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Monday, May 16, 2011

Caught Between Two Worlds

Do you know that place between sleep and wakefulness?  That warm, fuzzy location where you are starting to wake up but you sort of want to go back to sleep.  You know you have to get up but you want to hit the snooze button and keep your eyes shut just a few minutes more.  You're in between two worlds.

We are all creatures of habit.  I am entrenched deeply in some habits, especially when it comes to living in the same house for 13 years.  It's a comfortable world, everything has its own place and you know where things are without even thinking about it.

Last night, despite all the upside-downess (is that a word?) of our house, I took a deep breath, cinched up my pants a little higher and went into the kitchen to prepare a home cooked meal.  I looked forward to it, we've been so busy lately that it's been grab a meal on the go.

I opened the lower cabinet to get the skillet out...and it wasn't there.  Instead were a couple of neatly placed muffin pans and a bowl, courtesy of the Caring Transitions folks.  One of the tasks they completed last weekend was to minimize some of the pots, pans, dishes and assorted kitchen gear and stage things to look neat and inviting.  However, you can't cook a skillet dish in a muffin pan, so I went on a "seek-and-ye-shall-find" mission.




After rooting around all through the neatly organized  cabinets, all the while muttering to myself, I found the skillet wasn't in any of them, it was in a box in the corner of the kitchen that is destined to go to the Journey and be swapped out with the old skillet we carry in it.

Okay, skillet on the stove, now the recipe called for 1/3 cup of water.  I reached up to the cabinet over the stove where the measuring cups are and I found several little bottles of red cinnamon candies you decorate cookies with and two small jars of jimmies, all neatly arranged like soldiers marching in formation.  But no measuring cups. 

Marti saved the day, she heard me muttering to myself a little louder so she jumped in and handed me the measuring cups before I broke down in tears.  They are now in a drawer where we used to keep odd, seldom used cooking implements, aka, the "Junk Drawer".

With Marti hovering close by, I was able to get the meal cooked without slitting my wrists and it tasted good.  So we now find ourselves in the position of how we used to live in our home and how it's getting set up to appeal to buyers.  The new world.  And this was just the "fun" I had in the kitchen, what's going to happen when the Caring Transitions folks come back this weekend and get the whole house staged?  I'm really glad that the bathroom fixtures are just that, fixtures.  So I don't have to worry about a middle of the night potty call with me looking for the toilet and finding it staged in the garage or something.

I hope I can last long enough with our "new" world to sell the house without having a nervous breakdown.


Thanks for visiting and feel free to leave a comment.

16 comments:

  1. You'll make it because you didn't go through all this for nothing. You have a goal to reach and it will keep you sane. You might start drinking heavily though :)

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  2. have a diet coke and you will feel better!!

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  3. Paul you need a stand up comedy routine. It's a fOR SURE money maker. Retire immediately and get on the road traveling between gigs.

    I've got tears streaming down my face from laughing so hard.

    I'm sorry for you but this is great for me. I've not had the best couple of days and you've made me feel much better. I think your problems may be worse than mine. :-)

    Sherry
    www.directionofourdreams.blogspot.com

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  4. Just had to laugh...sorry.

    As long as the potty doesn't move, you'll survive!

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  5. I have tears streaming down my face from the sympathetic pain I'm feeling over having your house totally reorganized. I'd go nuts!!!

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  6. It WILL be OK!! Repeat after me...
    It WILL be OK!!

    Actually, it will be great...just hang in there...you can do it!!

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  7. LOL you're a nut! Too bad the Journey isn't in front, just give the house the 'finger' and cook out there :)

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  8. LOL -- you're just too funny!!!! My mom always used to say "If I wasn't laughing, I'd be crying." It really does help to have a good sense of humor during these trying times.

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  9. It's funny...after over 6 years on the road, we have forgotten all about "those days"! Thanks for the reminder! There will come a time when this will all just be a memory to you guys as well!

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  10. Funny! You may have to eat out for the the next few months or bring back the transition folks.

    Your post made me realize that I have never lived in a house for that long. The longest I have lived in one house was 9 years when I was growing up on a farm. After that six years was the next longest. One of the longest times in one space is getting to be the motorhome-it will be five years in a few months. That is a bit scary-I guess.

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  11. Transitions can be some tough times. I didn't realize that cooking while in transition could be that hard. Maybe it's because I don't cook that much. :)
    Syl

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  12. I loved reading this post, it reminds me of most of my days~~~

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  13. We're right there with ya. We can't find anything because everything has been packed and we haven't moved into the fifth wheel yet.

    Good luck, the road is waiting for us!!!

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  14. I'd hate to hunt for something, especially in the kitchen. I dread going in the kitchen in the first place. Thanks for a great laugh. I couldn't do what you're doing, I have to know where my STUFF is. It's time to go full time in the RV and forget the house. We'll see you soon, hang in there! It's well worth it.

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  15. And the adventure continues.....lol

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