neighbor kids when they were picking berries there for their mom. One day when I was out walking I noticed that it was gone. So the shed is gone and so is the man who owned it.

I’ve been renting in this area for almost three years and many of the houses on the road have changed hands. My son’s best friends who lived at the Girl Scout Camp for one season left to go back to Tennessee and I’ve never met the new family who took over as caretakers. Another family split up and lost their home and it’s now up for sale. Two other very nice homes on the this dirt road have also sold.

Anyway, things are always changing and soon I won’t be living here any more. I’ve taken lots of photos of the area in all seasons and it is a beautiful place, but I never felt like I belonged. That is how renting makes me feel. I will miss the lake and my walks in this wilderness, but I won’t miss the beach traffic of summer and the logging trucks in winter. We will come back so my son can swim this summer with his friends and I’ll bring a bag to pick the blueberries that grow along the lake road.

We’ll have all the changes to deal with in moving to a new place like meeting the new neighbors and finding new places to take walks, but I am looking forward to those changes because I will once again be a home-owner and that is what I’ve been waiting a long time for.

I May Be Moving To A HOME!

I hate to get my hopes up, but I’ve found a home that I would like to buy. I’ve been busy getting the paperwork -mounds of paperwork- ready and mailed, delivered, etc. I’ve had an inspection and realize that fixing up is just part of owning a home. This one is pretty nice inside and quite “liveable”, but the outside has been neglected and needs work and even some excavating done.

I visited my favorite wood stove shop to see about getting a new wood burning stove inset for my fireplace and now must sell my old stove, or put it up for consignment. I am just waiting to make sure the whole house thing goes through.

The photo is of my son upstairs in his “bedroom to be” and he is excited too.

I also had to have my appendix out last week and now I can’t lift anything over 20 pounds for a month! Guess the packing will have to wait until the last minute. I do better at the last minute anyway!

Meanwhile, I sit here wasting another Spring and Summer season, but staying inside gives me the opportunity to work and build up my savings account for all the home renovations to come. Fingers crossed.