WEEK 97
Thursday, December 29, 2011 - Wednesday, January 4, 2012
This is such an important week in my life
A turning point
The year 2011 with all my waiting and wondering will be left behind
The year 2012 will be welcomed with all my hopes and dreams of a new life in Spain next to Pepe
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Sooo.... Let´s see what I have to say about Week 97...
On Thursday I spent much time checking my Facebook messages. Obsesively checking. Not to see if Pepe, family or
friends had anything to say to me...nope... I was checking for messages from strangers. Because with only two weeks
until I leave Auburn, Georgia, and still so much to sell I figured I´d try anything. And I did.
You see, a friend who saw me hand out my ¨for sale¨ flyers to another friend at Ingles Market (A.K.A. as my former
place of employment) sugested I´d try a virtual garage/yard sale on Facebook. Wow, for real? I said with a big smile,
I wish I would have known about this before! I left the flyers with Sherry, bought in a hurry a few groceries for that night´s
dinner, and I drove home with high hopes. As soon as I was at my desk I sat and searched in Facebook for results
under my neighboring area plus yard sale. And Yeap. There it was. The Dacula Auburn Online Yard Sale, or something
like that. Ah, looking at my computer screen I imagined a little light at the end of the tunnel intermitently flashing
¨possible sales... possible sales... possible sales...¨ I quickly requested a ¨friendship¨ and just as quickly I was
¨accepted¨. Wow, I said to myself, How awesome was this? Facebook is not just for connecting with friends, loved
ones and not so loved ones. No. Now you can actually sell your treasures/junk through it!
I was one happy woman. Afterall, if it worked out I would be making less trips to the Goodwill donation center in
Winder and that would be very, very nice. So I snooped around the page first to see who was selling and what they
were selling and secondly I joined the club with fingers crossed. Now it was time to check, and check and check for
any responses to my posts.
Anyway, at the end of the day my obsesive checking gave fruit for I was messaged. I even heard angels sing as I read
the messages from Facebook strangers who wanted to buy! The best part was that it had been easy to do too. And If
you would like to try a virtual garage/yard sale just follow my steps... Upload photo of your stuff. Forget what you
paid for it. Describe the wonderful condition it´s in and ask for a fair low price. Patiently wait for comments with
offers/bids. If you are as desperate as I accept any ridiculous offers. Don´t pull your hair. Laugh. Afterward
message the strangers for pick up arrangements.
And I prayed that they, the strangers, did not back down. I prayed that I might be able to leave our pretty house with a
view completely empty to facilitate renting it, and that I might have no worries the last few days of my stay in the United
States. That I could proudly tell Pepe that night, ¨Baby, I did it! Our house will soon be empty.. Wheh! One less thing to
worry about!!¨ Sigh. Dear God, you know how hard these two years have been on my husband and I. Allow us to finally
concentrate on us. On our marriage. Allow these last fourteen days to go by fast...
Hopefully, God wouldn´t mind my silly prayers.
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The following is a bit of show and tell to conmemorate what would be my best Facebook sale.
Georgina C
- Do you still have these items:
Desk Lamp
Lawnmower
Ladder
Shelf Unit
Bookcases
China Cabinet.
-
- Actually, yes I still have them all!
Georgina C
I added it up, you want 186.00 for it all but would you be willing to take $175
- I could come saturday and pick it all up.
Juana Aragon Bernal
- Hi Georgina: Yes, $175.00 is fine.
When would you pick it up?
Georgina C
- It would have to be Saturday. I have a feeling I will need more than one truck. So by then I will have gotten two
helpers and trucks together. Or Sunday, if that is better. Just let me know when, and how to get to you.
-
Saturday is fine, but if you change your mind please don't let me know last minute, because I am moving overseas on Wednesday and I wouldn't have a chance to sell it! Thank you!!
My address is 1**4 Summer Lane,
Auburn 30011
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Friday 30th I start the day with my first of many cups of coffee, the usual peek out the kitchen’s window to check the weather, and then return to what used to be my bedroom but now only holds a small, square, dark brown table that serves as a desk, a chair and my computer. Then, I begin my daily routine by logging into my Yahoo mail account. Nothing new. Just a bunch of unwanted e-mails that I don’t care to even read and delete, delete, delete. Darn! I was hoping someone browsing for a dining room in Craiglist fancied mine..
In order to sell it better I had reupholstered the six chairs with my own clumsy little hands! A little time consuming but totally worth it. They looked amazing if I say so myself. Frankly, I was very surprised at the result. At least at first sight... Who was going to turn the chairs upside down and look at the imperfections underneath the seat? If you saw me as I write this, I have a develish grin on my face. What!! I am not good at anything involving fabric, measurements and scissors...
Anyway, I have kept reducing it´s price and most likely will keep doing it. You know this actually hurts? But it hurts because so many great memories are attached to this eleven year old, solid pine table and chairs. To an outsider it´s just a table and chairs.. oh, and hutch. To me it´s MY dining room. The table and chairs were we gathered as a family. Where I placed my family´s favorite food. Where we placed birthday and baby shower cakes. Where we played games.Where we drew out plans. Where we had great conversations… and laughter… lots of laughter! Ah, the memories… and now I have only thirteen days to let go of it practically giving it away… but there it was; One more day sitting pretty in it´s place with no offers.
What´s wrong with people? Don´t they see it´s a steal?
Oh, well, Juana maybe tomorrow, I said to myself and went on with my routine. After logging out of my e- mail account I went on to log into my E-bay account. You see, I had invested a little money in reduced dvds and 24 by 27 inch movie posters before I stopped working in my video department. It was a way of making a little income during this time of waiting around for my return to Spain. I didn´t mind E-bay. It kept me busy - adding listings was time consuming. But at the end the money added to good sums in Pay Pal and that was very welcomed. Especially since I have been without a paycheck for two months now.
However, once in a while there was that customer, like today, that soured the milk in my coffee with a message saying the item arrived damaged and was going to give me negative feedback unless I returned his money. Which was imposible of course.. unless the mail carrier ran over it with the truck... and I would have to settle with him in order to keep my ¨good seller¨ status. BOO HOO!
Word of mouth, flyers, Craiglist, and E-bay selling...
You gotta do what you gotta do!
And now, after dealing with the irrate person from E-bay it was time to log out and log into my bank account. One quick look.... and I felt like bringing out a violin and playing a sad tune, but I don´t have one so I log out of my Suntrust account and log into my Facebook account.. With no messages from possible buyers through the online yard sale it was time to read status updates from family and friends.
Finally!!
Something enjoyable to help me disconnect for a moment from my selling and worries!
WOW! I just realized
I am pooped from logging in and out...
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Saturday 31st. Last day of the year 2011. Hard to believe. It´s been a long, long wait for my husband and I, but that gap betwen us called the Atlantic Ocean will be no more in a matter of days. For Delta flight 109 will carry me over it, and once on the other side I will never, never, EVER separate from my husband again!! I will be stuck to him like a 5 ft 6in giant leech. Watch out honey! Here I come!
However, New Years Eve is the last thing I want to think of. Or at least I am trying to convince myself of that. Good thing I have so much on my mind today. I have to swing by the dollar store and buy bubble envelopes to mail the dvds I sold in e-bay the last couple of days. I also have to swing by the library and print out the addresses and delivery confirmation numbers for them. Then run to the post office before they close. Later on the day Georgina C, will be coming by to pick up the furniture she is interested in... and there is another person interested in the patio set that might come by the house. Oh! I need to run by Home Depot and buy more Wasabi color paint so I can finish painting the kitchen cabinets.... Some lucky person is going to enjoy a freshly painted house and brand new looking kitchen cabinets!
Did I mention I bartered with my car?
I need to paint my house.
You need a car. Only you will get it the day before I leave the States? Yes?
Uhu... I traded my old, purple Dodge Stratus for a complete house paint job.
Well, except for the kitchen cabinets...
The young man to the right is Felipe. He is the brother of Sandra´s best friend, Diana. And their parents Mr. & Mrs. Gonzalez are like Sandra´s second parents. Wonderful Colombian family. I will miss them!
As I was saying- lots in my mind today, but not enough to stop me from taking a look at Facebook before I left the house. Today, unlike me, everyone I knew would be celebrating and having parties. I tried not getting melancolic... I just had to wait a few more days to celebrate... my New Year´s party would be January 12th, when I reunite with my hubby. It was around the corner!
Meantime, reading other people´s plans for New Year´s Eve would be fun. Besides, I would add a word or two myself!!
And as I scrolled down facebook...WHOA!! Did someone have plans!! Very different plans from most people on this last day of the year!! Savannah, my sister Hilda´s very pregnant grandaughter had just posted earlier in the day ¨Jack is coming for real! my water just broke!¨
(You might remember Savannah from posts A FAIRY TALE LOVE STORY... and WEEKS GONE BY + WEEK 57 AND 58. Part 3 + Part of WEEK 59 & 60= I can't keep up! )
Oh, my gosh!! How exciting!!
A new baby boy would be born to our family in a matter of hours
BUT... OH, MY GOSH!!
My nephew Alex would be a grandfather!!
That meant my sister would be a GREAT GRANDMOTHER...
Already?? How can that be??
I am too young to be her sister!!
MY SISTER IS TOO YOUNG TO BE ONE!!
NOW, Hilda,... don´t worry. Seriouly.
You will be one of the greatest, coolest and youngest GREAT GRANDMAMAS there is in this world!!!
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A few hours later in Ohio...
Precious baby Jack James Ryan Ward was born
Making all of his family in the United States and in Spain say
¨AAAAAAAAWWWWWWW!!!¨
Congratulations and many blessings Zach and Savannah
He sure is a cutie!!!
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TO BE CONTINUED...
