A Sense of Closure

This is the week in which we had Better Close, Or Else. We have permission to stay in this house until the end of the month, but there are several modifications that must be made to the new house before we can move in (ramp, wider doorways, hard flooring). So we need time, and help. And then we have to move itself. This is the first time we have bought and sold all at once and the back-to-back remodeling is grueling.

While waiting around I have been trying to pack, with Rocketboy's help when I can get him. (Wondergirl is also moving this month. And then he's moving after her. And then he starts school.) Progress is slow and boxes are elusive, though family members and friends in distant parts of the country have volunteered them if we come pick them up.

Anyway, we did manage to get documents signed and our current house sold. Right after it closed, the sink clogged completely during the dinner dishes. A late night trip to Walmart for Draino had no effect, other than making the house smell like bleach and shining up the sink.

In the morning His Majesty came and disassembled the plumbing to disclose a mysterious white spongy substance blocking the entire pipe. Then I helped him load the truck to go to the dump. Then I started in on the belated supper and breakfast dishes and started the dishwasher.

Finally we sat down to start school (yes, we're plowing on with school, partly because I'm stubborn that way and partly because it's rainy so what else will keep them out of trouble?) and just as we got some momentum going, the dishwasher started spewing white suds all over the floor. I shoved some towels underneath and we carried on.

Then DOB called to let me know it was time to sign documents for the new house. So I fed the kids a quick lunch and we dashed off and signed away. We returned home and I disassembled the dishwasher enough to clean out the clogged drain and started in on the rest of the dishes. We had snack and story and the kids were settled down to computer time and I was starting supper when I happened to glance at my phone and see I had missed a call much earlier in the afternoon..

I checked my voice mail and it was the title agent. She had skipped having me sign one document. Could I come in and sign it by five? I looked at the clock--it was 4:50. I told the kids to pause everything and get in the car. We zipped out, took the long way around to avoid the left turn of doom at rush hour, and pulled into the title agency with three minutes to spare. The agent had left but someone else found the paper for me.

Then we finally went home again, and found I had even remembered to turn off the stove.