Brass Tacks Time

I spent Monday on the phone: Finding an estate sale business that was not booked up until October, getting in touch with the Carillon guy, making an appointment with the realtor (the husband of one of the secretaries mom worked with at the law firm), talking to the VA about the muscle I pulled in my calf last Saturday that hurts like a son of a gun if I try to walk normally, and trying to rest my leg as much as I could. I was able to stay off it somewhat.

Today, I met the Carillon guy at The Garrison and we suited up and went in to mom’s room so the three of us could get down to brass tacks. A lot depends on getting mom qualified for this one level, and getting the financial ducks in a row. I knew what papers I needed to get, and I got most of them when I met with Rusty the realtor later for him to look over the house. I forgot one, but I’ll get it tomorrow when I meet my cousin JP and his wife there. Mom has some family heirlooms that she wants to go to his daughter and granddaughter, and they are going to take them and send them on. Rusty the Realtor looked over the house and I answered his questions as best I could. We’re supposed to have a seller’s market. I hope the house sells fast and that we can get a good price. Much rides on it. He’s going to get together with me next Tuesday so we can get down to brass tacks about the house.

I stayed with mom a little while after we met with the Carillon guy and helped them move her. She’s holding up fairly well, but I’m afraid she’s getting a little disheartened. She feels very isolated — but that’s because she is. None of her friends can come see her as long as she is in isolation. Her “niece” CK and her husband are going to their cabin for a week, and that’s hard. She derives a good deal of emotional support from CK.

I have to get up at ouch:30 in the morning to get to the VA as soon as it opens. I expect I’ll be hiking over to the other side of the building on my bum leg to get an x-ray of my bum leg to find out why it hurts. (It hurts because I pulled a muscle!) Then after I hike all the way back on my bum leg, she’ll tell me I need to stay off it! Unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to stay off it. I’ve got too much to do. I’m just going to have to crip along as best I can. Argh!

I’m going to see if I can meet with the Carillon guy Thursday morning and get down to brass tacks with him, too. Thursday afternoon I meet with the estate sales lady. My plan is to sign on with her. They can’t start on the house til the 16th, and the sale may not take place until the end of the month. I went with her because she has connections to the antiques market, and mom has some nice pieces they got on their travels. They are full service — they throw out what can’t be donated or sold, sell what will sell, and donate the rest. They supposedly leave you with an empty house and clean up the house afterward, all for a percentage of the profits. After she does mom’s house, somebody’s going to have to do mine.