The Haggled Housewife Blog

As I write this morning I am in the midst of the move.  I have traveled 39 trips from the Haggled Housewife House to the TLC house.  Each travel I have carried something….. from a big thing such as a gigantic framed LAS VEGAS Wedding renewal picture to a little thing such as a roll of toilet paper ( which when you have to do a tinkle is actually a big thing but I am sure my point is put out to you….) Like with any situation there is good / bad…pros’s / con’s… pluses / minuses …yes’s/ no’s…happies / sads…blacks / whites … and this experience is no different as I travel the .2 mile difference between houses.  I do alot of thinking ( also believe it or not get lost… I turn down the wrong block but eventually get back on course and find my way to the TLC house without too much trouble.  Logistically for now traveling  across town  is all I can probably handle without a GPS…)

The TLC House is very different from the Haggled House and as we know different is just different sometimes…. As I mention in my previous post the TLC houses space and larger living area is amazing…and Mr. Landlord’s words of wisdom and permission to improve the property in anyway help keep my spirit soaring….. “I hope you have a great time living here…”  His words also  keep me going when I feel like putting my head to the ground like that the big ostrich I am used to being… I think to myself and actually say out loud quite frequently…in the TLC house… “You are too brave, strong and smart for sticking your head to the ground…”Get to work… you are moving in less than a week…”This is not the time to feel sorry for yourself by whinging and whining.    Although I have been having  devils food cake for dessert  every night. 

Probably the biggest difference besides the in ground pool, hot tub, pond, waterfall and humongous deck ( wink,wink) is the way the houses look… The TLC house is well worn ( inside and out) and the Haggled House is well kept (inside and out)…  The TLC house has probably not had a haircut in about three years… sorry in GUS terms ( the bushes haven’t been trimmed in three years)  The Haggled Housewife bushes are trimmed and manicured every week. 

 Funny in my book, I write that when Gary got slow with jobs…I stopped getting my hair done for two years…I still literally and figurative feel and look like the TLC  house looks…seems silly but it is true.  One can not stop themselves from noticing the sharp contrasts between  the houses.  The initial shock and suprise shows on every one’s face  who has already paid me a visit ..even though they try to hide it…I see it in their eyes and feel it their  hearts…. (cracked crappy blacktop vs. pristine paver walkway) (inground pool vs. big mud pile) ( stainless steel appliances vs. different colored appliances)  takes a little getting used to.. even for visitors… and it looks like Gary and I are a little loney… ( did I just say that) to leave the Haggled House and move to the TLC house.     I wonder out loud to you if I  really I ended up living here because I still  need to find a balance of caring about myself and where I live.

When I am in the TLC house… I still sometimes see the many imperfections and other times I don’t… I kind of feel like I am on vacation.  Being on vacation is a different feeling for me as well. Like I am staying somewhere for a little while….  In fact for now…. I literally and figuratively have turned the backyard into a make shift campsite with all recycled materials due to all the shade and trees and lack of grass. (wink,wink) I even layered it will all the signs and blow up leftovers from Princess ALYAK’s infamous LUAU party.  July is LUAU month and August is Fiesta Month.  I saved the Cinco de Mayo decorations (for now) ……

As real time goes on it is my hope..and goal to have Gary’s friend the COP Carpenter build me a make shift landing..something real simple but cool and lake like ( also something to stop the mud)(I have some pretty plans) The backyard definitely has a rustic feel and is for sure the most challenging space of the entire of house for me….

Showing a little tender, love and care to the house has required me for sure to use my resiliency, creativity and something from nothing traits… I always brag about….. ( remember I have no real money anymore..nor can I really afford to keep investing it into where I live) so everything now..has to be done on smart, sneaky and cheap ( at least to we get a little bit back on our feet)….Thank goodness I picked up the 10 pairs of $1.00 Old Navy flip flops)I keep throwing them out because of the mud…

Lucky for me…I am not alone.. during this travel….I have family and friends…besides for the real ones (Kayla, Gary, Cobey, Uncle Harry, Sue, Nora and Tessy)(and a special shout out to my Girlfriends son for moving the extra heavy things for $50.00) As well as my best friends words of compassion, concern, encouragement and helpful handy advice) When ever I want to stop… I say….”Denise…will surely kick my butt when she finds out I am afraid of a little glue…”

 I swear the Three Headed (Should, Could and Would (ve’s) monsters, GUS, Fred and STAN have also come to help out as well.   ”Turning back and quiting is not an option.”..GUS cheers me on…”It is what it is” ”and it is really  not bad….  STAN says…. You are in a great neighborhood, it is quiet ( no more damn train) and look at all the space you have.”  While removing 20 years on contact paper from the cabinet with a blow dryer over the high heat I hear the three headed guys finally admit…. “Wow…these cabinets are like brand new now…”  A ”new”  guitar literally and figuratively appeared in the back closet for FRED so he can maybe finally change his repertoire to campfire songs as opposed to serenading me with wrong songs.

Fixing the TLC house on the cheap is silly, fun, rewarding, challenging sad and sweet and takes alot of elbow grease  …( wink, wink) I feel like  I first did 16 years ago when we rented the run down house…but I also remember some of the best times there…at the start of our marriage… I do hope the vacation feeling that I have stays with me for awhile…being on vacation is actually a pretty good feeling. A feeling I like and could get used to….

Funny…the Haggled House seems so formal and fancy now… almost like someone else’s house ( wink, wink)….   Maybe it was the 39 trips back and forth or it is the lack of personal belongs left.  (Three days left to the actual move)…Although I am  really am not sure where I live for now… honest to you …I guess these feelings are to be expected when you travel …..no matter what happens , it is giving me a story to tell.

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 24th, 2010 at 6:00 AM and is filed under The Haggled Housewife. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.