This will be the last post of the moving blog. Thank you to all my fans (both of you) for following and reading the blog. It happened just like I wrote it.

For more fascinating thoughts and pictures, please visit the new blog, 5000 miles at http://5000milesx.blogspot.com .

Third Floor

I moved into an apartment in Waterford last month. It is great, third floor with a balcony. I moved all the stuff from the storage shed, hauled it up the stairs and then the girls and I went through everything and threw most of it away; haul it back down the stairs to the dumpster.

Glad I saved the 9 piece orange sectional. it took up the whole livingroom at the house but just a corner here. It's the only furniture I have.

Back in MI

The house is being inspected by the city rental division tommorow. I've been back in MI for a month now but have not seen the house. I am hiding from my tenants, making them think I am still in NY because I dont want to be asked to fix anything. I want them to feel all the pressure of the upcoming inspection and find a way to get things fixed. Most of it is not major but little things like making the wood fence in the backyard straight up and down. Since I am the one who put it in sloppy in the first place I probably can't fix it any better.

This inspection is the tenants fault anyway. I wanted to rent to them without the city knowing but within 2 weeks of them living there the city came out to issue tickets and found out they were renting. I lived there 10 years and never had a problem. The first thing the renters did was pull out the bushes that partially hid the front porch. Then the wife and the kids junked up the porch with toys, dirty diapers and whatever, and the city issued tickets.

The husband and I had it all worked out that we wouldnt tell the city, it would save us both a hassle. There were repairs that needed to be made and he was going to do them slowly and I'd take some off the rent. Well he neglected to tell his wife any of this and when the city showed up she was the only one home. They asked "Where's Jim R., the owner?" She was very helpful and replied "Oh Jim? He moved to New York and we're renting from him!"

   I have been worried that my new tenant may be some kind of con artist. Since I'm in New York and can't really monitor what is going on out there. Some strange things have been happening I'll talk about later. But after today, I am not so worried. I talked to him and he asked me if I could send him a copy of the lease. His kids got ahold of his copy and tore it to shreds.  He needs it to get his daughter into the local school. It probably was in the same spot on the table where we signed it 2 months ago. Till them dang kids got ahold of it. They're in that destructive age you know.

  But the jokes on him, he doesn't know what a lazy slob I am, I don't even know if I can find my copy!

Homeless

I've been officially homeless now for about 2 months. I stayed at my mom's house in Syracuse for awhile, then i was riding my bike through Canada for a month, now I am at my sister's house in West Hurley, NY. It's a great life without all that stuff. Looks like it will be going full circle soon and I'll be living back in MI for awhile.

Trash Mountain

When you think about it, the term trash mountain literally means "mountain of trash".

Never trust a craigslister

I've spent the day waiting for three different people from craigslist to come get their stuff.
Nobody showed up. The only thing I got real responses from was the old tires I put on the FREE list, then I got 5 calls, and someone was here in 15 min.
I did get rid of my broken washing machine though. I got it as far as the bottom of the basement stairs but couldn't get it any farther by myself. I set the trap by putting a couple of metal items at the curb; a rusty shelving unit and some chicken wire. Then I sat on the porch and waited. Within 30 min. some scrappers showed up and started loading thier pickup. I said "Hey you guys want a washing machine?" "Sure" Wel it's in the basement you just have to bring it up. "OK" !