A Scathingly Brilliant Idea... I've Finally Got A Plan!

I finally had an epiphany about how to get this house ready for the market. After 26 years, I realized that every time I tried to clean out room by room, it just wasn't working successfully. Things seem to breed overnight and have multiplied by morning, resulting in hair being pulled out in distress.



I finally came to the conclusion that I just needed to get the house cleaned out and all of the junk put into one space, so that I can go through it all in one place. Being a multi-tasker (OCD), I had to find a way to make it work for me before I switched from OCD to hoarding. God forbid.

I rearranged the living room furniture and love the results. Why didn't I think of doing this before? I also cleaned out our sons room and put all of his old trophys and other mementos into marked boxes. Yay! The son is here visiting as I write, and has told me he doesn't care about any of the crap, which means I can toss it to Goodwill or Salvation Army. Sweet. Progress.

So, this is where Mr. Molasses has finally redeemed himself. He has helped me clean out every room and every closet in the house. I'm totally serious. Mr. Snoots doesn't have the patience, so I needed help. I also needed someone who was willing to take all of the goodies we didn't want anymore. Mr. Molasses came through for me. And, he'll take just about anything. We totally rocked  while purging my closets and rooms.



So, today I have a maid service called Molly Maids coming to clean. My housekeeper disappeared and I haven't heard from her in 3 months, so things were getting pretty grimy and extremely messy around here. Probably the reason I kept having feelings of total hopelessness. I simply can't take care of a 2900 square foot home by myself, in addition to taking care of the front and back yards. No. Can. Do.

Now, we are waiting for our new windows to be installed. Once those are completed, we will be ready to get the house on the market. Yes, you read it right. After 5 long years of getting the house ready, we are finally at the point where we can actually put our house on the market. Color-me-almost-happy.

Here's a peek at our old windows. Scary. Very scary.


We are finally on our way to moving out of this house Yay!

Things That Are Bad For Me That I Want... Now.

Perhaps this is just me, so let me know, okay?

I've been longing for Italian cigarettes, limoncello (the bottle I bought here is still more than half full in the freezer, which should tell you something, right?) and my little apartment terrace in Rome.

Every single time I see a box of the good old Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, I want to prepare it and eat the entire package by myself. Needless to say, we don't keep that in stock around here.

Yes, I moved the *new* sofa into the den and moved the den sofa to our storage unit (while the son was here to help), so the living room has returned to the way it was before, except that SD agreed to take our Sony sound system and the 2 (large) speakers and all of our vinyl records from days gone by. Believe me, she now has a treasure trove of the 60's and 70's music She also took some framed prints and a few other things, further ridding us of more junk. The son took all of our old Revereware pots & pans and was thrilled to have them (almost as much as I was glad to be rid of them).

After finding Bufala (Buffalo/Bison) mozzarella at Central Market in San Antonio, I made homemade pizza with it and still have another ball of it left. Decisions, decisions.

Now, I'm craving that blue cheese with bluberries in it too.

Chili. Mmmmm.... Can't wait to make some hot, hearty chili. It's been a really *chilly* November, so I've been making use of the time not spent at the golf course. Also, Mr. Snooty did something to his neck & hasn't been able to play in quite a while, so golf has taken a backseat to our everyday lives and all its little dramas.

So I continue to think about things like Boeuf Bourgonionne. Potato soup. Chicken Soup. Wait. Just. One. Minute. This sounds like poundage in the making, does it not?. I need to stop this train of thought before it gets totally out of control.

Longing for some herbed brie with crackers as well as caviar on crackers. Dammit! Stop..

Someone needs to stop me. Or else, I need to stop myself. I'll end up weighing 250 pounds with my mind in the cuisine gutter like this.

I'm in big trouble, aren't I? What is wrong with me? Is there even a cure other than exercise (since I have such great difficulty doing anything besides swimming or snow skiing)? Yawn. So, I've been cleaning; ruthlessly this time. I've been giving all my throw-aways to my housekeeper, who has been in Heaven. I wonder if she'd just work for goods? Probably not.

What is it about this time of year, autumn, that makes me want to eat back those inches I worked so hard to lose this last summer? God help me. I'm not a Grizzly Bear going into hibernation for Heaven's sake. I think I need to get a real life. Or my own pool.

At any rate, I've cleaned places that haven't been cleaned in maybe 15 years and I mean a deep down cleaning, not just band-aid cleaning like the housekeeper does once a week. We'd forgotten we even had a wet bar, it's been hidden by *junk* for so long. Honestly, I've scared myself beyond belief this last month as I've attempted to rid us of all this *stuff*. I'm beginning to doubt my own sanity at letting it all get so bad. Of course, blogging hasn't exactly helped.

Being in the same house for 24 years allows one to stuff things in every little nook and cranny, which is, quite honestly, totally nutso. You also tend to forget where you stuffed things in an attempt to make your house look presentable to guests (as long as they don't open any closets or cabinets). You still have to eventually pay the piper and go through all that you hastily hid away, at some point. That time, for me, has come and I'm paying out the wazzoo, trust me. And, I finally parted with my 20 year collection of Martha Stewart Living magazines. How crazy is it that I kept them for so long? Don't answer that, please. My daughter already gave me that oh-yeah-she's-crazy-look and ordered me to get rid of them. I stacked them all by the front door and hubby took them to the recycle bin before I could have a change of heart. I detest my tables in the den but the son has expressed an interest in acquiring them once we move (if we ever move). Hubby just wanted to throw both tables away, so this makes me much happier. I'm tired of living in a *throw-away-world*, even when it isn't good furniture.

In spite of the fact I've been collecting hoarding for many years, somehow my greater common sense kicked in when I realized how badly I want out of this house that's truly meant for a large family, not empty-nesters. I've been cleaning out dust bunnies the size of baseballs, which makes me so completely ashamed of myself and how bad I've let things get. I keep wondering how I could have lost the pride I once had in my home. Oh. That's right. Life kept getting in the way. I was so depressed for a few years, which basically interfered with normal life as I knew it. That has all changed now. I feel like a furniture warrior, whether I am or not (which I highly doubt).

The other day I was trying to figure out what my decorating *style* is. Hmmmm... The conundrum is that my style is basically whatever we inherit from relatives and whatever is cheap enough to get by on until we could afford something better. Thank God the time that we can afford something better has finally arrived. So, I want to take things slowly until I get my decorating footing....

What Do You Collect? Part Three Or Whatever Part It Is.... The Fascination Of Spinning Tops

First of all, I thought it best to tell you that you should never attempt to collect anything without the power of knowledge about what it is that you want to collect. Do your homework or you might just end up with a totally worthless collection that you have foolishly invested money in.

I thought that today I'd show you another of my collections. This is my spinning tops collection and I love it. Occasionally, when I'm exceedingly bored (which is almost never) I drag out my basket of spinning tops. My favorite thing to do is to try and get them ALL going at once, which is often quite a feat. Most of the time I can't do it, but just occasionally when I get them each going on the first spin, I can claim victory.

Spinning tops have been a favorite childhood toy in just about every culture on the face of the Earth, being found as far back as 2000 B.C. (although extremely rare to see these days, much less find). And Lord knows I'm still a child at heart. What makes tops interesting to so many is that they behave in ways that our minds tell us they shouldn't, thus defying imagination as well as gravity.

Spinning tops are so intriguing to watch as they dance around surfaces, weaving their way about until they eventually fall on their sides for lack of momentum or hit something, go boom and fall down. It's not difficult to believe that they were once a source of great entertainment. In my opinion, tops remain as enchanting today as they have since their introduction. Okay, fine. I can sit and stare at a roaring fire forever too. I'm simple minded like that.

To make it easier in understanding the wide world of spinning tops, they are generally broken into four categories which are finger tops, supported tops, peg tops and whip tops. The categories are based on how you cause the top to spin. Your method of launch is really what determines the length of time your top spins, but there are many other factors as well, such as torque, momentum, inertia and the nimbleness of your fingers.

A couple of my tops are still in their original packages for selling collecting purposes. The original packaging of an item always increases its value in the world of collectibles. You need to know this if you collect anything relatively new, and it's especially important to know if you collect anything antique. At any rate, many of my tops came in kids' meals from the various fast food chains (that my kids had no interest in), some I had slipped into the kids' stockings at Christmas (which they also had no interest in), while others were party favors for the kids, or given to me as presents. It doesn't matter, really. I love each and every one of them. In my mind's eye, they are each wonderful in their own unique way. Obviously, I'm not too picky.

I have two (spindle) tops that are shaped like little mushrooms called flip over tops (or *topsy-turvy* tops) which, when spun at just the right speed, will flip over to spin on their peg shaped spindle. In other words, they dance around until they flip and then look like tiny dancing mushrooms. I kid you not. They are adorable if and when you can actually get them to spin, because they are not easy to get started into a spin. It actually takes a fair amount of dexterity, which seems to be eluding me these days. (Could this be why it's so difficult for old farts like me? Nah! Well, maybe.)

One top (actually I bought two... just in case), called the Snake & Top (a somewhat *supported* style top) walks up and down alongside the thin little metal snake with the help of a magnetic spindle at the base of the top. Although it isn't as easy as most to get spinning, it really works it once it begins to spin. Another fascination entirely.

Next, I present to you the creme de la creme of tops. The King Kong of all spinning tops. The toughest mother that ever was made in the world of tops. The elusive American Hardwood Throwing Top. (a whip top) This and one other similar one, have stumped me from day one. I'm thinking maybe you need to be a very young boy to pull this one off, but then again, I might be wrong. I think these two are the reason I still occasionally pull out the bowl that houses my tops. It's like I'm being driven to make those two suckers spin sometime before I die.

I also have two delicate little tops that are from Germany and they will spin like crazy with just the right launch (finger spinners). Often times they are the last ones left spinning when all the others have finally come to rest, clearly at the end of their spins. I always like to have little contests to see who can spin the longest. By now you're probably thinking "Oh yeah. She's gone". Perhaps I am, but I've always simply been fascinated with spinning tops. I mean, I can't even stand on one foot without falling immediately over, much less spin like a ballerina. So sure. It definitely grabs my attention.

There is one called the Space Ball Flashing Top that runs the gamut of 32 different effect lights during its spin, that took me a while to figure out because it was made in China, written in English by Chinese workers. Seriously, if they hadn't added a picture to the back of the package I might never have figured it out. But, once you get this dull little guy going, he will rock your world with his light show. I try to not use it much in case there is some kind of battery I might have to replace at some point. I'm pretty sure I bought this one at a place on Galveston Island, the first year our friends had a house there, so it will be a while before this baby is worth more than retail price, but it does have the original packaging. Besides, it's *tres cool* and it mesmerizes me. It's actually more of a friction spinner, which is relatively new to the world of spinning tops.

Oh and let's not forget the ones that have battery free visual effects from their designs, when spun (also finger spinners). I think maybe you could hypnotize someone with these if you needed to. I sure stare at them as if I were in a trance when watching them spin. Two others I have might not immediately appear to be tops but by all rights, they spin on a tiny spindle on the base, so they are technically tops and they will often spin over a minute and a half. That's like a record among my collection of tops, so I guess that makes them the head honchos of the collection.

The absolute smallest top I have was handmade in India, which measures one inch in diameter and one inch in height, from the tip of the bottom spindle to the tip of the top spindle and I adore it. It is very tiny and delicate, yet it has survived this household for the last 20 years. That's no small fete. The prettiest top I have is actually an Easter holiday top that is basically a chicken trapped inside a disc that spins low to the surface and it's really cute even though it won't spin for very long.

And, last but not least, we have the *felt tip* tops (also finger spinners) that when spun, make marks on paper as if they were little tornadoes twisting their images onto the paper. They have little covers on the tips to keep them from drying out but it probably won't last much longer as they are over ten years old.

So, there you have it! Another of my *Ho-Hum* collections. However, my intention was that I might be able to teach you something about the whimsical world of spinning toys, and I sincerely hope that I have. Humans have been and continue to be fascinated by the mystery of tops that spin, often defying gravity, since 2000 B.C. In The Eliad, Homer describes a character who "reels like a top staggering to its last turnings". That  undoubtedly speaks something to me.

I've seen many antique tin and wooden tops but after reaching my highest bid, I was unable to bring myself to bid what it would have taken to acquire them. Luckily, I'm a patient woman. Ultimately, I hope to have brought you closer to a knowledge you didn't previously have about spinning tops. Yes, I'm generous like that. Sometimes.   ;-)

I've Been In Blogger Rehab And Thoughts Of Moving.....

Yes, Dear Readers, there is help for the obsessed blog writer. My rehab came in the form of a Trojan Horse Virus. The problems with my effing computer began a couple of weeks ago, starting out very slowly. Little things kept happening like the date & time were wrong when I turned it on every morning. I thought the computer was just having as hard a time adjusting to the time change as I. Then, I started getting pages shut down with a note from Microsoft saying I should report it so they could fix it. Yeah. Right. I reported it. They didn't couldn't fix it.

Next, my computer was flat out freezing up, often refusing to shut down entirely. There were several instances I had to shut it down manually, which is irritating enough. I finally called my computer guru who suggested that I use yet another program to search for viruses. Mind you, I have two full-time anti-virus programs already on a daily basis, but dutifully followed his suggestions. Bingo. Bango. Bongo. Trojan Horse Virus. I quarantined the virus, and deleted it, thinking my problems were over. Ha!

Two days later, the problems started again, in pretty much the same succession. By this point, I was ready to pull every last little hair from someone's head. I wanted to find the little devil hackers and torture them slowly. Oh, if only I could. I ran the Malware again and guess what? Yup. Another Trojan virus. So, I once again called my computer guru who told me it would be several days before he could make it over here to see what's going on. Argh!

Oddly enough, I didn't go insane. I used this painful time without a computer to do some much-needed spring-cleaning. You know. So that when the winds start blowing again, as they always do, they will have a fresh start spreading dirt everywhere. Yes, I'm tidy like that. Yes, I clean before the maid comes too, as insane as that sounds. I really got into the cleaning thing, for the first time since… well, ummmm… since I started blogging. In the midst of all this, I decided it's time to get this place in shape so that we can put it on the market and move to a more manageable sized home for life without children. The following photos are of the townhouse, NOT our home.

One thing that prompted me to start getting the house ready to sell is that one of my favorite houses ever has just hit the market. Actually, it's a townhouse with no yard, a few flowerbeds, swimming pool, 2 car attached garage, 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, formal living & dining, den with wet bar, and a fabulous kitchen with a casual dining area. I've been waiting for this place to come on the market for years, but should have been ready for it. Now, it will probably sell before we ever finish getting this house presentable. I could just cry. Wah! Homes on this particular street almost never become available unless someone dies. Or gets transferred or loses their job. Apparently, hard times have hit our city hard. This street stretches out over 3 city blocks and was designed to look just like a street in The Quarter, in New Orleans, cobblestone streets and all. It is so charming, as are all of the townhouses.

Imagine, if you will, how much clutter and crap we have after living in this house for 23 years. When we moved in our daughter had just turned one and our son was three. It took 23 years to accumulate this much *stuff*, so I'm pretty darn sure this isn't going to be easy.

Our home has 4 bedrooms, each with it's own private bath, two living areas, two dining areas, an enormous kitchen, and sits on what is referred to as a double lot. In back, we have a guesthouse that used to be my art studio (now just stores more *stuff*), a large tool shed (yup, more *stuff*), the vegetable garden area, with an old playhouse at the other end (which also now stores more *stuff*). The front and back yards are enormous and there are two large side yards as well. The front has half a yard size with grass & trees, flowerbeds, a circle drive with another yard size flower/tree bed in front of that. While it was the perfect home to raise our two children, it has become too much for the just the two of us to take care of. Frankly, we passed that point when we packed our daughter off to college. It's been out of control since that time and we've allowed many things to fall into disrepair, but mainly outside things. The inside is merely cluttered with too much *stuff*.

So, what I'm trying to relay is that I've been a cleaning-out-throwing-away maniac. Instead of going to a support group to maintain this detox effect, I am going to have to limit myself to four days a week on this blog and on my cooking blog, which I've decided I wasn't quite ready to give up on. I'm going to limit internet time and spend at least 3 days per week doing no more than check & answer emails. Period. The remainder of those three days will be spent cleaning out, throwing out, and giving things away. I'm a woman on a menopausal crusade to change my life and this is where it starts.


In closing, we are headed up to the Texas Panhandle for a funeral, which is the second one in two days. Our Galveston friends' (the wife's) father died and we're driving up there for the funeral. Today we attended a celebration of life for Mr. Snoots' step-Aunt who passed away last weekend. I guess I'd have to say this has been a fairly depressing week, all in all. Next week has to be better....