Oh my goodness gracious sakes alive! I am pooped! Gramps is pooped! My back aches, my arms hurt, my legs are weak and my head is in a spin. I’m getting up early, going to bed late and am exhausted every minute in between. I’m craving sugar and eating more takeout than I can ever remember. I’m cleaning constantly, yet not allowed to use anything in the house.

What has brought about this glorious existence? Our house is on the market – it’s for sale. Actually, it was only 5 days ago we entered into this wonderland of chaos. It was something we wanted, looked forward to, planned for and were certain was the right thing to do. After all, you can’t sell your house if you don’t put it on the market – I’m pretty sure.

We have cleaned, purged, painted, decluttered, arranged, polished, lightened and brightened until our bones are in rebellion. My body no longer does anything I tell it to do, except fall into bed every night. The house is spotless, “Q-tip clean” as the stager says. It is so neat and ready for showing that it looks as if no one lives here. I guess that’s the look that sells a home these days – the abandoned look.

Now that everything is in such perfect order, we must keep it looking just like this – for who knows how long! Which means we can’t do anything. We can’t make a fire in the fireplace. We can’t leave a dish on the kitchen counter. We can’t leave a bed unmade. I can’t leave sewing projects out on the cutting table. We can barely use the bathrooms!

This really isn’t my house anymore. I’m not sure who’s it is but it’s not mine. I’m not connected or attached here. To sell a house, especially after 23 years, you have to disconnect and allow the house to be loved and cared for by someone else. It just happened faster and easier than I expected. I guess that’s a good thing. At this point, I can’t really tell.

So, here I am, feeling homeless while I continue to live in a house that is no longer mine. It is a very strange situation. I’m very excited about a new house and being able to make it all ours. I’m eager to try some different decorating techniques I couldn’t use here and put old things in new rooms. It will all be fun, as soon as we get through this limbo stage.

And so, my Sweeties, I will be housesitting here until it sells. Hope it isn’t too long! Don’t know how long I can go without making a mess!