HANG ON, IT’S GOING BE A RIDE!

As I look toward the future I see a bumpy road. Soon we have to get the house ready for sale. What does this mean, it means hiring contractors and handymen to fix up the place and have it sell.

I need a resurfaced driveway, painting and spackling, and plumbing that needs to be done. My wife doesn’t want me to do any of it. All these past 47 years I took care of it, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, painting and spackling. I guess she feels I too old.

One of the things I hate is hiring these handymen and the pros such as electricians and painters and plumbers. They all come with a price, and when I don’t need them they call all the time. God forbid if I need them, I can’t get them. They don’t answer their phone and if they do they look for ways to get out of it.

When I finally nail one down, there is the price: in my case, there are many prices.

This situation makes my skin crawl, I know I am not going to be completely happy, and the question is just how unhappy, in each instance.

I will miss the house, the memories and my den in particular, but life goes on at least for a little while longer. New quarters will mean new adjustments without looking at work to do. We will probably rent a place and just make ourselves comfortable. Hopefully, we go out east near my daughter in Shoreham.

I remember when I moved into my home, after living in a fix-it-upper that occupied all my free time. Traveling the Long Island Railroad and working all day, coming home bone-tired, then facing weekends, chores and baseball or basketball games, having a newer house was wonderful.

I just need room enough for my two grandchildren to stay with us, and stay in spacious surroundings.