1, 2, 3 GO!

It's real.

When we put in the offer of our new house in Almonte, we planned to have a period where we would own both houses, so we could do a door-to-door move – live in our current house while we make renovations at the new house. In fact, we didn't even want to list our house for sale until we could move into the Almonte house. It was a simple question of "bridge financing" to tie us over until the current house sells.


Well, the last time we went to the bank looking for money was before we retired. Our income is now cut in half, and the bank doesn't have same confidence as we do that the house will sell quickly. It won't lend us the money unless we have an acceptable purchase offer on our house.

Banks: suckers of all joy from the world.

So we scrambled our realtor and will rush to get the house listed in three days. THREE DAYS! And since there will be no overlap, we've rented a PODS unit so we can de-clutter the house.

(We do have a back-up financial plan in case we don't get a speedy offer.)

It's our own fault, really. Because of the permutations of our property/house/waterfront hunt, and some misgivings about saying goodbye to this house, we failed to address the financial hurdle in a timely manner, or to get a move on the tiny fix-ups that make a big difference when it comes to selling.

So we're paying the price and scrambling with a to-do list that makes no allowance for sleep. Want a peek? Here it is:

+++++++++++++++++++ THURSDAY +++++++++++++++++++
a.m. PODS delivered

STEVE
- repair & paint garage floor [serious salt damage]
- reinstall bifold doors [that we had taken down because I found them annoying]
- open pool [no one wants a pool with green/brown water in it]
- parge foundation near garage
- basement drywall: repair plus new drywall by clothes rod
 - move Peter's excess to attic [in bins so he can move easily to a rental]

WYNN ANNE
- schedule window cleaners!!! [bought a Groupon!]
- pack boxes (office, bedrooms, basement)
- plan out specifics of what goes into PODS
- contract replacement of sunroom window [cracked one winter night]
- plant periwinkle below wall at end of driveway
- Dr. Visram and allergy shot [Oh, yah, life goes on.]
- Take water sample to Pool-a-rama for testing

 +++++++++++++++++++ FRIDAY +++++++++++++++++++

HIRED DUDES AND STEVE
- load PODS
- clear away all crap on south wall of house [our "temporary storage" for outdoor home improvement stuff]
- finish raking yards [my hips gave out]
- rearrange furniture for showing [We're turning my office back into a bedroom for showing. This also involves a bit of furniture shuffling in the other rooms upstairs.]

WYNN ANNE
- clean and stage Peter's room
- remove twinkle lights [left up from Christmas because they're pretty] and sheers from LR windows

+++++++++++++++++++ SATURDAY +++++++++++++++++++

BOTH
a.m.: Family Connections [volunteer commitment]
p.m.: Pet Valu in Smiths Falls [volunteer commitment]
evening: pick up Heather's couch [my good friend is lending us a couch so we can stage the living room]

STEVE

- seal driveway -- may not be able to do before the open house because we don't know when the PODS will be picked up
- reinstall door to basement [we had removed it because we found it got in the way, but the hall does look better without it]
- install new vanity lights [currently both upstairs bathrooms have those ugly "builder grade" ping-pong ball lights]

WYNN ANNE
- replace light bulb in lamp post out front
- paint basement floor
- paint front hall [assuming I haven't collapsed]

+++++++++++++++++++ SUNDAY +++++++++++++++++++++++

BOTH
- finish up loose ends
- vacuum and mop
- 2:00 to 4:00 Open house
- dinner with Heather and Pietra
- refurnish basement

+++++++++++++++++++ LATER +++++++++++++++++++++++

- anything that didn't get done until the house sells
- front garden
- paint garage door and panel above it [I was supposed to have done this last fall. Should've.]
- touch up front door
- paint foyer and trim on stairs, if not already done

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I feel a little like Arthur Dent looking at the cover of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and seeing the words, "Don't panic." As if that helps.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go grab a towel to keep in my purse.