Italy

Oh my.  Italy was so amazing.  I know you have both been there, but going as an adult is just incredible.  We were in Rome, Florence and Venice - traveling between the cities by train.  I don't suppose I can possibly describe all the sights I saw.  We mostly did walking tours of the city, the churches and the museums, using private guides so we could ask all the questions we wanted.  We were so lucky to get great guides who were very knowledgeable.  There wasn't a single question they didn't know the answer to!!  My friend made sure the trip was first class, which was wonderful.  I have a feeling it may be the last really big trip I will ever make.  They aren't something I can afford on my own.  But who knows - maybe an inexpensive flight to Paris or Athens, stay at a pensione, or bed n breakfast somewhere and just take in the sights.  I could spend an entire day just in the Louvre museum.

Everything from the Highland Avenue house has been moved to New Jersey, the city of Glen Ridge.  I am living in New York with my friend, and going to Glen Ridge on weekends to start sorting, storing, and putting things away.  I must leave room for all of his stuff too - so I have thrown out, given away, or donated to charity an awful lot of stuff.  I sold all my tools and machines, my lawn furniture, dishes, glasses, pots n' pans, camping goods (yes, I had a tent, sleeping bags, and camp cots!).  I left my bed at Highland Avenue as I needed a new one anyway.  We will get one that suits us both I suspect, as I don't care much for his either!

I invested the money from the sale and am much closer to reaching my goal of being able to stop working sometime in the next couple of years.  I have so much I want to do.

I love you both very much my dearest ones.

Grandma Nici

SOLD!

The house where Taylor grew up is no more.  I sold it to a lovely Chinese couple who wanted to make it their own, and raise their own children.  It was a lot of work getting it ready but it sold in one day.  Since I had already promised to do certain things, I did them, but I think I got a better price because of it.  I closed on August 17, but I have 30 days to move because my friend and I are going to Italy and the new place isn't ready yet.

My friend decided we should move into his new place in New Jersey together.  He has arranged for a lot of work to be done on it while we are in Italy - painting, cleaning, closet remodel, etc.  He has been trying to sell his condo in New York City for a year, and maybe having somewhere to move TO will give him impetus to get it done.  Meanwhile, until he is ready to move I will move my belongings into that new apartment and live with him in NYC.    We will see how it works.  Although I've spent over half my time at his place the last five years, I've lived alone for a long time and not sure I want someone telling me what I can do and where I can go and who my friends can be.  Sometimes being a grown-up means actually being grown up and making your own choices.

I'm almost completely packed, at least, so it is just a case of finishing some painting and cleaning the whole house thoroughly after we return from our trip.  We leave for Italy on the 25th which is extremely exciting for me.  I've never been and am so looking forward to it.

I love you my dearest children

Grandma Nici

The Hammers are Hammering

WOW!!  Lots of work going on in the house.  The whole porch was full of stuff from Home Depot, and is almost empty now.  New doors are up, new sinks are in, new countertops are finished.  The carpets are being cleaned today because the walls are all painted.  Just the cleaning up needs to be finished.  Mostly everything is packed - I still need to pack part of my house but it is coming together.


My friend bought a place a little further out in New Jersey, and that's where we are going to put all of my things.  It's a good temporary stopping place until, and if, we decide to move to Florida full time.  I don't think either of us really wants to do that.  We want to be able to be in New York part-time and this gives us the chance to do it.  It's just a one-bedroom, but I think everything will fit.  Both it, and my house, will close on the 17th of August.  I won't be moving until the middle of September, so it is close.


But - better news - we are going to Italy starting August 25, coming back September 6.  That will be the trip of a lifetime for me.  I've never been there and it's on my Bucket List (the list of things you want to do before you die).  Rome, Florence, and Venice.  I am so very excited.  I will leave a post of pictures after I get back and you will be able to see what I saw.


Meanwhile, I have a few boxes still to pack.....


Love and smoochy kisses,


Grandma Nici

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAYLOR

I was there when you were born my darling boy.  I watched you take your first breath and spent the next four years watching you grow up.  I have so many pictures, I will give them to you.

I love you my beautiful child


Grandma Nici

HOUSE!!

I did it!  I called the real estate lady in mid-May, she decided how much the house should sell for and she took lots of pictures.  The house sold in 24 hours.  Of course there is a lot of negotiation going on so I probably won't have to move until August, with lots of contracts and re-writing of contracts and figuring out how the new owners will pay for it and everything.  But it is moving forward nicely. 


Unfortunately I have to do a LOT to the house to get it ready.  I had agreed to make certain improvements based on how bad the tenants were leaving it.  I had to replace the first floor kitchen sink and countertops, the bathroom sink, door, and medicine cabinet, add glass shower doors, paint the entire first and second floor, add a door to Taylor's old bedroom, remove your Daddy's sound booth in the blue bedroom, and clean everything thoroughly.  This will take 6-8 weeks to finish. 


Then I have to decide where I'm going to move my stuff.  That's the hard part.  The house sold months faster than I thought it would.  I thought it wouldn't sell until fall so I would have time to find another place.  Now I don't, and I don't know where to move.  That will have to work itself out pretty quickly I think.  Of course, I can always put everything in storage with a moving company until I decide.  That's the quick and dirty option.


The buyers are very nice, a young couple who will eventually start a family.  That means Taylor's bedroom will have a baby in it again.  I will miss the house terribly - it has all my memories of the two of you.


Love and smoochy kisses


Grandma Nici

Tax Day and Lots of News

It's Tax Day in the US.  We pay our income taxes and, hopefully, get a refund.  Or at least don't have to pay very much.  My house interest helps a lot, so I rarely have to pay anything but that's going to change I think.


My tenants are moving out in June.  They are building a house so have given me a lot of notice.  Hmmm, I wonder if my house can sell for more than I paid for it.  If not, I can't sell it because the bank will want all the money they loaned me to buy and I can't pay it all.  We will have to get an appraisal - that's where someone tells you how much your house is worth and that let's you set a selling price.  I'm going to call the same lady that sold it to me.  She will know what to do.  Meanwhile - it's time to CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN and sell as much as possible.  What fun!


Therapy is helping my foot.  Hurrah!  It's a slow process, but it is working and it feels so much better already. 


Love you my dear one!


Grandma Nici

Happy Birthday Emmerson and Grandma

Happy Happy Birthday Birthday to Emmerson on the 13th and to Grandma on the 14th.  We are just one day apart so we can celebrate together.  Hurrah!!!  Did you have cake and candles?  I did!


Another trip to Florida this month just to rest and relax - I love it.


I visited with a dear friend of mine who was in town on his way to China.  We had dinner together and it was just wonderful.  It's so nice to see friends you have known for years and years and years.  Why, we first met in 1991!!  Another piece of good advice, keep your friends close.  Don't let time or distance get in the way.  If you are good friends you should talk from time to time.  And see one another from time to time as well.  It will be as if you had just seen one another yesterday, even if it's been years.


I've decided to go back and start therapy on my foot again.  It just hasn't gotten any better and summer is coming which means I want to USE it properly.  We are talking about a big trip at the end of summer so there will be a lot of walking which I couldn't do now.


Hope you are enjoying school, just a couple of more months until summer vacation.


Love and kisses


Grandma Nici