Two steps forward and one step back

 Two steps forward and one step back is still progress. 

I am in the process of moving out of my home of nearly 36 years. It is difficult physically and emotionally. 

I decided to hire someone to paint. My son had started with the hallway; some friends came and helped me finish the living room (all but one accent wall that we thought was fine. Spoiler alert: it wasn't.)

The kitchen and both bathrooms are still great from a remodel a few years back- we had the left over paint for touch ups here and there.

That left the three bedrooms that desperately needed painting, and one closet that really needed cleaning and then painting.

I decided I would hire painters. Yes, it's costly but so is my mental health and my relationship with friends and family.

When the movers came, and we took out the piano, we discovered that the living room accent wall was in fact NOT FINE and would also need painting.

Add that to the list for the painters.

Then a day or so later as I was dragging stuff from the basement to the side of the road, a friend drives by and stops and chats.

I'd been meaning to talk to him, as he knows about building maintenance (it's his job, actually). So I asked if he knew any painters. He said, sure, he could probably help me out. 

So we set up a meeting, he looked at what needed to be done, and said yep, he could do it. 

I said, wait, what you? 

He said sure.

I said okay, let's talk schedule and price. The clock is ticking and I need to get this listed.

He said he could start Monday if I got the paint. 

I said, and how much would you charge?

He said, I won't charge you. I'm doing this for you. I can do this.

He cautioned me that he did have a class two times a week, and of course he has his full time job. He could come after work, about 2:30 most days.

Great! Unbelievable! 

We met that Monday, I had the paint, he had the equipment, he got started. 

That was nearly two weeks ago. Two of the three bedrooms have been cut in, but that is all that has happened.

I have myself cleaned and painted the closet. Today I'm painting the living room accent wall.

I have to find a friendly, kind, and positive way of asking if he'll be able to get to the bedrooms this week. Because otherwise, I need to hire someone. 

Truly.

I have to get out of this house. For my emotional and mental health. And my financial health.

Where is my story now?

 From Feb 13 2025: 

All the stories are about love and living happily ever after. Usually young love, occasionally a bit more mature love. 

Coupleness.

And I've been one of the lucky ones, blessed to find a lover, a friend, a soul mate. To live happily after.

But now my love is gone, and I am still here.

Where is my story now?

Focus on light

 From Feb 3 2025:

Make peace 

where there is strife.

Where there is darkness

bring light.

Dawn still follows the darkest night.

On the eighth night of Chanukah, I did not buy for you...

 This is it! The last night of Chanukah- all eight candles, plus the helper shamash candle, have been lit.

Perhaps the most beautiful night of all.

And my last opportunity in 5785 to not buy you a Chanukah gift. 

So before I go, for when you gotta go, I did not buy for you:

This is the crap-strap so that you can poop in the woods with ease. 

It zips into itself so it's discreet and also holds POOP  BAGS! So you can clean up after yourself just like you do for your pooch!

Crap (Krap) Strap zipped and with supplies

Why did I not buy this for you? And why did I not not-buy it on night Number Two?

Reason Number One, it's winter. I don't think you're the hiking, hunting, camping-in-the-woods in January kind of guy. I could be wrong. Feel free to correct me if I am.

Number Two (heh heh), I wanted something special for the end of Chanukah. Something special to bring up the rear.

And this is designed to bring up your rear.

Rear view of rear

On the seventh night of Chanukah, I did not buy for you...

 It's the penultimate day of Chanukah! As I've mentioned before, Chanukah, like most Jewish holidays, begins at sundown and lasts until sundown of the next day. So last night was the seventh night of Chanukah, and today is the seventh day. 

What didn't I buy you for the seventh night?

This year, the colliding overlapping holidays meant that the seventh night of Chanukah was also New Year's Eve. 

The New Year is a traditional time for making resolutions, setting goals.

Here is something I did not buy for myself, which I am happy to not buy for you as well:

Just in case you are stuck for a resolution or goals for the new year, here is a handy list of multiple suggestions for the various areas of your life!

For you, specifically, for this year, specifically, I did not buy this motivational refrigerator magnet for a great new year's resolution.

You're welcome.

ONE MORE CRAZY NIGHT!

On the sixth night of Chanukah, I did not buy for you...

 I may have fallen just a bit behind on my posts. So many overlapping holidays this year, and travels, and shopping, and not-buying... you understand.

Almost all holidays have traditional foods associated with them, and Chanukah is no exception. Remembering the miracle of the oil and light, it is traditional to eat foods fried in oil. Latkes, for instance, are a favorite of the season, as are sufganiyot, jelly donuts fried in oil.

YUM!

I didn't buy you latkes- if you and I were in the same location, I would absolutely make you latkes. But alas, many miles separate us.

However, it's not latkes that I didn't buy you on the sixth night of Chanukah. Instead, I didn't buy you these:

Possum flavored candy canes

These are possum flavored candy canes. Lest you fear that I did not buy you these because of their association with the other holiday in December, rest assured that it is not so. I could have bought you, but I also did not buy you, these:

These possum flavored candies, individually wrapped, are not candy canes. They are just candy.

Possum flavored candy. Sweet gray and pink striped possum flavored candy.

I have not tried this candy, so I don't know if they truly taste like possum, although to be honest, I've never tried possum either, so I wouldn't be a very good judge.

The ad copy says, though, that the candy does taste like everyone's favorite marsupial. "Garbage fed, gourmet taste!" Also from the ad: "Some describe the flavor as being like pork, but with notes of piquant swill."

Piquant swill. Flavor like pork.

Inappropriate for a Jewish holiday, I say.

Although the ad also says that it's artificial possum flavoring, if that helps. Wondering why the artificial flavoring, with so much available source material along the roadways...

On the fifth night of Chanukah I did not buy for you...

 It's night five! The fifth!

There is also a tradition for the fifth night... something involving a fifth... or ways to imbibe from a fifth...

So on the fifth night of Chanukah, I did not buy for you...

Violin decanter for a spirited fifth

This lovely decanter is just the thing for your fifth of whiskey, or bourbon,  or other fine spirits. 

I'm not buying this for you, on the fifth night, for the following reasons (take note):

The violin holds 1000 milliliters. A fifth is 750 milliliters. When you pour in your fifth, it looks like you got shorted. Is the violin 3/4 full or 1/4 empty? Or is it in 3/4 time?

The decanter is described as elegant, like a proper violin. Somehow, fine bourbon or whiskey puts me more in mind of a lively fiddle than an elegant violin- but, poe-TAY-toe, poe-TAH-toe, amiright?

After describing the fine craftsmanship and elegance of the decanter, the add goes on to say "its tuning peg functions as a leak-tight cap that you can remove to pour yourself a drink or chug straight from the glass violin." 

Chugging? From your violin's NECK? 

Even though this decanter is described as perfect for your friends who love music and drinking, and I know you love music and drinking, I'm not buying it.

If you still want to try a spirited fifth with the violin, don't fret- try this instead:

Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5

No strings attached.