Where have I been?
I haven't posted on my Substack channel for months and there is a very good reason for this.
My life's purpose and focus took a radical 180 degree turn last summer when my sister sdied, leaving me to settle her affairs. As the sole occupant of the family home in Southern California that was jointly owned by my sister and me, I had to decide how to best deal with the situation. As I did not want to move into the house myself, my options were to either rent out or sell the property. My decision was crystal-clear, since I did not want to assume responsibility for the upkeep of the house as an absentee owner and landlord. The challenge I faced was that the bedrooms and garage were filled with seemingly endless clutter that needed to be donated or discarded, and that the house had not been properly maintained over the years.
With the help of a neighbor, and by driving my car numerous times to local donation centers, I managed to clear the house of clutter that had accumulated over several decades. Making the house attractive to prospective buyers required the professional help of a local realtor that was recommended to me by a high school friend whom I had kept in contact over the years. Brand new carpeting replaced the damaged carpets that had been in the bedrooms and living room, the walls were repainted, and the front yard received a facelift with the removal of weeds and the insertion of new flowers and plants.
I spent three months in Southern California managing the process, and then I waited 6 more weeks for the house to finally close escrow. While the family home was in escrow, I decided that once the sale was finalized, I would terminate my room rental arrangement with my landlady and use the proceeds to buy a home of my liking.
The key question I had to answer was, "Where do I want to move to?" Taking various factors into consideration, I settled on Napa, as it seemed to offer many leisure-time activities and opportunities that resonated with me. By chance, I introduced myself to a Napa realtor while house-hunting on a Sunday afternoon. A few weeks after our initial introduction, I met with the realtor at her office where she queried me about my housing preferences and funding sources. She accompanied me in viewing several homes for sale in Napa that she thought might be an ideal match, and I put in an offer on one that met my requirements. Amazingly, escrow closed in 10 days and I was able to move in before year's end.
Closing escrow was just the first step. In addition, I had to pack up my belongings (getting rid of possessions that no longer served me), transport my stuff to my new home, and prepare a list of items I needed to optimize the use of my bedroom, living room, and kitchen. Having been a renter, I didn't own a sofa, while the air mattress that I kept in reserve tucked away in a storage box proved to be liability rather than an asset. Asking for advice from one of my new neighbors, I went online to order a mattress (that came with a metal frame) and sofa that were delivered to my front door. It took a few days to assemble those items and place them where I wanted them to be.
Getting to know Napa has been a learning process. As I eventually found out through trial and error, I can walk to many commercial establishments that I patronize on a regular basis, such as banks, restaurants, the post office, and the weekly farmers market. Other shops such as groceries and office supply stores are only a short drive away.
What I hadn't expected was finding rats in the attic and water that seeped into the interior of my passenger car due to a small crack in the windshield. To deal with the first situation, I hired a pest control specialist to set traps in the attic and a handyman to seal the gaps in the side of the house that the rodents were using to make their entrance. In resolving the water leak in my car, I took my vehicle into a local repair shop to obtain a windshield replacement which fixed the problem.
While it's taken time, I feel that my life has become far more stable and serene than it was just a few short months ago.