Just an Update

Life here at Moreno Manor has been a scramble all summer long. Sure does make time fly by.

Starting in early July, we had a plumber and a carpenter working on the room used by my Uncle Harry when he retired in the 70s. This room has its own bathroom and a private entry and was rented out several times in the late 80s and 90s. But over the past 10+ years the "room" was relegated to storage. So, I cleared it out and had it renovated. What a chore, sorting through box after box of old video tapes, paperwork, photos, and "stuff". There are now no less than 5 big boxes of photos waiting closer scrutiny sitting in the guest room. About a dozen boxes await further sorting in the family room, and a ton of "stuff" was either tossed or given away.

The bathroom floor and entry stairs had to be rebuilt due to water damage. While we were at it, we had the plumber move sink. It was installed in a new counter in the room itself, freeing up badly needed space in the bathroom. I repaired and painted walls, did a ton of cleaning, moved in furnishings to essentially create a studio apartment again. Now that the room is complete, we are advertising it on Craig's List. 

The floor in the master bathroom also had to be replaced because of a failed water heater. The plumber moved the plumbing from a wall-hung toilet to accommodate a floor-mounted one and the carpenter removed the cabinetry so that he could rebuild that floor. Rick and Chris re-hung a sink in that bath so that it is functional. A complete remodel of the master bath will have to wait on funding. The old cabinetry now resides in the basement laundry room.

But life does not stop just because you have a big project to work on. My garden has done well this year. There a lots of vegies that have needed watering, weeding, etc. all summer. These have been so very yummy. We even have melons this year.

Now that fall is here, I am wrapping everything up for the winter. Outdoor furniture needs to be put under cover, hedges need a fall pruning, the grass needs to be mowed a couple more times, you get the idea. We were also blessed with a few yards of great compost that Shelley and Eric delivered as a birthday gift for Richard. I don't have any notion of spreading it all at once. It will slowly go to the planting beds as I get them ready for winter. First will be the small beds where I plant garlic. It needs to be in the ground really soon. Then compost will be added to those areas in the front yard that didn't get any last spring. By Thanksgiving, It should either be on the beds or covered, such that it will be available for early spring planting.

Then there is the anticipated "family meeting" that is scheduled for when Amy is here in November. Years ago, Richard and I created a Living Trust. I have now made a copy for each of the kids. It includes a power of attorney, pour over will, and instructions on health issues, should we no longer be able to make choices for ourselves, and other instructions for burial and distribution of assets. No one looks forward to this kind of meeting, but we do look forward to everyone being on the same page when the time comes. I have previously put together much of the detail outside the Trust that will be needed for the meeting. But now I need to make sure it is all together, copied, and is complete. Never a dull moment around here.

Just to be clear, while I have some health issues, I am relatively healthy. But I don't want to put our kids in the position of trying to locate the information they would need should I fall ill. Hopefully, this meeting will be a way of taking some of the stress off them when and if that day does come.