Love All The Pretty Nines

I admit, I like numbers. I like it when the digital clock reads 1:23 or even better: 12:34! I like it when numbers make patterns or when they appear in an order that triggers a happy memory, a birthday or anniversary. The significance I apply to numbers is really only about the novelty or prettiness. I did not think Y2K meant anything more than a cool new year, a change from all those 1900s I was accustomed to. We created numbers, dates and minutes; systems for keeping order and categorizing the things in our world. Calendars aren't even universal or particularly accurate... just ask any kid born on February 29th! Anyway, 09/09/09... well, I think it looks really cool and it's fun to say and tonight for less than a second we will be aware of a unique accounting figure... when it will be 9 seconds after the ninth minute, after the ninth hour, on the ninth day of the ninth month, in the year oh-9! It calls for a home cooked meal, maybe dessert, or a walk on the beach and a splash in the seventy-four degree Pacific!


Mom and I had a midday break on the bluffs. A little lunch, a little breeze and a whole lot less heat than last week. What a relief! I plan on downloading all the beautiful pictures she's been taking and then posting them here on Chickenblog. I'll take all the credit and glory. She will be the honored guest photographer.


We've been riding our own kind of waves with all the house ups and downs... and honest, I am not trying to belabor the point, but the waves do keeping coming! Don't worry, I am still standing and I think my humor is intact. Dude. It's totally gnarly.


Paranoid-superstitions... every time I make real progress with packing, we have an escrow setback. There could be a connection. I may try unpacking today, just to see what happens. I have also thought of ordering checks, personal stationary and address labels for Garage Mahal... to ensure that escrow closes on the Blue House and we get to leave our rental palace!


Before 09/09/09, we had 09/08/09 and that is a date I will always remember. On September 08, 2009, our family had four children in four different schools. We are spanning an academic spectrum of grades. It is quite an accomplishment. Last night I had a moment's relief as I reflected on the day. I sighed and thought: I did it! And then I remembered that I would have to do "it" again, and again and again! Until June, 2010. It's a bit early to be taking a bow, or looking for accolades.

It's Monday and We Are Not Late!

Sometimes gratitude can strike in a really basic kind of way. Like when it's a school day and I am sleeping and then I wake up and for just the briefest painful second I think: Gah!! We're late and the universe is conspiring against my happiness and comfort! And then the suffering subsides, because it's not a school day, and we are not late. Even sweeter... the air temperature is less than 80 degrees and there is a nice breeze.

I wasn't sure what I was going to post about this morning. I haven't been taking very good photographs lately and the ups and downs of California real estate have still been the dominant and mysterious theme in our lives, so weak material there... Or is it? Okay. Okay. So, in the latest installment of In and Out Blue House, on Friday I got fed-up with the particulars of what was being asked of us and feeling abused, and it made me so tense and cranky that I snapped at Max. Stop. I literally stopped my car and said, "Enough already. This house business has me so worked up and turned around that I cannot even function, to the point where I am misdirecting my anxiety at my very awesome son." So I called the appropriate parties and told them I was done, that I refused to go forward under the current conditions, and that nothing would make me cave, weaken or turn around on my decision to bow out from the negotiating. It meant I was willing to let go, which was hard, but living with the cranky-mean-sad-anxious stuff was worse than releasing.

It took some of the pressure off, but it made for a long weekend too. I think it was a good choice. We had reached a place where we were negotiating for almost the same thing, but it was getting out of hand in the details and expectations, and we could not surrender our rights and dignity any further. Monday morning net result: They agreed. And we agree. As I have done a most excellent job of not documenting all the ups and downs, you cannot know how many times this has fallen apart and been repaired and fallen apart again. They agree and we agree, and if they sign the latest paper work and then we sign it, then I might actually be prepared to say, "It is done."

Some people know more details than have appeared in Chickenblog, and I know they have expressed concern that 'maybe we should walk away, that maybe the Blue House is a house of Blues.' I think everything is going to be fine. Better than fine. The hardest part about this process has been Geoff's diligence and the best part of this house buying process has been Geoff's diligence. We liked the house enough to make an offer, but we had to be objective enough to protect our assets. Then we had to pick the house all apart and find out every last flaw, every loose board and leaky pipe, so that we almost did not like the house after all. Then we had to determine what we could do to make the house good... what could we fix, how would we fix it? We called in more experts, got more opinions. We got realistic... I think it's like falling in love... in the beginning it's all romantic and "yes-yes-yes!" and then you start to see the bigger picture and it can be scary and you might want to back out and there are misunderstandings and first fights, but a point of maturity and acceptance is reached, when you know the good, the very good, the bad, the ugly and it's okay, because you know what is reasonable and you appreciate the whole package.

Do I make any sense at all? Basically, we know that Blue House inside and out. I have loved it and cursed at it. I know what's right about it, and I know what's wrong with it, and I still want to live there. And as I have always reminded myself, being in our own home will not be the answer to all of life's problems, it will not cure every ailment... I know this. I am just looking forward to having something new to whine about. tee hee

Now. What do you think of Ruth's hibiscus? It's one of dozens of the cheeriest and most healthy flowers ever, growing on the shrub outside her living room door. Her own living room door, the one attached to her own house. The house she is moving in to right now. She found a comfortable and pretty house, near to all, with convenient places to walk to and the world's friendliest neighbor cat.


Hello Kitty.

Tigger is like a purring, furry welcome wagon.


Gratitude:
I am thankful that we have we do not have to go to school today.
I am thankful that we all got to see Ponyo together!
I am thankful that my Mommy is here and that we can laugh and cry and laugh again.
I am thankful that we may have more company soon!
I am thankful for playground fun.


I am thankful for the view of the sky full of thunderheads.
I am thankful for twelve dollar chairs.
I am thankful for my ride, my hardworking and dependable Odyssey.


I am thankful for finding an old friend.
And new friends.
For friendly cats, for fig trees.