Drive away...
As the owner and I were relishing quiet moments in the house, I told
him he may want to move back in. It was about 2 weeks before it went
on the market.
He is an amazing person and I knew that I had to have the conversation with him. Yes, he really could move back in. It was ready for him and he just needed to get some furniture and fill up the fridge.
But it was in the works for a much longer time, while the house was cleared out over the holidays. Work began about mid January, and went non-stop for two months as the general contractor discovered more and more and more. We were there, at least once per week. I was there probably four times each week.
He had owned the house since 1980. It was his first house. He was single and stayed that way. And as it happens, days turned into years and years into decades and at some point, one doesn't recognize what has happened. Then he took ill. And a friend stepped in for him.
He moved into assisted living, close by. What a great place it is. He not only found himself there, he really did find himself! He was well on his way to better when I met him.
I explained the choices he had and let him think on them. He decided he'd fix up the house and I introduced him to a contractor, who I knew, along with his designer wife, who had the best of low cost and efficient ideas. He owned it free and clear and decided to make it right once again...better than it ever was because tract homes weren't built very well back in the day. He would make more money doing the work than doing nothing and selling it as a wreck. Not every body has that option.
As we sat there that day, in quiet, watching what had taken place over the previous two months, I brought up the question again. Did he want to move back in? It was a present possibility. The house was single level, detached, not huge, but adequate. BUT, I said, you need to get someone, a service, somebody, to bring you good food. He had choices. But I said that is what he had to promise me. He needed to continue to eat well. And he would be fine.
He was still, for a bit longer. Then he got up, walked around, and said "No, I don't think so." Why not? "Because it's too big for me and I'm concerned that what I may start out with, will not stay with me. I've come a long way but being in isolation is not good. But I still want to think about other ways to live." I said he could think another couple of days.
He sold the house. It was beautiful and he wanted it just right for the new owners.
And when we got to signing his final papers at the title company, we realized he didn't have a current identification. Expired drivers licenses don't work too well since 9-11-01. So off we went, in my car, to the DMV, having no appointment. Our friends at the title company said they couldn't kick us out if we were there before 5pm. And we got there with about 10 minutes to spare. And we spent another 30 minutes there. We tried to take the eye tests as though we were taking a drivers test. And we walked out - with a new state ID and a CA drivers license manual.
We went back to the title company and he finished signing his papers. And as I drove us back to his apartment, he said maybe I could get him over to the DMV when he's ready to take his test. And I said yes, it would be my pleasure.
Live richly, marilyn
He is an amazing person and I knew that I had to have the conversation with him. Yes, he really could move back in. It was ready for him and he just needed to get some furniture and fill up the fridge.
But it was in the works for a much longer time, while the house was cleared out over the holidays. Work began about mid January, and went non-stop for two months as the general contractor discovered more and more and more. We were there, at least once per week. I was there probably four times each week.
He had owned the house since 1980. It was his first house. He was single and stayed that way. And as it happens, days turned into years and years into decades and at some point, one doesn't recognize what has happened. Then he took ill. And a friend stepped in for him.
He moved into assisted living, close by. What a great place it is. He not only found himself there, he really did find himself! He was well on his way to better when I met him.
I explained the choices he had and let him think on them. He decided he'd fix up the house and I introduced him to a contractor, who I knew, along with his designer wife, who had the best of low cost and efficient ideas. He owned it free and clear and decided to make it right once again...better than it ever was because tract homes weren't built very well back in the day. He would make more money doing the work than doing nothing and selling it as a wreck. Not every body has that option.
As we sat there that day, in quiet, watching what had taken place over the previous two months, I brought up the question again. Did he want to move back in? It was a present possibility. The house was single level, detached, not huge, but adequate. BUT, I said, you need to get someone, a service, somebody, to bring you good food. He had choices. But I said that is what he had to promise me. He needed to continue to eat well. And he would be fine.
He was still, for a bit longer. Then he got up, walked around, and said "No, I don't think so." Why not? "Because it's too big for me and I'm concerned that what I may start out with, will not stay with me. I've come a long way but being in isolation is not good. But I still want to think about other ways to live." I said he could think another couple of days.
He sold the house. It was beautiful and he wanted it just right for the new owners.
And when we got to signing his final papers at the title company, we realized he didn't have a current identification. Expired drivers licenses don't work too well since 9-11-01. So off we went, in my car, to the DMV, having no appointment. Our friends at the title company said they couldn't kick us out if we were there before 5pm. And we got there with about 10 minutes to spare. And we spent another 30 minutes there. We tried to take the eye tests as though we were taking a drivers test. And we walked out - with a new state ID and a CA drivers license manual.
We went back to the title company and he finished signing his papers. And as I drove us back to his apartment, he said maybe I could get him over to the DMV when he's ready to take his test. And I said yes, it would be my pleasure.
Live richly, marilyn
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