This couch has some legs! Meaning, it's been around the block or two.



I've had it for 20 years, and when I bought it, I bought it used for $500 from someone in my town, who also delivered it.

But as you can see it has a lot of crazy colors, and now with all my mother's art here, it would be way too busy. I've grown tired of its design, though it is still a very well made and very comfortable couch.

But I just don't have room with mom's stuff and its bright colors would compete with mom's art. I'm thinking eventually, not right away, maybe not even til I move, I'd like to get a neutral/tan replacement couch so that mom's art will take center stage.

I asked just $20 for it because I had tried last fall to sell it on facebook without success, and i knew if i didn't sell it this time, I'd have to PAY money to leave it at the transfer station as well as PAY someone to help me move it out of here. Complicating such a move would be the fact I don't want anyone parking a heavy truck on the new driveway.

So 3 cheerful Latino men showed up to look at the couch. I had been in touch with his wife on Facebook. He said he mowed lawns for a living, and I was glad to be helping a family of modest means. They carried it down the driveway no problem, and now I have room in my sun room again so I can move a chaise lounge in there and a chair.

The twin bed I bought for my mother when she was in assisted living is now occupying the space where the couch used to be. Kind of like a day bed. I envision for the first time in 20 summers that I'll enjoy sleeping on it when the nights are too warm and humid to sleep in my upstairs bedroom.

Now that the couch is gone, I had also wanted to then get rid of the 20-year-old green wall to wall carpeting in the family room, which has been puked on numerous times by the cats, had coffee spilled on it by a careless boyfriend and scratched at mercilessly by the cats. The wood floor under it was painted an ugly dark brown but even that might not look so terrible for now with some area rugs thrown on it. Anything but that carpet.

I'd like to do a lead test on the paint as I'm not sure when the family room addition was added on to the house; can't find it in the town hall records. If the paint tests negative for lead, I might consider (if I could otherwise dispose of all the art in there) getting the floor stripped and then staining the bare wood.

So many things I want to do around this place, but I really feel hamstrung by mom's "stuff." Hence my delight in getting rid of one big piece of furniture today.

Talked to Dad, who just returned from another trip down to Jersey. He's decided to lease his house rather than try to sell it. I'd rather not see him have to act as landlord becus at some point all his frequent trips down to Jersey, whether to get stuff at the house or for doctor's appointments, will have to stop. He just turned 83.

I told him I can easily use my vacation time at work to drive down there with him and do whatever it is he needs done. There's always something. He needed to change the lock on the garage, which is not going to be part of the rental; right now the same key that opens the back door also opens the garage, which is packed with stuff he's accumulated.

With his vision issues and walking issues and overall strength issues, he really could use my help. But the biggest challenge is convincing him of that.

I put the hummer sugar water out today. I've seen the males arrive in early April so I wanted to roll out the welcome mat.