Farewell 2048 Goodrich!

Bob lived at 2048 Goodrich for 55 years. At a few months short of 37 years, I was also one of  the block residents with the most longevity.

We had been planning our move for many months but plans didn't begin to materialize until the house sold quickly to a young couple who made an offer on the day it was listed. All of a sudden we had to be out by 9:00 a.m. on May 1!

The serious work started when we returned from Florida on March 25. Scott jumped into action and created a tentative moving schedule that included enlisting Chris, John, Adam and Mitchell. With a few exceptions, we're buying new furniture so we gave away or pitched most things, and sold a couple on a community marketplace Facebook site.

Scott hauled his large snowmobile trailer and filled it pretty much to capacity. Last Saturday, we were almost finished, but still had odds and ends (too many) to deal with. Meggan and Scott graciously offered us their newly refinished lower level, where the view is beautiful and the comfortable, cheerful space provides respite from all the stress of moving. Our hosts could teach the hospitality industry a lot.

Bob a I moved more stuff Sunday and Monday. Sonia came yesterday to help clean  (what a godsend her presence was) and Junk360 picked up what neighborhood scavengers left in the alley.

I left appliance instruction books on the buffet along with keys and garage door openers. We read the water meter and just like that, we were done and gone. Final walkthrough is Thursday afternoon and on Friday, the new owners will take over.

Goodbye peonies, Bob's roses, prairie garden and majestic centenarian oak tree! Goodbye, beloved house! Thanks for all the fun and deep joy, for the six kids you sheltered, for precious memories and so much love.

Life at Home #stayathomemn

We've been under a stay-at-home order for over a month now -- how long doesn't really seem to matter, because we seem to have adapted to the new distanced reality imposed on us by COVID-19. We've figured out grocery shopping, the pharmacy and necessary trips to Menard's for moving boxes, tape and other supplies. I plan my route through the store in advance and I always wear a mask. It's routine now, so I have one in my purse and another on the seat of my car

Once I got the curbside pickup thing figured out, I thought I would order all groceries online, but that didn't really work out except once. Demand for the service seems to exceed capacity, and I haven't succeeded in getting a workable pickup or delivery time at either Cub Foods or my favorite Lund's & Byerly's. Seems "in person" is the way to go, armed with a good list.

I shopped once at Lund's, and although it was only 7:00 a.m., the store was full of slow-moving shoppers and the wait at check-out seemed like forever. Instead, I switched to the nice, new Cub just across the Ford Bridge in Minneapolis. This morning, I was there way before 7 and zipped through the store like a pro, which I definitely am not. The checkout guy seemed desperate for conversation, conducted as I packed my bags (paper, not the re-usable ones I washed when we got home from Florida), all at a greater than 6-foot distance.

#stayathomemn has been extended through May 4.


https://mn.gov/governor/covid-19/

Empty Attic

Way back in the mid-80s, Bob and I cleaned the attic, but didn't empty it. Instead, it filled up again. Dealing with the contents has been a major task in the decluttering project initiated last fall. Our house closing is May 1, so obviously I needed to complete the job.

Among the oldest items was a box with dusty quilted nylon bathrobes that must have belonged to one of the girls who grew up in this house, decades before me. Of course, I recognized the clothes from old photos and felt a little sad they went in the trash.

I also found an oil painting covered with attic dust and dirt. I remembered being unable to throw it away all those years ago, and couldn't do it yesterday either. No one seems to recall its provenance, so I think it may have been in the house when Bob and his first wife, Sandy, took possession in 1965. I "reverse imaged" a photo on the Internet, with no luck, but maybe this picture will job someone's memory.

I cleaned the painting kind of following instructions for amateur conservators. However, I'm a little too squeamish to do much with Q-tips and spit, so  I ended up outside this morning with a dry paintbrush for the worst of the dust, and a damp cloth to wipe off the darkest stains. The canvas brightened up immediately and I'm looking forward to finding a frame.

It will find a good spot in the new house.