Moving on down (?)

Time for an update.....Meine Frau und I have been working hard on the haus, hence the lack of updates.

We will be moving from this abode to something smaller, easier and simpler.  It will be our 7th residence in our life and hopefully our last.  After all, as we grow older, we want to simplify a lot in life.  Two of our three are living on their own, paying their bills and figuring out what they want to do with THEIR lives.  As much as we want to and sometimes fail, I mistakenly confuse guidance for direction.  I apologize.  It is their life, not mine to relive.  More on the house hunt later.

Over the past 18 months we have completed a number of projects in preparation of selling this block of concrete:

After the underpinning under the garage side of the house due to settling ($$$$),

• We fixed the brick wall and veneer on the west side of the house.  New/re-purposed brick blended real well with the existing.
• Wired/restucco'd the garage wall.
• Primed/painted east, west and south side of the house
• Painted the fascia to match the trim.
• New roof in 2012.
• Removed the Bottle-bush tree as it provided ugly curb appeal.
• Trimmed out the butterfly/hummingbird garden.  Welcome back winged friends
• Replaced the pool pump motor
• Thinned out the garden to more manageable beds (beans, carrots, and tomatoes).  Asparagus and pineapple are moving along.
• Painted three bedrooms, kitchen, breakfast nook, 3 bathrooms, 5 closets, laundry room.  All colors are in sync and blend well with the house.
• Regrouted two shower stalls
• Replaced ceiling fans, lumadome lights and panels
• Resurfaced patio roof 3rd coat in three years....I want that thing rubberized.
• Removed the child pool fence; pressure washed all to oblivion, more and more flowers, planted along the fence lines to make my bride's office view even prettier.

We are down to replacing the carpets for the new owners, painting two more ceilings and then pop a sign in the yard.

Our motivation is simply this.  Simple things seem to be easier.

We work the majority of our life building.  Building everything.  Building character, reputation, education, career, family, finance, belongings, experiences, everything.  At some point, you realize, why do I have some much stuff?  Character, education, experiences don't take any room.  They are the good things in life.  The other stuff does, and if we don't really use it, why have it?  Time to move on and pare down.  I'm also hypocritical, as we also have 10 x 15 storage unit.....that's another post.

We live in a 2600 sq ft house with three people, a dog and a cat.  Our dining/living room barely get used.  one bedroom is an office, another one is just a place to put a computer, iron clothes and assemble stuff that can be done anywhere.  It's time for a change.  

Though we know we need a change, we also need it for our personal preservation (isn't that one of man's 5 basic needs?) I spend three hours a day in the car.  Simply too long of a time, not healthy and certainly risky with the amount of miles driven through a populated city.  That too is another post on travel options.

So, moving forward with this blog will be a transformation to a simpler and easier life.  You hear that people work to live or live to work.  I've been the latter for all too long.  As I begin to make this change and transition into my 50's, I will also need to change outlooks, perceptions and goals.

Big things are planned for the last half of 2014...please stay tuned.