Day by Day Progress

 October 9?  I will keep a running record of what we are doing each day in preparation for this big move.  This will be of little interest to anyone but Jim and me but we will be happy to read about all we did when we are comfortably settled into our new home.

Yesterday Jim called State Farm to change our renter’s policy to the new place—and change our address.  Today he called Xfinity to arrange turning our system off here on October 29 and setting up the new one on October 30.  It actually is going to cost us less money because the basic cable package is part of our Stonebridge monthly fee. Jim said the salesperson, was quite chatty and wondered what he had taught and then asked if he had been to the Holy Land.  Well, as it turned out that it was the amusement park she had in mind, not the land of Israel!  

I went to the USPS site online to put in an address change for October 29.  Nothing is easy but eventually I made it work and did not sign up for additional services being advertised by them. I think I did not!  They did charge me $1.25 for some reason, but I turned down extended forwarding services at greater prices. 

I changed the Green Drop pick up from October 12 to October 19 so that Laura can look over anything she might want when she comes later this week and what is left I will give to them.  I tried on a dress I have not worn for years and it was too small, of course, so that goes into the giveaway pile. 

We threw out plastic leftover containers and tops that did not match.  I’m looking for a safe way to dispose of Mounjaro injectables.  

I bought an inexpensive landline phone from Amazon because our friend Pam says that is how you communicate in the community.  Stonebridge has its own phone exchange so we do not pay for that.  I bought a cart at her suggestion too—to transport groceries, etc. from the parking lot which will be quite a walk.  We will miss having a garage.  

So that is it for today.  Unless I get inspired to do more.  I wake up in the middle of the night and write things down and even emailed Laura about a plan. It will be so good to be settled in—in a few weeks.

October 10. My goal for today was to empty the drawers in our walk-in closet because the closets at Stonebridge are smaller and there won’t be drawer space there.  That meant finding room in my two dressers which are already full-one in the second bedroom is full of music and summer clothes.  But I made an effort to throw out some things and give other things to Green Drop. 

 Again, I had so many lovely scarves that I have forgotten I have.  Maybe I will dress with more care wth living with so many others around us.  I will probably forget where I have put my bathing suit and all the belts I never use and then there are all those panty hose I never wear. The top drawer in my dresser has always been where I stored my stash of chocolate—my antidepressant cure.  And that’s where I keep some of the nice things Jim has written to me for birthdays and anniversary’s.  Those can stay there!  A place for underwear and socks is less important.  

October 11 Israel Mizrahi, the Brooklyn bookseller, came at 6:10 am and left with a van full of Jim’s books.  How much did he pay Jim? It never came up, Jim said.  It’s OK.  We are both relieved to have so many books go to someone who can do something with them and not just fill a landfill. I managed to sleep through the whole process thanks to ear plugs and a sleep aid. I thought it was a night to indulge in help!  Jim set his alarm for 5;30 am so he could be ready to greet Israel.  The early time was necessary so he could return to NYC for his nephew’s bris.  He said he had ten children of his own. 

I wish I could add photos of the shelves he took and of the pile of books Jim kept for his own use—now on our bedroom floor.  

But this is a day of great progress.  Jim will not call in students to glean books, which may be a shame but this was easier and it is done!  

Jeff and Susan brought us pizza and left with the metal shelving in the garage and the smaller wooden bookcase in Jim’s study.  The metal shelving will go in their basement and Katie will take the wooden bookcase.  Plus they took some glassware and a 9X13 glass baking dish—because I don’t need two of them.  I rarely even use one!

October 12 

Amazon delivered the landline telephone and shopping cart that I ordered at Pam Wakefield’s suggestion as well as some plastic containers that we can store meds in.  We filled out our mail-in votes but will not register to vote in Somerset County until after we move.  Otherwise we didn’t do much today.  Probably there is not much to do this week until we have our two meetings with Byron Home on Wednesday and Friday.

October 13. I just emptied the closet in the yellow bedroom of all my winter things. There is an article in the NYT today about the neuroscience of decluttering and why it is so difficult.  I do not need all the warm sweaters that I own but I love every one of them.  So I will not part with them just yet.  If there isn’t room for them at Stonebridge, I may have to do so with regrets.  Others may need the warmth.  But while emptying the closet, I found a shadow silhouette and wondered who it was!  Jim!   So we saved it all these years.  Now to dump it?  That hurts.  

It is so strange to look at all the empty bookshelves in the hall.  But a relief to have all of those books gone.  

October 14  Deborah, our space planner, sent us a preliminary drawing of our new home and everything fits!  Almost everything.  We cannot take all six black bookshelves but three of them should fit in the living room along a wall.  Susan says she could pass bookshelves on to our grandchildren! The cedar chest and Jim’s favorite mission chair are in!  And even my keyboard has a place under a window in the second bedroom.  And the lovely glass table we have in our entryway will fit behind the loveseat in the living room.  And nothing looks crowded!  Hooray!

There are three closets and they are not as large as what we have now.  I am thinking the bathtub which we never use here will be my storage place for the boxes of weekly calendars and Blog2Print books I have accumulated over the years.  And maybe the toys we have saved.  

 I am very happy with Deborah’s work and happy with the way it looks.  And relieved.  

It’s still two weeks until we move and we have assigned ourselves tasks for many of those days. But we are making progress and I think I will post this and start a new entry after our “walkthrough” with the movers on Friday. 

There’s Still Time!

 Every day I go through more belongings.  I am constantly making decisions: throw it away, give it to Green Drop, or save it with the idea that I will use it again. 

I went through jewelry this morning and realized that I never wear any of it.  Why don’t I?  Maybe for the same reason I stopped wearing makeup a few years ago (except for lipstick).  Covid kept us at home.  Then it was my hip surgeries keeping us at home.  I forgot I had most of the jewelry I had accumulated over the years.  Well, I can start wearing it now—maybe as we will be dining with others much of the time at Stonebridge.  I will put out a little more effort!

I have already mentioned the many books I think I will read again.  I would have to have a few years left to do that—and not get distracted by the latest mystery from a favorite author.

And the CDs—so much beautiful music.  I need to make an effort to put one on and enjoy it.

And the piano music.  Maybe having that beautiful Steinway piano in the Stonebridge auditorium will send me to try my Bach and Debussy and Satie and even Einaude again—they will sound better than they could on the keyboard.  

Should I vow to make these changes in my life?  Maybe not just yet.  Maybe it will be enough to get moved in, unpacked, and adjusted to a new way of life.  Then I will try to amend my ways.

We Have a Move-in Date

 This morning we met with Dawn, the nurse at Stonebridge, for our assessment.  She went over our medical forms and gave us procedure and safety recommendations.  And she also evaluated us to determine our competency.  Jim told me later that he did not tell me she was going to do a memory task because he knew I would get all worried about that. 

It was quite a session with the usual questions about who was president now and who was president before and what day, month, and year it was.  But more inventive were a math question asking us to subtract numbers (take seven from 31 and then keep going) and a request to repeat the letters in a word backwards (world—dlrow).  We managed to convince Dawn that we could be “independent.” 

And now we have dates to add to the long list of to do items for October.  October 27 is our settlement meeting with Francesca when we give her our payment and sign some more forms. October 28 will be the packing day and October 29 the actual moving day and unpacking day.  We will try to schedule October 30 for our much needed WiFi and TV hookup with Xfinity.  

Jim has the Brooklyn bookseller coming this weekend to buy books we hope.  I have three more bags of books for the library donations but I will have to live a long time to reread all the books that I cannot give up.  I found the record player and will try it out tomorrow and then may have to keep those old Pat Boone and Janis Joplin records.  I went over our stack of CDs and wondered why I never listen to so many beautiful recordings. I will amend my ways.  

When I posted the subject line “Going, Going, Gone” for the movie tapes I found in a closet, both Laura and Jeff stopped me and said they would take some and consider digitalizing the record of their childhood.  I think by the time Dan came along our camera was in need of repair.  Laura is setting a time to make the trip from Gladwyne to pick up some artwork and books and whatever else I can convince her to take!

Today was a day of progress!  It will be so good to be settled in our new home.

————-October 7 Here are a few updates.  The record player works and Pat Boone sang out to me nice again.  Jim and I will have to hear Johnny Mathis and Simon and Garfunkle again too.

I thought that I had no goals today for going through stuff but when I went to put away my prescriptions in the closet, I found three bags of Covid tests—all outdated and quickly thrown out.  That was easy.  No decisions involved!  I decided that the six photo albums could be moved to Stonebridge as they are even if the only place for them is on the floor.  I can go over them at my leisure and put photos into envelopes which will take a lot less room.  And I don’t need six photos of sunsets at South Haven and as precious as they were, maybe not as many baby photos of the grandchildren.

This afternoon Debra from Byron Homes called to go over the placement of our furniture at Stonebridge. I was worried that not everything would fit in a smaller apartment, but it looks like we will be OK.  I would be so sad if my mother’s hope chest would have to go—plus it is full of memorabilia.  And Jim needs his study room chair with his armrests for his morning cup of coffee and his daily Hebrew reading.  Some things just cannot be given up!  Debra was so helpful even keeping in mind where the cable outlets were. 

At this point I think the extra we are paying to Byron Homes to facilitate this move will be worth it.  Debra will email us a plan of the apartment with everything drawn in.  

Thursday Nights with Mounjaro

 When it comes time for my weekly injection of Mounjaro, I can’t believe it has been a whole week.  I feel as if I just stuck myself 24 hours ago.  And I rebel because I didn’t want to do it again. Each time it is a bit intimidating because the procedure does not seem to take place like the instructions say.  There is no up to ten seconds between clicks—the clicks are simultaneous and then we carefully look for a little red puncture wound and the fact that the plunger is down in the apparatus.  And we do know that I push away from the table before I finish my meals and I have lost  maybe five pounds and I do have some indigestion although not bad at all.  So there are signs that it has happened and has its effects. 

When I was feeling a bit sorry for myself,  I remembered how Jim drove down Route 1 to UCA for 44 days of radiation.  He didn’t complain—at least not much.  Just when the routine got changed when there was a machine malfunction.  And all of this with Covid precautions so I really could not keep him company even when he got to ring the bell on his last day of treatment. And now five years later, he is doing well with one good follow-up test after another every six months.  

So I am doing this to get that A1C down to pre-diabetes levels again and Dr. Delacruz assures me that it will be successful.  I know it is worth avoiding diabetes to lessen the danger of heart disease and strokes.  

So that’s it for another week.  I am grateful there is a treatment that I can do and that I can afford the medication and that my husband is right here to support me through this each week.  

The Last Time

 This is not going to be a morbid post in spite of the title.

Last week Wednesday we picked up a butternut squash in our CSA basket.  One week later, I finally got to googling a reminder on how to peel a butternut squash with ease.  I sat at the kitchen table and successfully peeled the squash.  Then I tried to cut it into pieces to make soup and it was too hard for me to get the knife through it.  So I will wait until Jim comes home from his golf game and ask him as my strong husband to do it for us.  I will make the soup and not throw away the squash.

But it is the last time.  When we move into Stonebridge, it would be foolish to sign up for CSA again next year.  And someone else will peel and cut up the squash if we have the seasonal butternut squash soup.  And I will not feel guilty about throwing out good food—or the potential for good food.

As I have fears about a whole new way of life, I have to remember the reasons we are making this big move.  So I don’t have to cut up butternut squash ever again!

Progress! (But Not Enough!)

 I am feeling better about this big move after we made some progress today.  I will wait to post this hoping that we make even more progress in the next few days.

Sandra, a consultant with Byron Movers, came today and I signed a contract for everything they offered.  They are not the movers themselves but they help plan where your furniture can go in the apartment, they pack and unpack, and dispose of boxes and wrapping (which really appealed to me!).  It was worth the money to make the move as easy as possible.

We left five bags of books at the library, the maximum they would take at one time.  Walgreens would not take expired drugs but said they have to go to the police station.  That will be a place also for used mounjaro pens.  I scheduled Green Drop for another pick up and have several items and boxes set aside for them.  

Sandra said they would keep up with Stonebridge about setting a date.  There is nothing I can do about that until my LabCorp test is done and sent to the nurse at Stonebridge.  Meanwhile, I may tackle the other forms they have sent us. No, I don’t want my birthday posted and I don’t want to share my greatest accomplishments.  I know it is meant to help us be a part of a community but that was a bit too much for me at this point.

————

September 22 I woke up to the sound of can it be?  Jim going through files and getting rid of things.  Hooray!  And then going to my laptop and seeing that LabCorp has a message for me as does Montgomery Internal Medicine.  So my lab test is done and normal.  

It appears that we will have more furniture than what will fit in the dining area/ study.  We can get rid of the chest of drawers which Jim is emptying and never was in good shape.  We may have to get rid of one of the bookshelves.  Jim’s chair where he reads Hebrew every morning with a cup of coffee on the large wooden arms—that is a priority!  Byron Movers will take away furniture that we cannot use and even books if Jim cannot give his excess to students or sell it to the Brooklyn book dealer who is not responding to his emails.  (Although he had appeared to be willing to come here to buy books)

My goal for today is to get rid of clothes I don’t like.  I might lose enough weight to get into some things again, but maybe that is too optimistic.  I should go through books again.  Going through children’s books yesterday was hard.  Too many good memories of reading books to our kids—and even some I saved from my childhood.  Little Black Sambo?  Papa Small?  Susan and the Rain?  I know the phrase is to keep only the things that give you joy but these old books do give me joy! If I don’t get rid of them now, our children will have to get rid of them when we are gone. 

September 23. Not much more progress today except to add things to the Green Drop collection.  Jared, the president of Byron Movers, says he will be in contact with Stonebridge to set our date so I let that go for today at least. `I despair when I keep finding more things to get rid of—note cards that were sent to us with pleas for funds.  Some went into the waste basket; others in a plastic bag for Green Drop.  If someone wants them, great.  If not, they can throw them out. 

September 25.  After my checking in with our primary care provider and Jared at Byron Movers, Jim heard from Dawn, the nurse at Stonebridge.  They are missing some information so she is sending Jim a release form and then she will pursue what she needs to know. Meanwhile, we have an appointment with her on October 5 so we are making progress.  (Jim just took photos of the release forms and sent them to Dawn.  I hope that will facilitate the process.)

I fear this is all going to get pushed into November which will mean another month’s rent at Barclay Square.  But maybe not.  Meanwhile, every day we both find more stuff to throw into the recyclable bin or send off to Green Drop.  Or, happily, our son Dan claimed three books from his childhood, Richard Scarry, Winnie the Pooh, and a very old Hardy Boy volume.  He and Alex are also going to be given our Dr. Spock book from 1972 and a very funny book someone gave us before Jeff was born called “How to Raise Children at Home in Your Spare Time.” 

I was hoping to post this blog post when we had a move in date.  Now I know that will not even be set until after October 5.  I can’t move it any faster.  We have the rest of our lives to live at Stonebridge and I will try to be content right here today in our lovely apartment at Barclay Square.

September 28. Green Drop came today for the third time and took five or six boxes and bags from our entryway.

Jared from Byron Home gave us move in dates of October 28 and 29.  I was pleased.  But then Francesca from Stonebridge emailed with the fact that we need up to date EKGs and Jim needed up to date bloodwork-which may not be easy to get by Monday when we were supposed to see the nurse.  I feel as if it is one step forward and two steps back.  Jim may have to hold off on breaking our lease lest we end up homeless having to leave here in 35 days after handing in. 

And then I open two more closets and see blankets that we don’t need and scrapbooks that I forgot we had.  We may need to get Green Drop to come again.  I am going to be so glad when this move is done and we are settled into our new home.  

Laura and Susan were planning Thanksgiving.  I hope we are all settled by that time and that we are welcoming a little baby boy into our family and being thankful for both those milestones!

September 30. It made me sad to put the woolen blanket that has been with us for years into a bag for Green Drop.  I remember it being on my parents’ bed.  But Laura said she would take the “vintage” blanket and that pleases me.  

We were able to get into MIM for EKGs this afternoon and Jim is fasting 8 hours today so he can do bloodwork.  Francesca emailed not to stress!  What will be the next obstacle is what I am thinking? 

Burdened by Books

 We are in the process of downsizing and I told myself I would go over my many books in the second bedroom today and give away some more.  We gave five bags to the library earlier this week—the maximum they would take.  We estimated that to be 85 books for tax purposes.

So I went to the shelves this morning and tried to get rid of some. I came up with two books and that is all.  I pull a book  off the shelf and remember how much I enjoyed it and how I might want to read it again.  I pull another unread book off the shelf and read the summary on Goodreads and think I would be happy to give it another try.  Many of the books I read and had rated five stars and gave great reviews.  How can I part with them?  

My life will not be long enough to read all these books.  And then I am tempted by buying still more for my Kindle app or checking out more from my “To Read Later” list at the library.  I am thankful for the joy of reading but right now I feel overwhelmed by my ambition to read and reread. 

————And then there are all of Jim’s books.  He may sell some to a Brooklyn bookseller, he will probably give many away to Princeton Seminary students or Princeton University graduate students.  The book dealer has been in contact with him; he needs to contact the students.  What is left, Byron Movers says they will give to some organization.  And a good many will make the move with us and will be left someday for our offspring to dispose of.