January 20 2024

So it's  morning and I intend to pick out fabrics for the Modern Quilt Studio - Secret Agent Modern Mystery Quiltalong.  We'll see if I do.  It's been on my list for more than a few weeks.

In between first I think it was we got a letter from our homeowners insurance that they wanted to do a virtual survey of our house.  I vaguely remember way before COVID that someone came and took photos of the bathrooms and garage - but I don't think I took any notes.  I remember thinking during COVID that it was time for them to return to see again.  The way I remember is that they were looking to be sure we hadn't made improvements without notifying them.  I read this time that I needed to tell them if we spent more than $15K I needed to tell them.  Well that hasn't happened  We spent $2500 Jan 2021 on the water system and $4K Jan 2021 on the tankless water heater - warranted for 25 years and no maintainance needed.

The letter from the insurance company was stressful to receive even though I had been expecting them to remember us and put us on their list.  I have been reading in NextDoor that people in our neighborhood have been scrambling to get new home owners insurance as different than what we have insurance companies are not renewing them.

So as a result of the letter I got B & A to step forward and fix some cracks in the paint that have just been appearing and appearing.  B had fixed one a while back but hadn't bothered to get it painted so what one saw was a white puddy or what ever the stuff is for years.  A went to Home Depot and got matching paint and the everything inside looks lovely now.  

Two summers ago A had moved a lot of his stuff in the living room and I had before that moved some of B's stuff into the dining room so those areas have pretty much been unuseable - and looked like a garage to boot.  A started in November going thru his things - moving boxes back and forth from the storage unit to make a better inventory.  He ramped it up when the letter came - but then got COVID after NYE.  I got shelves intended for garage storage and set them up next to the bookshelves and put his stuff on the shelves.  B got started on his stuff as well.  I worked on the garage finished and unfinished area so that was nice too - able to vacuum the floor and walk around and see the edges of boxes that still need going thru.  But it was looking nicer than it had in a long while.

Then our little dog fainted or something and we took her for care and evaluation.  They said we were taking her home for end of life care - but she has perked up and is eating so I don't know.  I think we have more time with her.  Because we were able to clear things in the living room, we were able to set up a bed and area for her so she can be in the sun or shade as she decides.  It's been very nice.  I had to move empty boxes to the floor to block areas off so she wouldn't get lost in the items still on the floor or under the chairs.  So the room is cluttered again - but this time we feel good she is in a better area.  A has moved his computer to that area and is sleeping with her there too.

It's more complicated than I thought it would be to get a place in Ireland.  Not just the real estate stuff but getting homeowners insurance, VISAs for staying 90 - 140 days, accountants, and more.  Every day it seems something is started but not finished.  Yesterday a lovely woman had a phone call with me then followed up with an email where she said she had looked into it and it was wrong information on the phone and I'm back to complicated online forms to try and figure out.  Seems DH will have an easier time of being able to stay the 90-140 days than me once he gets his Irish citizenship and passport.  I will aways have to get VISA to stay beyond 90 days so eventually will need to figure that out.  Our cousin checked and none of the GP offices she called are taking new patients so it might be that 90 days we stay then return home for appts then if I can get VISA I return there.  Being able to stay 140 days was my goal though...

I'm noticing that I am feeling that I am the person that calls others or tries to set up lunches or walks with 'friends' or family.  I'm so tired of that.  In Ireland at least when we have gone there before the cousins have been so wonderful with inviting me/us to things.  I think that will be my favorite part of it all.  That and being able to walk to the stores and shops and museums and gym!