Food Poisoning?

Cramps and excretions from 8 on Saturday, all day Sunday. Still going on now, Monday morning, but not as bad. Haven’t felt that kind of pain since I had menstrual periods.

Making an offer on a house in Williamstown. Not ideal but has a lot to offer: low price, 2-car garage with attic storage, 2 bathrooms with step-in showers, pantry, laundry on first floor, three bedrooms.

I was furious with Lizzie last night. She Trumped diarrhea all over the kitchen. I got hamburger for her; chicken and rice is not as nutritious as I thought.

Betsy has kindly agreed to let us stay with her in between houses. Fantastic.

I ordered dog diapers for Lizzie.

Gave Lizzie her meds yesterday.

Saturday Early Afternoon

Ron was up and at ’em in plenty of time to gas up and return the rental car.

Bed’s made, laundry and dishes are clean and put away.

Made three? day’s worth of food for Lizzie. She seems to be okay, no ill effects from her spectacular jump yesterday.

Set up video tour appointment with a realtor for tomorrow. Sounds like a good house that needs cosmetics; not a big deal.

I’ve been in pain since getting up. Ron seems to be fine.

Results

I liked the first house we saw in Orange, but there are move-in date complications and Ron hates the town.

The Brattleboro house got a thumbs-down because of the insane hills, ravine, move-in date (possibly as late as end of December or even January) and a snotty listing agent.

We enjoyed the ride, though. Traveled in daylight both ways so were able to take in some late but still beautiful foliage. Had some good, reasonably priced meals and a visit to a pub on the Connecticut River that we loved.

Lizzie was a trouper. She was excellent in the motel. I’m worried that she may have hurt herself getting out of the car, though: she was so happy to be back she jumped out and landed hard on the driveway.

The Hunt

We are giving up a good house and it’ll be difficult to find all the features that this house offers. So, adjustments will need to be made.

The ideal is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath with a barn or a basement shop on public sewer and water with at least a quarter acre in a New England community that is not overly religious and near a good hospital.

We’ll likely be giving up central air, although there is hope that we’ll find a place where it can be added.

It would be nice to have a fireplace, a walk-in shower, a gas stove.

Online house hunting is phenomenal: search and filter capabilities, massive amounts of information.

Tired of Doing

Would like just Being for a while.

Did an early grocery shop, store was pretty uncrowded.

Stopped off at the Senior Center on the way back, picked up a free cheesecake.

Got in touch with two law firms today about representing us on the house sale.

Made salad and more food for Lizzie.

Ron did laundry.

I placed a reservation for Thursday.

Called realtors in Orange MA and Brattleboro.

Plumbers got the outdoor shower ready for winter, thus making me/us a bit poorer.

Found Ed’s email on the old computer, wrote to him about the sale.

Open House

We barely made it out of the driveway for the 11 am start of yesterday’s open house.

We had lunch – for Ron, breakfast – at Captain’s in Sandwich. Ron treated. We’d hoped to get in to Chew, but the line was out the door.

I did some work beforehand, including making chicken and rice for Lizzie.

Lizzie had a tough time in the truck on the way back. She seems to be okay; I sure hope so, she took a nasty knock on the head and her legs were all tangled underneath her. I sat in the back.

She ate very well once we got home, and that’s a good sign.

We were told on Saturday there are three offers on the way. Sign went up on Thursday.

This is blowing our minds. Conventional wisdom is that it’s a bad time to sell and a one-bath, two-bedroom house is not in demand.

What conventional wisdom failed to note is that this house has a poured cement basement, room for a garage and an underground treasure: a 1500 gallon septic tank.

That means that the house is an excellent prospect for expansion.

Someone could pay full price for this house, sink $100,000 into it and make a very good profit.

Ron and I whittled the list of possible next homes down to five real and one fantasy one. The fantasy is mine: gorgeous property but private water and sewer and too far North for Ron.

Realtors are expected this afternoon for a second showing and to present offers.

I woke up around 1 am and had a tough time getting back to sleep. Slept in until 7:45.

Lost and Found; Showing

Thought I lost my keys; found them in my jeans.

Couldn’t remember where I stowed the folder with the postage stamps; found it this morning.

Ron was wondering where his wastebasket had gone; I remembered and returned it to him after emptying it.

Barbara showed the house to an older couple today. They came back later with their DIL to see the yard.

We tried to walk Lizzie, but she really wasn’t up to it. I think the food I gave her yesterday wasn’t good, poor dog. Tossed the rest of it.

Ron is doing a transfer station run.

I’m getting caught up with the January 6 Committee’s hearing from yesterday.

Pubbing With Lizzie

I could easily have clobbered Ron yesterday. He redeemed himself somewhat by treating us to an “uptown” evening at Bad Martha’s.

We’d been fighting all day about getting the second bedroom in shape for a showing scheduled for 6 pm. We argued about boxing the clothes and detritus on the floor, about his idiotic attachment to a slew of empty Grateful Dead beer bottles and his general unhelpfulness while I’ve been getting the house in shape.

Worse, after promising to give it up yesterday, he insisted on trying to install the folding closet doors.

The handyperson I’d hired was nowhere to be found. I posted on Facebook and got a couple of responses. One, from a property management company, was golden: they sent a carpenter in an hour’s time, pulling him off another project.

He was friendly, professional and did a beautiful job.

That done, we had to find a place for us to hide for about an hour and half. With poor Lizzie crammed on my lap in the truck. It was raining to boot.

Fortunately, Bad Martha’s allows dogs in their outdoor seating area. It was covered, dry and very comfortable.

Parties with two other dogs showed up. The waitress brought water and biscuits for Lizzie, who was a bit unsettled but maintained her usual composure and dignity.

At home, I fed her the chicken and rice cooked that morning, and she wolfed down about a pound of meat.

We’re On

The sign is up and we are listed. Showing tonight.

Ron finally gave up on the folding doors.

I finished painting the deck railings and mowed the “lawn”. Steve never showed up, either virtually or in person, thus saving Ron the $100 tip he was planning to give him.