Well, at about 1:00 my realtor stopped by and put my for sale sign in my yard...  my contractors left at 3:00 and I started cleaning up after them... While I was doing that... I had basically gotten one bathroom back to respectablity... a** up in the air wiping the glue off the floor and base board... and by the way sweating like a pig... and the door bell rang... it was someone who saw the sign and wanted to see the house... so it starts.  Of course I let him in... I didn't even have a chance to put the things away that I had taken out to do some work.. and I had dirty dishes in the sink...but he liked the house a lot.  After he left, I finished the other two bathrooms and reassembled the towels, accessories, area rugs and things look pretty good now.

 

I went swimming with Noelle, Kos, and Cara.  Then Noelle and Kristin came over for dinner.  We ate fahitas and fresh gochamoli (sp?) and various drinks on the deck yum, yum... It was wonderful.  

 

Somewhere in the midst of all the contractors working, realtors coming, people coming to look at the house, and cleaning... hmmm I got some work done on my dissertation.  The history of interior design chapter really stucks, it is hard to take 200 years of and condense it into 20 pages... and make it understandable and cited correctly.  greeehhh.  Oh yeah I also had to explain the difference between inteiror design and interior decoration in a paragraph or less.  Sigh

 

Hope your day was great.  Love and kisses, Marilyn   

Okay... yesterday I moved the realtor to this morning because the contractors, power washers and realtor were all showing up at the same time... and the contractors didn't show up for more than five minutes yesterday.... Today they show up ... they have removed the bad floors and are half done installing the good floors.  They think that they can prop up my pipes a little so that my toilets don't plug as often... which will be nice.  They seem to be doing a good job.

 

The realtor came at ten... before he arrived I trimmed my bushes out in front and carted off the cuttings and swept the sidewalk.  Picture perfect.  I stashed my last stuff in the closet s and powder room so everything was clear.  Then of course when he left (after taking photos) I couldn't find the stuff I wanted to work on.  

 

Yesterday I was getting very frustrated with my history chapter of my dissertation because my editor was asking for citations of stuff that I had known forever... how do you know where it all came from... stuff about the Industrial Revolution and mass production of interior products.  Today I pulled out a text book and found all the stuff I had used... Yeeeeaaaah!!!!.... So now all I have to do is change the beginning to say this is from Tate and Smith... thank you so much. 

 

Didn't get to swim last night.  The power washers didn't get done until it was too late to go.  House looks great!  I took a two and a half mile walk and started scrbbing the gunk off my back deck.  The power washer was removing the stain so we stopped.... Then I picked Kristin up at the airport.  I was nice to have her home.  Went to bed and slept like a log.

   

Hope your day is good.  Love and kisses, Marilyn 

Okay now I ramp up to sell my house.  I have a flooring guy coming to day to replace my two bathroom floors... the toilets are back to back... and the toilets have over flowed and softened the strand board and over the years and the floor is sagging 3/4" between the two toilets... hmmmm so instead of doing this after the inspection I am having them replaced now... the floor in the guest bath is really squeeking badly...    

 

Then, I booked some guys to power wash the outside of my house.  It has dirt and gray stuff on it.  Then my realtor is coming by to sign the contract to sell my house... all this morning.... But it is 9:00 and no one has showed yet.  I just changed my realtor to tomorrow.   

 

Had a nice evening with Luke and Ellen last night.  Ate on the deck and the fire flies are starting to come out... Spent the afternoon reading in the shade on the deck what we call a for pleasure book, it was wonderfully relaxing.  Some how I got the front of me sunburned a little, I don't understand how I did it... I had a tube top on, but covered up with a shirt when I walked, but I still have pink skin on my upper chest... hmmmm what else do you call it?  It is more than cleavage... I think there must have been reflection off of the glass table top on to me while I sat in the shade...  I try to be careful about the sun. 

 

This noon I am sitting for Katya and then tonight I am picking Kristin up at the airport.  Some where I want to get in a swim.  Busy day.  Now on to my dissertation.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

 

 

Elizabeth has been patiently waiting for me to post the photos of the last few weeks... so here goes. 

 

There will be more from my Florida trip and Savannah trip tomorrow and the next day. 

 

Busy today finishing up my memorandum for my client and back to editing my dissertattion... finally...  Walked with Katya and Elizabeth this afternoon , we tried the wagon thing (rather than the stroller, she doesn't like any more) but it was too noisy.  Maybe one with rubber wheels will work better.  Mowed the lawn tonight, read for a while on the deck... beautiful evening with an outstanding sunset and the moon was there too... hope my new house will get both...  not sure I will get the moon rises, but I think I can get sunsets.  I will post the sunset photos from tonight soon.  Then I took a bath and blogged.  It took a while to sort through the photos... I had so many... hmmmm

 

Now I am ready for bed.  Hope your day was great.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Update on home buying.  I received the structure inspection and the termite inspection.  Both are good.  Just some small things for them to fix.  When I was there I talked to a morgage person.  It is nice to know I can afford to buy the house.  I just need to sell this one.     

 

I am  continueing to get ready to sell this house.  We moved my big plants down stairs so my dining room looks large again.  Tuesday the guys are coming to replace the bathroom floors in the master and guest bathroom.  The builder put the toilets back to back with no support between  the joists which are 24" on center.  The floor has sagged and squeeks... So I am replacing them now rather than after the inspection.  Then Thrusday I will put the house on the market.  The relator said that I can ask a little more than I was expecting... so that is great.   I think that it will sell quickly because it is so well priced.  There are not very many houses at this price in the area.

 

Yesterday my headache was gone... I was so happy.  The sleep from the day before helped me catch up, but I am still kind of foggy. 

 

I started working on the memorandum from the meetings I had in Florida last week.  I wrote three pages and I am not quite half done.  They were really good meetings and we made quite a few decisions on my client's house, so I just need to document them.  I am going to work on it again today. 

 

Stopped off to see Elizabeth and Katya on my way to my massage, I swear that Katya has grown three inches.  Had another great dinner with Luke and Ellen last night.  We had fresh shrimp.  It was so yummy and we had a great time as usual. 

 

Hope that your Memorial weekend is great.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Well I don't know if it was the last week and a half or pollin but I woke up with a headache this morning... I think it was a sinus headache.  I went to the health department to get my last shot for my non existant trip to India.  Then I came home and hit the sofa for the whole day. 
Slept most of the day... so I think I needed it.  Went to the foot cracker this evening.  My headache finally went away tonight.  Hope that things  are fine.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

 

 

Okay Elizabeth... Sorry I was really really tired this week.  I did buy a house.  Here is a web sight to look at it.  I am putting this one on the market tomorrow.   

 

 

I was really tired when I got home and took a nap.  Then tonight, I finished cleaning up upstairs.  Filled more boxes and moved extra stuff down stairs.  I will write more tomorrow.  Elizabeth we need to walk!   Hope everyone is fine.  Love and kisses, Marilyn   

Got home a few minutes ago.... safe and sound.   Hope your day is good... more later after a nap.  Marilyn

It this is Monday this must be Savannah.  When shopping for my new house today...  Saw about seven houses in the morning and another  five in the afternoon.  

 

We found some condos which looked pretty good.  They were fairly contemporary and small size, three bedrooms  2.5 baths, but not much extra.   The yards are small.  They are $75,000 less, but I am not sure they will gain in money.   Like the following house. 

 

One poor woman had two kids and two dogs and we were going to call to get a tour of her house for tomorrow... but as we went around in the back yard to see if see if it was worth coming back for... (I want some trees and nature around) anyway the dogs started barking and she came out to see us looking at her back yard...... we ended up touring her house before she even could make the beds... The house was great.  Lots of day light, large open plan, cathedral ceiling, office space off the living room through french doors, formal dining room, nice big kitchen with family eating area in bay window... master suite, with walk in closets, guest room, laundry and bonus room near the garage... Outside a big deck out back, nice big lot with trees behind... All in all it was pretty good.

 

Tomorrow we will look at the house I found last year... and then I will probably make an offer.   Hope your day is great.  Love and kisses,  Marilyn

Home for 12 hours... away again tomorrow.  This is getting to be ridiculas.  Had a great time in Florida.   Worked really hard most of the time, bu I love working with my client.  Hope your day was good.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

We revised the accent color for the outside of the house from red to taupe.  Much more subtle.  We also have worked out the finish woods on the ceilings.  Mike and Sunny brought the sketch up model of the living room and the glass wall/doors... it is going to be spectacular.   We will work some more tomorrow and Saturday.  Went for two walks on the beach and got some really great Florida photos... can't wait to share when I get home.  Hope your day is wonderful.  Love and kisses, Marilyn 

Hey there... My client and I worked most of the day yesterday.  We talked to a cabinet company and a guy to stains concrete.  We are looking for people who can do things in a green/sustainable manner. 

 

Cindy and I went for a walk after a really good Mexican dinner.  It was a beautiful evening.  I got some great sunset photos...  When we got home we both turned on our computers and we had a lively discussion about my dissertation.  It was so wonderful to be able to talk about my work with someone who understands what I am doing.  Hope your day was wonderful.

 

Love and kisses, Marilyn 

Well I got a lot done today.  I finished the chapter I was working on for the last four days.  Hmmmm about 20 hours total.  It was one of my hardest chapters because I was speaking about the opposition and wanted to get it fair and even and as truthful to the interview as I could without stating things that my interviewee did not say. 

 

I got my suitcase packed, had the oil changed and maintanence on my car, finished the drawings for my client, and even cut my hair before I took a bath... hmmmm...

 

I am not sure I will have access to the internet in the next week and a half.  So don't fear if I don't update this.  Hope you week goes well.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Well, it is Monday and I am up and at them this morning... already gone to the chiropractor, stopped by the store to recycle plastic bags and the bins to recycle cans, bottles, and magazines.  Cleaned out my old News-weeks last night... Called the contractor to get the price on replacing my bathroom floors... talk about sticker shock.  He will start when I get back from my two trips. 

 

And made an appointment for this afternoon to have my car serviced.

 

Tomorrow I am going to Florida to work with my client for five days and then the day after I get back, I am going to Savannah to purchase a new home.  Hmmmmm   

 

Now, I am ready to get back to my dissertation.  Yesterday I was able to put a full seven hours on the revisions of one of my important and most difficult chapters.  I have spent 13 hours on the revisions so far... hmmmmm  It feels good to almost have that one done.  I am already worrying about not having enough time this summer to get this puppie put to bed.  I guess I can run into the fall for revisions... Ha... yeah I can do that... ha ha.... makes me feel better.  I really cannot refuse my clients... when I need the money to live over the summer.  I say clients because another one has called from Michigan an wants me to come up after Memorial Day.  Oh well... I am not complaining... much that is...  

 

Love and kisses, Marilyn 

Yesterday I decided to relax... I got up to go to the chiropractor, but they were closed.  I watched tv drinking coffee hmmmm nice relaxing. Then in the afternoon I continued pack boxes and moved boxes already packed down stairs.  My shelving unit in the basement is full hmmm but my up stairs is really starting to look spacious.  My closets are still a little full. 

 

Some times I amaze myself in how pugnatious I am... once I start something I sort of obsess about it until it is done... I guess that is what makes me a good interior designer and maybe a good researcher.  I am going to have to work on my dissertation today and not get distracted by finishing packing my extra stuff upstairs.  I can't decide what to do about my plants when I show my house. They have taken over my kitchen and dining room.  I was thinking about moving them down to the basement or maybe smaller ones up stairs into my bedrooms.  My dining room is really large but it doesn't look it because of the plants.... but they plants really love the space and the light... so maybe not. 

 

Last night I went to Ellens and Lukes for dinner.  We ate out on the deck for the first time.  It was a wonderful night.  They had the trees trimed in the back yard and so now you can see the mountains.  It has made the deck even more wonderful to be on... I didn't get home until five minutes after midnight. 

 

Hope your day will be great!  Love and kisses, Marilyn  

 

 

 

Dr. Tao graduated today... and I forgot my camera.  The graduation was at 3:00 I also saw Dr. Father Victor and Dr. Nik graduated too.  Regina recieved her masters... and my friends from the Masters of Architecture program graduated too.  So I knew a lot of people graduating.  They had a very moving cerimony confering degrees on some of the people who died on April 16, 2007.  They had family accepting the degrees and Dr. DePauw told about their interests and dreams.  Many of us were crying.  The press seemed to be a little at bay... But there was a helicopter circling B'burg as I was leaving town.  The main graduation ceremony was tonight at the football stadium, which is open to the sky.    

 

I worked on my dissertation this morning and then mowed my yard.  Showered and took my computer to get a new on/off switch installed.  Then I went to graduation, picked up my computer (the switch could not be installed) and had dinner with Tao and her family and friends.  All in all it was a marvelous day.  Hope you have a wonderful day, tomorrow.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

To my dissertation today... yeah I revised about two pages of a chapter... I love my editor... she lets me know when I have not set up the information correctly... wow.. I had two points in one sentence... her comments helped me to see that I really needed to develop each point individually. 

 

Swam at the Rec. Center.  Saw Judy.  She has been doing a lot of counseling with people at Virgi-nia Tech.  She is such a kind lady.  Hope your day went well.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Hmmmm Okay so here I am on my road to recovery from over doing it last term.... and I had planned to go to Savannah with Noelle next week.  Nice four day road trip, with good food, good friends to buy the place to live for the next few years.

 

But my client called last night and she wants me to come to Florida that same time... May 15th through 19th... Last night I tossed and turned in bed trying to figure out how to get to Tao's graduation and dinner on Friday night and then....  should I try to squeeze Savannah inbetween then and leaving for Florida?... or waiting until I get back, but then that delays my starting on my dissertation another four days.  They finally it became clear...  Krisitn (who is from Savannah) will be back from her parents around May 24th.  Why don't I wait for the Savannah trip when she is back and we can go together... hopefully with Noelle too.  There... that is a good plan.  No rushing around like a chicken with her head cut off... and no second guessing.  I am sure two weeks will not hurt my house hunting. 

 

Today I will start back on my dissertation.  hmmmm I think my brain is ready.   

 

Yesterday, I went swimming and swam with Cara... we had fun.  Today, I am going to meet with Sarah, and then go swimming at the Rec. center (War Memorial is closed for term break), get my back cracked and come home to write... hmmmm I also need to get the last things together for my meetings with Cindy next week.  

 

Hope your day is good.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Hope your day is good.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Hey there... attmepting to motivate myself to get going on my client this morning... but seem to be on the computer looking at the possible house I want to buy in Savannah... Sometimes I can be focused on something other than what I am supposed to be doing...  Okay Marilyn get to work.  

 

Packed some more boxes yesterday and stashed them in the basement on shelves... when I get back from Savannah, I want to put my house on the market and doing some every day helps to make that process easier....  See... I am focused on the move and not my work for this week.  

 

It is really funny because as excited as I am about moving... I love my house and my friends here and it will be so hard to leave them.  Teared up yesterday thinking about leaving here.  hmmmm Hope your day is good.  Love, Marilyn