Yards and Moving

One of my favorite shows is House Hunters. This week they are doing new episodes all week from Florida. Last night they were in Naples. The couple chose the house I would have - great interior; exterior needs a bit of work. I moved into a new house when I moved to Texas and the backyard definitely needs landscaping. And the front a little as well. The builder called it a "deluxe landscape package." Ummm... I don't think so, but that's another post. Anyway, for the house the Florida couple picked they estimated $14,000 for the landscape. Ack! Granted they needed a fence and a good one will probably run about $5,000, but what would cost $9,000 in landscape. It had grass, so no sod. It needed some trees, but a screened porch was already there. They gave the figure for what they spent at the end and it wasn't quite that and it did look nice. Maybe trees run it up. I tend to plant small ones and watch them grow. Anyway, my budget is MUCH smaller than that, so we'll see what I come up with. The good news is that the show that followed, My House is Worth What? did say that landscaping in the back gives a very good return for the investment. Good to know.

Now, the moving part of this post. When the movers deliver your stuff, they are supposed to put the beds together for you. Generally, I was taught if they take it apart, they put it back together. Now, I have moved A LOT, including two cross country moves. I am not unfamiliar with moving. In the past, the movers have taped the hardware for the beds to the bed frames. Not this moving crew. We found the bed frame hardware in a dresser drawer wrapped in paper. But, we couldn't find the hardware to attach the bed frame to the bed. We looked in every drawer in the dresser and any other drawer we could think of. The driver was frustrated. He couldn't understand why it wasn't with the other hardware. My Mom and I wound up getting new hardware (bolts and nuts) at Home Depot. We knew I'd probably find them - someday.

Well, apparently we missed a drawer. Last night I found the hardware wrapped in a paper towel in the drawer of my nightstand. And, it was basically out of curiosity because I couldn't remember putting anything wrapped in a paper towel in there (we didn't have to unpack drawers for the move). I looked and there was the hardware. Guess I'll count it as a spare set for any future moves. I still haven't found the glass that goes in a lamp table and think it got delivered to the folks in Oklahoma (the delivery before me).

Personally, the load crew in Arkansas was a bit haphazard in my opinion. I almost think he did it on purpose. He was so very sure he knew much more about moving than I did. We were put off by his almost snotty attitude. The Texas crew that delivered was much better.

What's that noise?

Okay, I admit, after four days of listening to them drill a gas well, I'm a little paranoid. So at 6:30 this morning when I heard who knows what kind of engine sound, I admit I was a bit afraid that they were drilling again. That somehow they didn't finish.

Ummm... that wasn't it. Have I mentioned that I'm in a new neighborhood. Not all the houses are built. The cold weather slowed them down a bit, but apparently they are getting back into the swing of it full force. I'm all for this as I still don't have major warm fuzzies for the neighborhood. I think this will be resolved when it's "complete." They did just finish building a nice two story across the street and I noticed the past couple of days lot prep for two more. The noise this morning - a crane! I've lived in "being built" subdivisions, but have never seen them bring in a crane. Concrete trucks were also present (and generating some noise) and on the way to work this morning, a little further up the street was a backhoe. I doubt it will be a quite day there. Again, I understand the building and want them to get done. But, 6:30 am? I just hope they are a bit more considerate on the weekend. In prior neighborhoods with building going on, they didn't start till about 8:00 am on the weekend. And that was just basically hammering. Not a great start time, but better than 6:30 in the morning.

The fun will start when they begin building the house on the empty lot next to me. I'm both ready for it and dreading it at the same time.

Gym, part II

Well, last Monday I decided to go look at one more gym. Actually, it's the same gym (chain), one chain later, that I joined when I moved to TX the first time in 1996. From looking at their website, I had hopes. Several half hour classes in the early evening, 5:00 or 5:30, and a 6:00 yoga class one night a week. Most yoga classes are offered at 7:00 or 8:00 pm or in the mornings. Either I'm home for the evening or I'm at work at those times, so they never really worked for me. This gym also seemed to have a good variety of classes and it had a pool with sauna, steam room, and hot tub. I like using the sauna every so often. So, after work I stopped by.

I'm glad I did. I liked the gym. It's not as close to my house as I wanted, but it is easily accessible from the house and right on the way home. Also, they are building a new club very close to where I live and the membership can be transferred. Another plus, $5 off/month for President's Day and no contract. There was a joining fee, but it was reasonable and with no contract, I'm happy.

After two months of not working out, I'm easing my way back into it. So, I worked out one day last week and am hoping to do 3 days this week. One night I'm planning to check out the 30 minute "bootcamp" style class. I'm looking forward to getting back to regular exercise.