Wednesday

After breakfast at the hotel, I was at a loss as what to do because
most of the tasks on my list are complete. I drove out to Frisco Lakes
and decided not to go to my house and get in the way. I parked at the
sales center and went for a walk. All the sidewalks in Frisco Lakes
were something that really attracted me. I walked up to the amenity
center that is under constructions. I estimate that 70 percent of the
brick work is complete. I love all the brick in Frisco Lakes. I then
went the opposite direction and followed the walk around the lake to
its end. The lake is a man-made lake. It is being filled with well
water, and it is a long process. The drought has made filling the lake
very difficult.

Finally I drove to my house. I made a quick inspection. My
construction superintendent was carrying in some new kitchen cabinet
doors to swap out in my kitchen. There were some scratches which they
had repaired on mine. I asked them to change them, and they are doing
it. They really seem to want the homeowners to be satisfied. I went
outside. The neighbor who has moved in was just finishing mowing his
lawn. We talked for a while. He said the post office is delivering
mail to them. I was glad to hear that.

As I was getting ready to leave, three people walked up. They are my
next door neighbors. The couple who will be my neighbors are from
Puerto Rico. I wonder if they can claim the record for coming the
longest distance. Their daughter, who lives in the Dallas, was with
them. They are closing a few days after me and will be moving in
immediately. At least three houses will be occupied by the time I move
in and the rest of the cul-de-sac will follow shortly.

I went back to the hotel and called the clock service man. I had to
leave a voice mail message for him. He called back last night, and I
made an appointment for him to come out Monday September 11 in the
afternoon to set up the clock. I have had that clock so long that it
is like an old friend. I have missed its chimes since it was
immobilized for the move on August 24.

I had lunch with my email friend, Mary, at Applebee's here in Frisco.
I enjoyed meeting her for the first time. She is just as nice and
intelligent as I imagined she would be. She and her husband will be
moving into Frisco Lakes in the second quarter of next year. They have
some very busy months ahead of them. They will have it a little easier
because they live in the area.

After lunch, I went to a Tom Thumb grocery store and looked around.
When I lived in Houston, Randall's was my favorite grocery store.
Randall's and Tom Thumb are supposed to have the same ownership. Tom
Thumb has a program which gives one American Airlines AAdvantage mile
for every dollar spent. I signed up and got my card. I am always
watching for ways to get AAdvantage miles. I have enough miles for a
business class around the world ticket, but by the time I get the
miles from the sale of my house I will be getting close to having
enough miles to make that a first class ticket. Now with all the
security hassles I do not know if I will want to go on the trip.

AT&T called back yesterday to verify a few details. I was glad they
did because they had the wrong date to end the Beaumont service. That
is straightened out now. I asked about what calling features I am
getting. As I expected, I am getting the works: caller ID, voice mail,
call waiting, call forwarding, etc. I did not write down all that she
rattled off. A better question would have been: What am I not getting?

The closing is at 11 AM this morning. I expect all to go smoothly. I
will be relieved when they tell me that the money that was wired by my
bank on Tuesday was received.

Tuesday

The day after the rain was a wonderful day in Frisco. The temperature
stayed in the 80's and the humidity was low. I heard on the local news
that Dallas had not seen such low temperatures since April.

AT&T called me back and we finished up details for my phone, DSL and
Dish Network installation. There will be two technicians come to my
house on Monday morning, September 11. One will install the Dish
Network and the other will install phone and DSL. I was originally
going to get the phone installed on September 8; but when I changed to
the package which includes DSL, I decided it would not be a good idea
to have all of that going on while the movers are bringing in the
furniture. I did not find out what calling features are included with
the package I am getting. I am thinking that most of the features will
be included because she didn't try to sign me up for them. It is my
experience that they never miss an opportunity to try and sell
additional services.

Sometime in 2007 AT&T is supposed to start offering their U-Verse
television service in Dallas. I do not understand all the details, but
it is receiving very favorable reviews. San Antonio is the first city
to get the service. I did not have to sign a contract with the Dish
Network so I can switch to U-Verse without penalty. The Del Webb
people seem very happy that AT&T is bringing fiber to the homes in
Frisco Lakes. I think the technology that AT&T is adopting is called
video over IP. I can remember reading articles back in the mid 1990's
saying that the Internet was going to fail because it could not carry
all the traffic when the general population started using it. That is
almost laughable now with all the services that are being carried on
the Internet. It has managed to hang together.

I went to the Frisco City Hall yesterday and talked to a woman in the
water department. She looked me up. They had received my fax, and my
service is set to begin on the day I close. I am going to call CoServe
and double check today. When I called, they showed no gas meter. It is
definitely in place now.

I also need to call the clock service man and make an appointment for
him to come out and set up the clock. I went in a beauty shop that I
had seen recommended on one of the Frisco Online forums. It is right
on Main St. in the old business district. I talked to the owner and
made an appointment for the week after I move in. I do not know if I
will continue to go there, but my hair grows fast if I do not like the
haircut. I am having lunch today with a lady who is going to move into
Frisco Lakes in the spring. She found this blog, and we have been
exchanging emails. I am looking forward to meeting her. She has a good
sense of humor that shows in her emails.

Two Days Before Closing

I went to the house this morning and took a few pictures. This is a link to the photos: Two Days Before Closing. There was a lot of activity in the house. Meagan was there and directing the show. I decided I was in the way and left.

Monday in Frisco

After breakfast at the hotel, I drove to the Frisco post office. They
open later than the Beaumont post office, but they do have a window
open at 7:30 for things like package and mail pickup that do not
involve cash charges. I stood in line and then it took more than 20
minutes for them to come back with my mail. I had quite a bit. The
mail order catalogs have already found me, and there were several
letters acknowledging my address change. They will continue the
construction hold on my mail until I tell them to begin delivery.

Next stop was my house. I thought the front door was locked. I called
my construction superintendent and he was there in just a few minutes.
The door was unlocked. I just was too dumb to realize that. Gary is
making everybody that enters the house remove their shoes, me
included. I was happy to do that I want to keep the carpet clean. I
then started going over every inch of the house with my notebook and
pen in hand. I made a lengthy list of little flaws. There was nothing
major, but things I would like to have touched up. I felt like I was
nitpicking but --.

By the time I completed the list the rain was pouring down. I saw some
people in a house across from mine. I went over and introduced myself.
They are closing Tuesday of next week. They are from San Antonio but
have sold their house and are living in an extended stay hotel. They
will be moving in at the same time I am.

The rain was turning into a nice soaking rain that Frisco needs so
badly. A man from the sprinkler company came by. He was adjusting the
watering program to compensate for the rain. Too much water on new
landscaping can be just as bad as too little.

I then went to the Sears store and told the sales person about the
website showing the refrigerator that I have purchased as being out of
stock. She took me to the phone and called the 1-800 number to check
on scheduled deliveries. After a lengthy hold, the person confirmed
that the washer, dryer, dryer kit and refrigerator were all shown for
delivery on September 9. I asked if she could confirm that the
refrigerator was in stock. She said only the warehouse has that
information. She said she had no way of contacting the warehouse. I
hung up and asked the sales person if she could call the warehouse.
She said she had no way to do that. I am in limbo until the delivery
approaches. I want that particular refrigerator so I will just have to
get by.

After lunch, I went back out to the house. I had checked out the
shutter sample color against the window sills and it looked fine. I
had called the shutter company but had to leave a voice mail message.
Donovan called while I was driving to the house. He said he had my
message, and we made arrangements to meet on Thursday so he could get
a key to the house so they can get in and install the shutters.

I then had my walk through with Meagan. I was rather embarrassed to
tell her about my list. I was afraid she would think she was dealing
with some kind of obsessive fanatic. She really is a nice young woman
and very dedicated to her work. We walked through the house. Some of
the things I had on my list had already been taken care of. She showed
me the features of the house. I did not know that the house was wired
for Ethernet. They really have incorporated the latest technology into
the house. I had studied the telephone and cable jack locations when I
was in the house earlier and decided it will work for me. They have
been very generous with electrical outlets. I won't have to do any
crawling to find a place to plug in the vacuum cleaner. Meagan and I
are going to get back together at 9 AM to check out the touch up on
Thursday. Closing is at 11 AM. I forgot to check and see if the grab
bar was installed in the stall shower. I woke up at 1:30 AM and sent
Meagan an email. She is really going to think I am strange.

Meagan said AT&T has installed fiber all the way to the houses in
Frisco Lakes and are now the preferred TV, Internet and phone
provider. I decided it was time to give up on Time Warner. I called
AT&T when I got back to the hotel. I explained that I had already
signed up for basic phone service and had a new number which I had
already started giving out and would really like to be able to keep
the new phone number. Anyway I signed up for their package that
includes 120 channels & local channels from the Dish Network, a
recording DVR, DSL and phone service with unlimited long distance
throughout the United States. It will cost about the same as I am now
paying Time Warner and AT&T for phone without long distance. The
really nice thing is I do not have to install the DSL and I do not
have to buy the DSL modem. When I had called earlier they said I would
have to install the DSL myself and buy a modem.

Update

I am now in Frisco.

Yesterday morning before I left Beaumont I had my usual morning
session on my computer. I have been checking Sears website for my
refrigerator availability every day since I bought it on July 20.
Every day until yesterday it had been showing that it was in stock for
delivery in the Frisco zip code. Yesterday it showed that it was out
of stock. I have not had an opportunity to check with the Sears store.
This morning I called the GE Answer Line. The rep. said he showed that
they had shipped enough to fill existing orders but all of the
inventory points showed none available. He said production is starting
again today, and they should be available to stores by mid-September.
I was feeling pretty miserable thinking about eating in restaurants
for a month or so. Today I have hope again that I will get my
refrigerator on September 9.

I left Beaumont at 7:15 AM, stopped in Fairfield, TX, for lunch and
arrived in Frisco at ~1 PM. I checked into the hotel, and then went
to the storage unit. All of my boxes that I had placed in the unit on
the previous two trips along with the huge bottle of Tide HE detergent
that I had bought in July were just as I had left them. I placed all
of the items that I brought this time in the unit. That was rather
hard on me in the 98 degree heat.

I then drove straight to Frisco Lakes to see my house. My construction
superintendent told me that he would leave the patio door unlocked so
I could get in. My neighbor had emailed me that the customer relations
manager, Megan, had said she was locking my house. Megan had won that
one and the house was locked. I was glad that it was. Even though Del
Webb is providing 24 security I think it is better to be safe than
sorry. I then went and introduced myself to the neighbors that closed
August 24. They are living in their house already. They have a
refrigerator, washer, dryer, bed, sofa and card table and folding
chairs. They sold their house two years ago and have been travelling
in an RV. They are buying a lot of new furniture and having things
that were in storage moved to Frisco.

I then went to the sales center and asked if I could have a key to get
into my house. They called my sales associate and she drove me back to
the house. There are many cosmetic defects that need to be touched up.
They will be working today. I have the walk through at 2 PM, but I
want to get into the house with my notebook and start making lists.
Del Webb has a very detailed policy to insure customer satisfaction.
They have several follow up visits during the first year to correct
any defects. I just wanted to find as many as possible before I move
in and get them corrected.

I forgot to take the sample of the shutter that has my paint on it to
the house yesterday. After I go to the post office this morning to
pick up my accumulated mail, I will head back to Frisco Lakes. My
construction superintendent will be on site, and I am sure he will be
able to let me into the house. I have to call the shutter people this
morning and let them know if the paint color matches.

After the walk through, I will go to Sears and find out if they have
any additional information on the refrigerator. I did not sleep well
last night. My brain keeps churning. Tonight I will probably fall
asleep very early.

I am very thankful that it now appears that the Texas coast is not
going to be threatened by Ernesto. Frisco actually got a little rain
yesterday afternoon, and rain is forecast for today. Rain follows me
wherever I go. I have a feeling that the drought in Frisco will soon
end.

What a Change!

When I looked at the National Hurricane Center website to check the
projected path of Ernesto, It had to double check to make sure I was
looking at the correct plot. The last time I looked at it yesterday it
was headed for the central Gulf. Now it is going to cross Florida. I
hope this path is correct, but I also hope that the storm does not
intensify, and it does minimal damage.

My Guardian Angel

Since Hurricane Rita forced me to evacuate last September, I have felt
like there is a higher power that has been protecting me. I had a much
easier evacuation than many of my friends. The damage to my home was
very minor. The insurance company settled promptly. I have been able
to travel to Frisco and arrange to have a new home built. My
arrangements for the new home seem to be going well. The long path I
have taken to move from Beaumont to Frisco is almost finished. Now
there is potential trouble brewing and its name is Ernesto. I am
praying that my good fortune will last just a little longer. I want
this storm to dissipate, but right now the weather report does not
sound very good.

More of the Same

I am able to check a few more items off the list. Yesterday my
construction superintendent called. He wanted a form that the City of
Frisco required me to sign so the final permits could be issued. My
neighbor had mentioned that he was looking for them last week so I was
forewarned. He faxed the form to me I signed and promptly sent a fax
back to him.

This morning I went to Discount Tire and had them check my tires so I
am ready for the road trip to Frisco on Sunday. The tires required no
air. Then I went to the post office and turned in a request to hold my
mail and mailed the change of address for to the I.R.S.

When I got back home, I cleaned the car's windshield. Then I went to
work programming the thermostat for when I leave permanently. The
realtor wants the house nice and comfortable for showing prospective
buyers. We have opposing views on this. I, on the other hand want to
keep the temperature relatively warm during cooling season, and if I
am unfortunate enough that the house is still unsold by the time heat
is required I want to keep the house quite cool (let them wear coats).
The programmable thermostat has been replaced two times since I have
lived here. Each new model has made the programming a little easier,
but I still have to go through the manual step by step in order to
change the program. I have to enter heat and cool temperatures for
four separate times--wake, leave, return and sleep for Monday to
Friday and also for Saturday and Sunday separately. It is very easy to
miss a step. I really hope the thermostat in the new house is less
complicated. It is very easy to temporarily override the program. That
is what I will do for the remainder of the time here.

I was not going to take my computer with me until the final trip, but
now with the possibility of Ernesto heading our way I decided it is
best to have my computer with me. His path may not be dertimined by
the time I leave on Sunday.

The Clock

The clock service man just left. It was a very educational experience
for me. Blake's Clock Company has been in Beaumont for many years. A
man named George Blake owned the company. He recently retired and sold
the business to a couple who had worked for him. The new owner told me
the make and model of the movement in the clock. He showed me just
what he did to immobilize the movement. He had a special styrofoam box
for the weights and a special box for the pendulum. He recommended I
take the weights and pendulum in the car. I am going to do that.

He told me that George Blake studied clock making in his spare time in
The Netherlands while he was stationed there during his time in the
Air Force. He came back to Beaumont and started his business. He
trained many technicians. The man who was out today was the last one
George Blake trained. He told me technicians who are able to service
the old German mechanical movements are a dying breed. He said I am
lucky to have the name of someone in Frisco who can take care of the
clock.

I have had the clock since 1977. It was moved in 1980 to Houston and
in 1987 back to Beaumont. The moving companies hired technicians to
prepare and set up the clock for the previous moves. I did not pay too
much attention to what was done to the clock. I do not think it got
the degree of care that it received this time. I think I got my
money's worth on this deal.

I Feel Much Calmer

Last night I finally reached a point that I was exhausted and fell
asleep on the sofa with the TV on. My lights are on a control system.
I woke up to in total darkness except for the glow from the TV. I then
slept through most of the night.

I gathered up everything the realtor said would be helpful. I have all
the manuals for appliances in a folder which I am to leave in a
kitchen drawer along with the remote for the garage door opener. I
made copies of the Texas windstorm inspection certificates for my roof
and siding. Those are very important with windstorm insurance becoming
so difficult to obtain on the Texas Gulf Coast. I also made copies of
my last spring and fall inspection reports on the HAC systems from
Efficient Systems. I have had a service contract with Efficient
Systems since the house was brand new. The air conditioner and heater
have been checked every six months for almost nineteen years. I filled
out a table listing my utility costs for the last 12 months. I have
not received the August water bill so I have one more number to add.

The sample of a shutter slat with my paint was in the mail yesterday.
I will take it with me to Frisco on Sunday and see how it matches the
window sills. I emailed the shutter company and let them know that I
received the sample and will call them first thing Monday morning to
let them know if I approve of the color. One of the men wrote back and
said he would get the key from me and install the shutters on
September 7. All of the windows except the one in the master bathroom
will be covered when I move in. I am really getting excited to see how
the shutters will look. I have wanted plantation shutters for years.

Last night when I was collecting the appliance manuals I found the
sales receipts. I was surprised at how expensive my Maytag washer and
dryer were. They were almost as expensive as the new ones I am buying.
I never really like that washing machine. I hope I feel better about
the new ones.

I keep checking the Sears website, and they continue to show the
refrigerator I am buying as in stock. It is more than a month since I
made the purchase. If there was an error on the availability, it
probably would have been corrected by now. Home Depot still has not
listed this model. Sears must have a special arrangement with General
Electric. Anyway I am past the period where I could go back to Sears
and ask for a price match. I am going into Sears in Frisco and have
them double check the refrigerator, washer and dryer availability so
there will be no glitches.

The clock service man is supposed to be here at 10 this morning.
Tomorrow I will get gasoline and have the tires checked so I will be
ready for the trip on Sunday. On Saturday I will gather up everything
I want to take to the storage unit. My garage is so hot I do not want
to put things in the car until Sunday morning when I am ready to
leave.

I Am Pacing the Floor

I need to put a bag of sand on top to my head to weigh me down and
keep me from being so hyper. There is no reason for the way I am
feeling. The closing papers were delivered by FedEx. There was one
charge that was included that should not have been. I had called
earlier in the morning and left a message inquiring to make sure I
would receive the papers today. When my call was returned, I asked
about the charge. The lady I talked with told me to just deduct it from the
amount I wire. She assured me there would be no problem. That was a
simple resolution.

My yard man mowed the grass today. I told him about the upcoming move
and explained that I wanted him to continue to take care of the yard
until the house is sold. He has been mowing my yard for five years,
and I have never figured out just how much English he understands. His
wife speaks perfect English. I am waiting for her to call me back so I
can be sure that they have my new address and will send me bills and
continue the lawn care. SE Texas has had so much rain this summer. My
yard looks better than it has in years. Usually by late August it has
brown spots. This year it is nice and green. I hope it stays that way
while the house is on the market.

I called my credit card company and alerted them to expect the credit
authorization from the moving company. It is a much larger charge than
I typically make. The credit card companies have so many anti-fraud
programs in place, I was afraid they might refuse the charge. The
representative said she had noted the information in my record.

I tried to change the address online for the mutual fund company that
administers my largest 401K plan for the big oil company that was
formed when the company I had worked for merged with another large oil
company. The website said I could not make the change online and gave
an 800 number to call. I was on hold for more than twenty minutes.
Then I was told I had to call the oil company. I called and had a
terrible time getting to a human being because I did not have a PIN.
Finally I talked to a man who was very nice. He accepted the address
change and is mailing me a PIN. He said he would notify the mutual
fund company.

I then tried to change the address for a couple of individual accounts
I have with the same mutual fund company online. Their computer would
not accept my new address. I then called another 800 number for
customer service for the individual accounts. Finally I was able to
change the address.

I then tried to change the address for my brokerage company online.
That computer did not like my new address either. I called the 800
number and again was successful in changing the address.

I did go out in the garage and swept up the spilled potting soil. The
garage is not as clean as I would like to have it, but I think I have
done enough. When I filled out the disclosure forms for the realtor,
she told me the things that were concerning me are not significant.
She said this is not a new house. I have tried to keep my house as
like new as possible and worry about every little defect.

I made copies of the Walden floor plan and sketched in where I want my
furniture placed. The one big complaint I have about Del Webb/Pulte is
that they did not give me scale drawings of the house. I crawled
around the model on my hands and knees and wrote down the critical
measurements. My sketch of my furniture arrangements certainly are not
to scale, but I think I have worked things out so that everything will
fit.

My Del Webb customer relations manager called while I had the phone
tied up with the address change calls. She said they were telling the
residents to obtain TV and Internet from AT&T. They have the bundled
package that includes phone, DSL and Dish Network. She said Time
Warner would not have service to my house until my block is complete.
There are nine houses on my cul-de-sac. All of them should be complete
within a month, but the official "Block" is composed of 13 lots. As
of late July, construction had not started on at least two of the
lots. I checked the information I had received, and I do not think
those two lots are in Phase 1, 2 or 3. I will find out more next week.
If I know for sure that there will be a long delay in getting Time
Warner, I will go ahead and get satellite TV and DSL. I really do not
want the dish put on my roof.

It makes me feel better to unburden myself by writing in this blog. I
hope the people reading it will forgive me.

So Far So Good

I wake up in the middle of the night and think about all the things
that could go wrong with the move, the sale of my house, etc. I wish I
was equipped with a button that would shut down the worry portion of
my brain. Reality is that so far everything has gone quite smoothly. I
have everything lined up. Today I am supposed to receive the closing
papers. I have only a verbal estimate from my sales associate on what
the closing costs will be. I hope I do not receive any shocks. The
electronic fund transfers to my bank went smoothly. I am all set to
have the bank wire the money to the escrow account. I am going to wait
until I have had the walk through before I do that.

I confirmed my appointment for tomorrow to have the grandfather clock
prepared for the move. I still need to do a little cleaning in the
garage. We are going to have rain today so it will be a little cooler.
I better do the cleaning this morning. Weather.com's ten day forecast
for Frisco shows the temperature to be in the high nineties with a
small chance of rain. Sometimes a cool day sneaks in during September
to give us a little preview of fall weather. Maybe one of those days
will arrive for my move-in day.

The only real obstacle I have encountered so far is there is no
definite date when Time Warner will install my cable and RoadRunner
service. I left a message for my Del Webb customer relations manager
and asked if she has received anything definite from Time Warner. I
think that young lady knows how to light fires under people and get
things done. I cannot imagine what it will be like to be without TV
and Internet for several weeks. I will have to unpack boxes, wash
china and crystal by hand and read the books that I have bought but
have not read to compensate for the lack of cable.

One More Address Change

While I was working on address changes I decided to go ahead and
change the blog to show my location as Frisco and change the little
weather sticker to Frisco from Beaumont. I have 17 more days until I
am officially moved, but now I have one less thing to change.

I Can Hardly Wait

My morning routine when I first wake up is to get a cup of coffee and then turn on my computer. I got a really nice surprise this morning when I checked my email. One of my new Frisco Lakes neighbors went by my house yesterday afternoon and took a few pictures of the house. This is the first time I have seen the landscaping. Better still is on the right side of the picture I see my mailbox. I can hardly wait to get away from the walk to the cluster mailboxes. I made the long walk to the mailbox twice yesterday in the hot, humid SE Texas sun. The mailman had not arrived. I gave up and will go check again this morning.

The realtor finally showed up last night. It was 8 PM when she left. All of the paperwork is signed. The For Sale sign is to be in place on September 11. I told her I wanted her to take a picture of the house with the sign in front of it and email it to me.

My Before Leaving Beaumont To Do list is getting rather short. I am making the final decisions on what to take up to Frisco in my car and what to leave for the packers to put in boxes.

Disappointed

At 7:45 this morning I received a phone call from the realtor. She
said she had a note on her calendar to call me today. I said you are
supposed to be here at 9:30 to discuss the final details. She said Oh?
I don't have that on my calendar. She asked if she could come out
later in the week. I said the pressure is on, we have to get rolling.
She said she had an out-of-town client she is showing around this
morning. She said she would come out later today.

She better have her act together this afternoon, or she will not get
my listing. I cannot tolerate people who makes promises and do not
keep their word. I have had bad experiences with realtors in the past
and had tried very hard to choose one who would work in my interest. I
do not need last minute complications. I have made arrangements with a
man who this realtor recommended to do some minor painting after my
furniture is moved out. She is supposed to oversee this work. Now I
am worrying that things will not go as planned.

Update

Next Sunday I will be driving to Frisco for the final walk through and
closing. It is hard to believe that this is my final full week in
Beaumont. I will have six final nights in Beaumont after I return from
closing, but those days are going to be so filled with the final
moving steps that I can hardly think about it. I have been working on
this move for so long it is difficult to realize that the time is
really here.

I talked to my former neighbor who lived across the street from me and
moved into a new house here in Beaumont last December. Their old house
was a two story house like mine, and they moved to a new one story
house. She said their electric bills are running lower than they did
in the old house. I thought that was good news. I was afraid the
larger surface area of a one story roof would offset any savings from
higher energy efficiency. I am glad I was wrong.

Tomorrow morning my realtor is coming over to discuss the final
details of selling my house. There was a story on Beaumont home sales
on the Channel 4 news last night. They said home prices in Beaumont
are increasing at a rate that puts Beaumont in one of the top ten
positions in the country. Hurricane Rita caused a shortage of rental
properties in Beaumont and a lot of former renters are purchasing
homes. There is federally subsidized mortgage money and assistance
with closing costs for people buying houses in this area. All of that
is contributing to a good real estate market in Beaumont. When the
money from my home sale is in the bank, I will be a very happy woman.

I am keeping my eye on the temperature in Frisco and Beaumont. I am
very worried about how I will handle the heat when my furniture is
being loaded and unloaded. I am not so young any more and the heat can
really deliver a wallop. My refrigerator will still be plugged in here
in Beaumont. I will have it stocked with lots of water. Frisco is
going to be a bigger problem. The movers and I will have to drink warm
water.

Utility Costs

This morning I was reading messages on the Frisco Online forum on the astronomical electric bills people in Frisco are receiving this month: Electric Bills. I checked the information I received from Del Webb. They said a 2000 sq. ft. Energy Star house averaged $175 per month ($125 Electric, $50 Gas) in 2005 in Frisco. I checked my Beaumont average over the past twelve months. I have paid $190 per month ($140 Electric, $50 Gas). It will be a horrid experience to get bills like the ones the FOL forum members are discussing. My Beaumont electric bills include the operation of the 19 cu. ft. frostless freezer that I no longer have. My Beaumont house is two story which translates into lower energy costs. The Frisco house is one story but is Energy Star certified. I will also have all new Energy Star appliances. I am hoping for the best.

Utilities Revisited

This morning I decided to go ahead and finalize arrangements for the
utilities in Frisco. Way back in June I had contacted CoServe
regarding the gas and electricity. They said in order for them to
waive the deposit requirements I would have to get a credit reference
letter from my current electrical provider. I had called Entergy, and
they promptly sent me the letter which I faxed to CoServe on June 29.
I began to worry that I had done that much too soon. Anyway I was
relieved when I called this morning and told CoServe I wanted the
service to start August 31. They lady looked me up and said they had
the letter, and I would not have to pay the deposits. She then said I
was set up for electrical only. I said I had to have both gas and
electricity. She said she did not show a gas meter for the address. I
told her the house was under construction, and the gas meter probably
had not been installed. She said she would set it up for gas too. I
then called my construction superintendent. He confirmed the gas meter
is not in. He said he is working as hard as he can and cracking the
whip. I believe him.

I then called the City of Frisco Water Department for water, sewer and
trash. They told me that they did not take applications over the phone
and that I would have to go to their website, print the application,
fill it out and fax it to them along with a copy of my drivers
license. I did all that. I hope they now do their part.

I then called the special number I was given to call at Time Warner to
check on the status of new construction. I got an answering service
that still said Comcast. I recorded a message and asked that they call
me back with an update.

For now that takes care of everything in Frisco. The phone service in
Beaumont will end on September 6. The rest of the utilities except cable will
remain on in Beaumont until the house is sold. I still have to give
address changes to them and make arrangements with the lawn service to
mow the grass until the house is sold.

People Are Being Nice to Me

This morning Julie cut my hair for the last time. When I tried to pay
her, she refused to take my money. She said it was her goodbye present
for me. I am going to miss her. She has cut my hair for the last four
years. Before that I was the customer of her older sister, Kathy,
until she retired.

When I got home, there was an invoice from the new trash hauler, Mr.
Garbage. Their bill covers the period from September through November.
I called them and asked them if they would prorate the bill since I
was only going to be here the first week of September. They said to
forget about paying them that they would pick up the trash until I
leave.

The new neighbor on my cul-de-sac who is closing the week before me
sent me the following progress report on the house:
:
"Your master bathroom tile window sill was not yet installed.
Your Whirlpool Tub was sitting in the bedroom, but not installed yet.
Your appliances were in, not sure if final touches were done or not.
Mine had been put in since last week when I was there.
Your sprinkler system was in, some of your landscaping was in, (some
trees, but not sod, but sod sitting in piles near the street, not sure
if it was yours or the house next to us)"

I talked to the shutter people yesterday and made arrangements for
them to send me a sample of the paint color for my approval and for
them to install all the shutters except the master bathroom before I
move in. The whirlpool tub is what is delaying completion of the tile
in the master bathroom and preventing the shutter people from getting
the final window measurements.

I had my final doctor's appointment in Beaumont this morning. This
doctor, too, was unable to recommend someone in Frisco. He just told
me to make certain my new doctor is board certified. He wrote out the
order for my mammogram on a prescription form because there is not
enough time to get an appointment here in Beaumont before I leave. I
will have to find someplace to go in Frisco.

I called my health insurer, pharmacy insurer and Social Security with
address changes. The Social Security Administration has an automated
system for address changes. It would not accept my new address. I was
on hold for 13 minutes before a human came on the line. I told her the
usual about the brand new street in the brand new subdivision that was
not recognized by computer systems. She was able to handle it. She
said that my address was also being updated for Medicare so there was
no need to notify them.

I will be glad when I have a group of medical professionals,
hairdresser, etc. all selected in Frisco so my life can go back on
auto pilot.

A Request for Help

I like to be self sufficient and always find it difficult to ask others for help, but I have just thought of something that I would like to request of my new Frisco Lakes friends. On the day my furniture is moved into the house, I will be watching the movers and will be by myself. It will be nearly impossible for me to leave and go get lunch for the movers and myself. If someone would volunteer to go to a nearby fast food place and bring back lunch, it would help tremendously. Of course, I will pay for lunch for the movers, myself and whoever volunteers.

Update

Things are slowing down here in Beaumont. The only things that I can work on right now are changing more addresses and packing two or three more boxes to take to the storage unit. I was relieved to see that a credit authorization was obtained on my credit card yesterday for the monthly rental on the storage unit. Last month I was not charged automatically and had to call.

 

The photographer and my realtor's assistant from Coldwell Banker came out yesterday and took pictures and measured my house. The photographer took approximately 70 still shots and then used a fisheye lens to take 360 degree pictures that will be converted to the virtual tour. Later in the day he emailed me the nine pictures that they will use on several websites when the listing becomes active. I uploaded the pictures to Smugmug: Beaumont House – For Sale.

 

I received an email yesterday that a photography club is being formed at Frisco Lakes. I signed up right away. I have been waiting for that group to form. They will be doing things to help people improve their skills, having field trips, etc. I hope I learn some new things. With the digital SLR I am not restrained by the cost of film and can do lots of experimenting to learn more about photography.

 

I have now signed up for five Frisco Lakes clubs. I am afraid I might over extend myself, but all five are activities in which I am really interested. I am going to restrain myself from joining anymore until I found out how much time is required for the ones I have already joined.

 

I have received several letters confirming my address change from financial firms. Some say they are mailing notifications to both my old and new address as a security measure. It is good to know they are concerned. I will probably have a stack of mail waiting at the Frisco post office.

Bald House

Bald is the term that comes to mind as I look around my house. I picked up the throw pillows and a stack or two of papers. I had already moved my figurines, china and crystal to Frisco. The china cabinet shelves are bare. I decided before I got too carried away with the realtor's instructions I would look at the virtual tours of homes for sale on the Coldwell Banker website. After I looked at the pictures, I decided my house is ready to be photographed. The pictures are rather small and do not show a great deal of detail. I saw several houses that looked like the owners did not follow the guidelines I was given.

I keep checking my lists. Right now I think I have done everything I can to get ready. There are still a lot of things to be done, but I cannot do them until I am closer to the time I actually leave. Right now I have time on my hands. I have been reading the same novel for at least six weeks. It is Robert Ludlum's The Parsifal Mosaic. It is almost 700 pages long. It has a very complicated plot. I still have 200 more pages to read. My concentration is not up to par and finishing the book may be a futile effort.

Unkind Thoughts

I am busy stuffing things in drawers and closets as I try to make my
house presentable for the photographer tomorrow. These are the
instructions the realtor gave me:

STAGING your Home for the Photographer & MAXIMIZING Buyer Appeal

1. Clean off all counters. No dishes, drainers, or towels hanging. .

2. Remove pictures, etc from Refrigerator

3. Pet bowls & kennels should not be visible.

4. Tablecloths & placemats should be removed

5. Throw pillows & afghans need to be removed from sofas & chairs.

6. All items taped to walls, like notes, calendars & children art,
should be removed

7. Bright colored small area rugs should be removed (example- in front
of stove or sink)

8. All accessories that are red or white draw excess attention &
should be eliminated from pictures.

9. Avoid clutter. The only items touching the floor should be the
furniture. (in general)

10. Space furniture in a way that makes the room appear most spacious.
Stand back, look at your room as a whole, your eye should flow
smoothly, nothing distracting or calling excess attention to a
specific item or accessory.

New Pictures

I was pleasantly surprised when I checked my email this afternoon to find that another of my new friends had visited my house and taken more pictures. I can see some changes since last week. The light fixtures have been installed on the outside of the house. The top part of the fireplace has been added. I will have to put one of the pictures of the fireplace in the blog soon. It is rather unique. It is gas fired and has glass on three sides. I had never seen anything like it.

The above pictures shows the staggered kitchen cabinets. That was something new to me, too. I think I am going to have more cabinet space in the kitchen than I do now. Otherwise I think the storage space is less than what I currently have. Four weeks from today I should be moved in and will be trying to find things in the packing boxes.

Update

Nineteen days until closing on the new house. Yesterday I received a call from a lady named Megan who said she would conduct my new house orientation on August 28 and be my customer relations manager throughout the period that the house is under warranty. I told her some of my current concerns. She said she would look into them. Within a short time she called me back. She had contacted three different people in a very short time. If she is always this responsive, we are going to get along well.

 

FedEx delivered the swimsuit I ordered from L.L. Bean. I tried it on and was relieved that it fit well. I had checked my measurements against the sizing information very carefully before placing my order. This time the size tables were accurate.

 

When I was younger, I used to clean the whole house in a day. Now I find it is better to break the cleaning into smaller tasks. Yesterday I cleaned bathrooms. Today I am going to dust. The realtor left me with instructions on how to get things ready for the photographer. I am trying comply with the instructions for the picture taking on Tuesday. After the pictures are taken, I will pack the things I want to take to the storage unit when I drive up to Frisco on August 27.

 

I keep going back to the lists I have put together in my notebook. There are so many things I have to leave for the last week before the move. I am really dreading that time.

Oh

The longer I live, the less I understand. The world just seems to keep getting more complicated. Yesterday I called USAA, my insurance company, and told them to go ahead and issue the homeowners policy on the new house to be effective August 31. The representative also asked me about my auto insurance and said he would change the location of the car to Frisco effective September 8. He said my mailing address would be changed on all of my policies.

 

I also have what is called a personal articles floater with USAA that covers my camera equipment, jewelry and silverware. It gives worldwide protection and offers all hazard coverages that regular homeowners does not. The representative said it really did not matter which address was on the policy since it is good no matter where my property is located.. He said it is renewing on October 1, and they would change the address at that time. I told him I was glad that he mentioned the worldwide protection because I was concerned about moving my sterling flatware. I do not want it in the house during the packing and loading process, but I was not too comfortable with leaving it in the storage unit in Frisco. Now I think it is best to go ahead and put it in the storage unit. Last year when I evacuated I wrapped the chest in a garbage bag and put it in the trunk of my car. I left it there for the duration of the two week evacuation. It was a source of worry to me the whole time while the car was sitting in hotel parking lots. I was afraid to bring it into my room. Fortunately nothing bad happened.

 

All day long CNN was covering the terrorist plot that was uncovered in London. They were saying that no carryon luggage at all except for wallets and passports were being allowed on planes boarding in the U.K. I thought about my Nikon D70 camera. In the past I would never think of putting it in my checked baggage. Taking pictures when I travel is a great pleasure for me. I am going to check with USAA regarding just what protection my camera would have if it were in a checked bag. The airlines do not provide coverage, standard homeowners would be no help, and I think most camera insurance policies would be of no use. I think the USAA PAF may be the best answer, but still it would not alleviate my worry. Loss or damage to my camera would ruin a trip for me.

 

I just cannot understand how the minds of the terrorists work. How could anyone be filled with so much hate that they would be willing to kill complete strangers? Now everyone must endure all the inconveniences of the additional security procedures. When will it end?

Telephone and Cable

Yesterday I called AT&T about transferring my telephone service. I have decided not to get one of their bundles with phone, TV and DSL. I decided to just transfer my existing phone service exactly as is to Frisco. I was surprised when I was actually given my new phone number. It has a 469 area code. I have also seen 214 and 972 area codes used in the Dallas area. I was told I could have a 972 area code for $10 more a month. It would allow me to call 469, 972 and 214 area codes toll free. I decided to save the $10 and stick with the 469 number. I can probably keep my toll calls to less than $10 month; and if not, I will use my cellphone. Right now my home phone rolls over to my cellphone if I do not answer by the fourth ring. I cancelled that feature for the Frisco phone because I will be charged long distance if a call rolls to my cellphone with its current number. After the move, I will get my cellphone number changed to a Dallas area code. Then I will have the rollover feature added back to my home phone. My Beaumont phone service will end on September 6 and the Frisco phone will be connected on September 8. The representative looked up my new address and told me it would be necessary for me to be present when the new service is started. They are scheduled to come to the new house between 8 AM and 12 noon on September 8.

 

Yesterday afternoon I looked at the Time Warner Dallas website again. I noticed they had added a feature for a live online chat. I have decided to do without TV and Internet until I can get cable and RoadRunner. You know the old saying about the squeaking wheel. I am going to squeak loud and often until Time Warner gets the idea I want cable service. The online chat was fun. The representative looked up my address and said he found it in their system with a request for new service. He said it was scheduled for September. That encouraged me. I asked if they would contact me; or if, I should keep calling. He answered both. I think I will call them back in a couple of days and give them my Frisco telephone number. Soon they will have the idea that the only way to stop my pestering is to install the cable.

My Blood Pressure

I deleted what I wrote about my blood pressure earlier this morning. I was ready to rush out and buy a home blood pressure monitor. The high reading that I got at the dentist's office yesterday was gnawing on me. I did a little more digging on the Internet and found some articles that said how inaccurate home blood pressure monitors often are.

 

I have a neighbor who is a retired nurse. I know she had a blood pressure problem. I went down to her house and asked if she could measure my blood pressure. She has a professional, mercury based monitor. She took my blood pressure and it was 110 over 62. It was a relief to hear that. Ever since I was in my early twenties I have had problems with my blood pressure sky rocketing in the doctor's office. Medical procedures and Sally don't get along too well.

The Ordeal Is Over

I was right to be worried about getting the freezer out of the utility room. The washer and dryer had to be moved around and there was less than 1/4 inch to spare on either side of the freezer as it came through the door. There is a gouge in the door frame of the utility room. It is not obvious if you are standing in the hallway and looking into the utility room. I cannot complain. It was an awful job for the men to remove the freezer. The freezer dripped a little water onto the hallway carpet, but I do think it did any harm. I doubt if they are many eighteen year old houses with fewer scars on them than mine. My mother told me all too frequently  when I was a child that "if you do not take care of what you have, you will never have anything." Her words have echoed in my head my whole life. Every time my house, furniture or car is scratched or marred it hurts me. The washer and dryer did not receive any damage. I just hope the washer drain hose is positioned correctly. If the drain hose is not just right, water can syphon from the washer. I will be using those machine for three or four more weeks.

 

The television left an indentation in the carpet in the living room. I ran the vacuum over it and it does not look too bad. The shelves are out of the garage. The Christmas tree and stand are gone. I have to clean the utility room floor and the garage floor where the shelves were located, but that will have to wait until tomorrow.

 

The doors were open long enough to raise the temperature in the house. The air conditioner is running continuously to get back to its set point. I hope a miracle happens and the temperature is lower when I move. I am afraid I will have to turn the air conditioner off both here in Beaumont and in the new house because there is no way either house will stay cool while the doors are open while the furniture is going in or out. I pity the moving men. I also pity me as I watch the process.

 

Small World

Earlier in the week I had called the public relations manager for the Golden Triangle franchise of Time Warner. He had not returned my call which is not at all like the way he usually operates. A little while ago his secretary called me and told me he has transferred to Dallas. He is now the public relations manager for Time Warner Dallas which is a promotion for him because Dallas is a bigger market. His secretary gave me his cellphone number. I called and left a message and told him as one transplanted Beaumonter to another I hoped he could help Frisco Lakes get cable service asap. I really think Dallas is going to have improved cable service now that they are Time Warner.

New Doctors

This morning I paid my last visit to my Beaumont dentist for my six month checkup and cleaning. My dentist gave me the name of a classmate of his from the class of '83 at the UT Dental Branch Houston. When I got home, I did a search in the Frisco Online forums for this dentist. I found at least two dozen people giving this dentist high praise. I called his office and made an appointment for February 8, 2007. I always make my appointment six months in advance.

 

After the hygienist cleaned my teeth, she took my blood pressure. She was rather alarmed because it was much higher than my blood pressure had ever been before. I found the cleaning to be particularly painful this morning and that may have contributed to the increased pressure and also I am under stress due to the move. I decided to go ahead and make an appointment with the doctor who specializes in internal medicine that I had found in Frisco. I thought I might be able to fit in an appointment during the five days that I will be in Frisco for the walk through and closing. He did not have an opening for a new patient so I went ahead and made an appointment for the week after the move. I thought it was best to get established with a doctor as soon possible. I am healthy, but at my age things start to happen.

 

The Salvation Army just called me. They got their truck a day earlier than we had planned and wanted to know if they could come out today. I told them it was all right with me. This is actually very good to go ahead and get this over with. I will not have to sit around and wait for them tomorrow.

First Step Completed

This morning I took my stack of 140 U.S. Savings Bonds to the bank in order to cash them in. I showed them to one of the customer service representatives and asked her if I really had to sign and fill out the address on every one of them. She told me I only had to fill in the address block on one, but I had to sign the rest and then take them to one of the tellers. She pointed out a desk where I could sit and sign my name. It took me about half an hour to sign my name 140 times. My signature was beginning to look like a scrawl half way through the process.

 

When I finally finished signing, I went to a teller's window. I was fortunate that there was just one person in line when I walked up. I explained to the teller that I wanted to deposit the money in my money market account. She said she needed my drivers license. Then she started entering each bond into the computer. It took her more than two hours to complete the task. I took a seat in the lobby. I was feeling terribly guilty because I had taken one of the tellers out of commission. The lines became very long. People would walk up to the teller, and she had to tell them to wait for someone else.

 

Approximately ten years ago I downloaded a program from the Federal Reserve Bank that calculates the value of U.S. Savings Bonds. I kept getting updates to the interest rates. I had the printout from this program with me to compare to the actual amount the bank gave me. When the teller finally called me back to the window, she handed me a deposit slip. I compared the amount to what my program had calculated. The amounts matched down to the last cent. I had not cashed any savings bonds since the 1970's. Back then the banks had printed tables that they used to calculate the value of the bonds. Individuals could order the tables from the government, but there was no convenient way to verify that you were getting the correct amount for the bonds. Personal computers and the Internet have made it much easier to manage personal finances.

 

My whole morning was consumed by the bond cashing. I did not get to make my phone calls until the afternoon. The realtor was busy when I called. She finally returned my call. She is going to have the photographer come out to take pictures of the house next Tuesday. Then we moved our meeting up to August 21 to give me an updated market analysis and take the final steps.

A Little More Information

This morning I received an email from my new neighbor, who is scheduled to be the first one to close on their house in the cul-de-sac. She said the brick was completed on my house on Friday. So the brick was only two days old in the pictures that were taken yesterday. This couple sold their house two years ago and have been traveling in an RV. They are ready to settle down. I asked her to keep checking on the master bathroom window so I can let the shutter people know when the window is ready to be measured.

 

This week I will start getting my finances ready, have the Salvation Army remove the last items that I am going to donate, continue working on address changes and pack another box to take to the storage unit when I drive up to Frisco for closing. I am also going to call the realtor. We scheduled a meeting on August 25. She had mentioned having a photographer come out and take pictures of my house for the Internet. If we wait until the 25th, that will be too late. It is time to get things moving on the house sale.

So Much Progress

My new friends went to Frisco Lakes today and took more than twenty pictures of my house. It really cheered me up to get the pictures. So many changes have taken place during the past two weeks since I last saw the house. The brick is complete. The driveway and walk have been poured. The outside air conditioning unit is in place. There is a ceiling fan in the living room. Most of the tile is complete. The granite counter top is in the kitchen. I am beginning to believe that closing really will take place on August 31.

What Is the Matter With Me?

Sometimes I almost feel sick when I think of all the things that have to be done in the last few weeks before the move. The palms of my hands start to sweat when I think about it. Tomorrow I am going to the bank and cash the savings bonds. Around the 15th I will request that the money be sent to my bank from two brokerage companies. Then before I go up to Frisco I will have the money wired to the title company. I keep thinking what if something goes wrong. It is most likely that all will go smoothly, but it seems to be my nature to torture myself with worry.

 

Last week I was dreading cleaning off the shelves in the garage. I thought it was going to be absolutely terrible. I broke the chore into small tasks over three days, and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. I have been going through this misery since I returned from the evacuation. I suffered a great deal before I made the decision to move. I wish I could just take things more calmly. One by one I have made my decisions: what model house to buy, the lot, the color selections, the plantation shutters, the mover, the appliances, what belongings to part with, etc. etc. Now I am worrying what if things do not go as planned.

 

I keep looking at the list of people who are buying houses in Frisco Lakes. There are nine houses on my cul-de-sac. I noticed yesterday the people who were supposed to be buying the house next door to me have disappeared from the list. There could be any number of reasons why they are no longer listed, but this has added new reasons to worry: did they know something that I do not know?, will that house be vacant for a long time?, will the construction process next door to me be dragged out?.

 

I do not know what is going on with the house. Is the brick finished? They seemed to stop 3/4 of the way through putting on the brick. Is the remaining brick coming from another batch? Will it match? My brain needs an on-off switch. I met a nice couple during the last trip to Frisco who have emailed me. I asked them if they would take a look at my house if they go to Frisco Lakes this weekend. Maybe I will get an answer to my questions about the brick soon.

Update

Things were fairly quiet yesterday. I unplugged the upright freezer that I am donating to the Salvation Army. It is a frostless model. What was surprising is how much water ran out on the floor as it warmed up. It kept me busy wiping up the water. I propped the door open so it could dry out on the inside. Now I understand what happened last September when the electricity was off for almost two weeks because of Hurricane Rita. I was very fortunate that I had very little food in the freezer and also nothing that leaked in the kitchen refrigerator. Many of my friends were forced to buy new refrigerators because they could not rid them of the odor caused by two plus weeks of spoiled food.

 

If I were staying here and had to evacuate again, I would dispose of my food before leaving, turn off the refrigerator and leave the door open. I am glad I did not have to buy new appliances and then have them moved to Frisco. Now I am getting all new appliances which will not be subjected to the perils of moving. I am really looking forward to the new appliances.

 

I keep seeing commercials on TV for the Sears Elite Oasis washer and dryer and also the Whirlpool Cabrio lines. I keep worrying that I may be making a big mistake by spending so much money on unproven technology, but I keep reading mostly good comments about the Elite Oasis pair on the Laundry Room Forum. I also worry about the new refrigerator. It has so many specialized compartments that I am wondering if it will have room for regular food.

 

This morning I ordered the swimsuit from L.L. Bean. I had waited several days since I first saw it. It is still in stock. I should have it in a week or less which leaves plenty of time before the move.

 

I am going to Sam's Club this morning. My shopping list is rather short. I am cutting back on what I buy there. I usually buy canned fruit and vegetables from them. I do not think it is a good idea to subject canned food to the high temperatures that  might be encountered during the move. I am using what I have on hand and shall buy anything I need from the regular grocery stores until the move. I am compiling a shopping list for Sam's when I get moved in so I can re-establish my normal lifestyle as quickly as possible.

Time Warner

The cable company in North Dallas officially started operating as Time Warner on Monday of this week. I called on Tuesday to inquire about when cable service would be available in Frisco Lakes. The man I talked to said he would have someone call me with information. I was growing very frustrated because my call had not been returned. Time Warner in Southeast Texas is running ads on TV about how they can assist in transferring service when you move. I decided to call them and see if they could help me with service in Frisco since they are all Time Warner. I talked with a very helpful rep. She found the same number that I had called. She suggested I ask to talk to a supervisor the next time I call.

 

She gave me information on their locations and hours where I can turn in my digital cable box and cable modem when I get ready to leave. I would like to return the equipment right after the packers finish. I won't be watching TV or using the computer while the movers are loading. The cable bill is always paid in advance. Right now I am paid through August 31. The bill for September will be sent out on August 20. I always pay online the day the bill is sent. I found that I have until September 10 to pay the September bill. I can pay for the actual days I use at the time I return the equipment and will not have to wait for a refund. I think I will be turning in the equipment on September 6.

 

I know the regional general manager for Time Warner in the Golden Triangle. I also have the name and phone number for their public relations manager. I was getting so disgusted with Dallas that I thought I would call the local public relations manager and ask for the name and phone number of his counterpart in Dallas. I had just dialed his number when another call rolled over to my cellphone. I answered the cellphone and a very nice lady named Meg was calling from Time Warner Dallas. She told me there will be Time Warner service in my area in mid September. She asked if I was going into Waterstone or Frisco Lakes. Waterstone is a new Pulte development that is adjacent to Frisco Lakes. I explained just where I am moving and told her that I will be moving in on September 8 or 9. She said now that they are Time Warner things may move faster, and they may be there.

 

I can remember back in 1987 when I was moving to Beaumont. TCI was telling me they did not know when service would be available. I was moving into a brand new area then. The miracle happened and service became available the week before I moved in. I hope that history repeats.

Getting Ready

Right after I signed the sales contract on my new house I went to the website of the Texas Residential Construction Commission and downloaded a PDF file that gives a seven page checklist to use when you have your final walk-through with the builder. Here is a link to the form: Checklist for your Home. It has many things on it that I would have never thought to check. I have printed a copy and will have it with me on the 28th when my walk-through is scheduled.

 

The booklet I received from Mayflower has checklists that start six weeks out from the move. I reread the lists yesterday. I have already taken care of a lot of the things on the lists. Getting my financial papers organized is something I still have to accomplish. I also have checklists from Cendant Mobility which referred me to the Coldwell Banker realtor that I am going to use. It doesn't take long to find so many checklists that they make your head spin.

 

Yesterday I got an email from the Frisco Lakes group leader for the monthly movie and a dinner. They are going to see Scoop this Sunday. I just saw an ad for Scoop on TV. It looks like it will be a good movie. I wrote to the chair person and told her to count on me for the movies starting in October. It will be so nice for me to be able to think about fun activities and no longer be constantly thinking about the move.

 

The inventory of unsold homes in my price category in Beaumont has been wiped out. My house will have very little competition when it is finally listed. I just hope there are a few buyers left.

Moving Forward

Yesterday I cleaned off the two large shelf units on the west side of the garage. All the shelves are empty and ready to be taken away. Now I have to disconnect the VCR that is still attached to the television that I am donating. I also have to unplug the freezer. At least the remaining tasks are small and are inside the house where it is cool.

 

I continued to work on address changes. I found that there is a Form 8822 to use for notifying the IRS of an address change. I don't remember using an official form to notify them before. Anyway all their forms are online in PDF format. They had one page of instructions filled with fine print for the one page form to change the address. Enough said.

 

I have been addicted to catalog shopping for years. When I move, it takes a while for the catalogs to find me again at the new address. I gathered a stack of catalogs from my favorites and started calling their 1-800 numbers. Maybe this time I won't be deprived of my catalogs for long.

 

Next week I am going to take the first step to getting the funds in my bank  to pay for the house. I am going to cash in some U.S. Savings Bonds. I was looking at them. They require you to sign and put your address on each one when they are cashed. I have 140 of them. Just thinking about signing my name and address 140 times is making my hand ache.

A Month of Pins & Needles

The time I have been dreading has arrived. The real hurricane season is here. It gives me a really sick feeling to look at the tracking chart for the storm named Chris. It is too early to tell where it is going, but it looks like it is headed to the Gulf. This one has formed just at a time when I was lulling myself into the thinking the experts were right. Accuweather had predicted that the Texas Gulf Coast would be the likely target in June and July and then the activity would shift to the Atlantic Coast. If we have to evacuate again, I will have an extra trip to Frisco before closing.

 

Yesterday afternoon I worked on address changes again. I plan to keep doing a few each day rather than having one massive session. I am keeping a list of the ones I have changed so I won't duplicate any. I had a few struggles with former employers and the banks that handle pension checks. Each one has different rules. Several are requiring me to write letters and sign them.

 

I found a swimsuit on the L.L. Bean website. It is on sale and in stock, but I am not completely sold. I was able to save my shopping bag so I can get back to it in a day or two.

Lucky Break for Me

I sprayed Off over my arms and legs and headed out to the garage. I have three shelf units that I bought from Sears back in the 1970's. Each shelf unit came with nine cardboard storage boxes. The shelves and boxes were unassembled when I bought them. I can remember it was quite a chore to do the assembly. Half the boxes were harvest gold and the other half were avocado green which were extremely popular colors in the 70's. I have searched for years for new boxes of the same size but have never been able to find them. The boxes had reached the point they were falling apart. When I started my sorting and eliminating, I emptied 2/3 of the boxes. I told the moving company estimators that I want the packers to repack the contents of the remaining boxes.

 

This morning I went out into the garage and started taking the empty boxes off the shelves and stacked the full ones over to the side. I was happy to find that only seven of the boxes still have things in them. I did a better job than I remembered last spring. Tuesday is trash day. I decided to put as many of the empty boxes out by the curb as I could. I was afraid the trashmen might object to 20 boxes all at one time and planned to put more out each trash day. The trash truck came by as I was carrying the boxes to the curb. The driver got out of the truck and came to my garage and helped me carry all of the boxes out and took them away. We have only had this trash hauler for two months. I think we really got a good one.

Update

Yesterday I finally went into action regarding the last items I want to have the Salvation Army remove from the house before I move. I went through the house and made a list. There are seven items. I then went out into the garage and started moving items off of the shelves on one side of the garage. It was so hot and humid in the garage that I could hardly stand it. I was only able to work for half an hour, but I accomplished quite a bit. I am going to put in another half hour today. I then called the Salvation Army and told them what I want to donate. They are going to come out on Wednesday, August 9. It is good to have a date scheduled. That will keep the pressure on me to finish what I need to do.

 

Mosquitoes are hatching in Beaumont after all the rain we had last week. I saw several in the garage yesterday and know I was bitten. Several cases of West Nile virus have been reported in Beaumont. A medical doctor came down with the illness. He went public. He thinks he was bitten while working in his yard. This morning I am going to use Off before I go out into the garage. I do not want to get sick when I have so much ahead of me.

 

I got an email from the people who are making the plantation shutters for the new house. They went to the house yesterday to make final measurements and found that the tile is still not in around the window in the master bathroom. The bathtub is not in. It makes me wonder if the schedule is going to change.

 

Last week I got a catalog from Land's End that had swimsuits in it. I thought it might be the last chance of the summer to buy a swimsuit. The Frisco Lakes amenity center is supposed to open in January. I may want to try out the indoor pool. I thought it might be difficult to find a swimsuit in January. I tried to order one yesterday but found the one I selected is back ordered until September 6. That is going to be the middle of my moving week. I do not dare risk having a package delivered during that time.