I May be a Secret Catholic

It has been a busy week with a few milestones. We closed on our old house in Virginia on Wednesday, cutting our ties with the Old Dominion other than friendships. It is bitter sweet. We are certainly happy to be out from under those mortgage and utility bills, but loved the house and were happy there. As husband said, last night, if we were going back, he’d want to live in the exact same house in the exact same neighborhood. I agree.

We finished preparing our 2009 tax returns.

We also made arrangements to have the barn sided. We hate covering up the wood but not enough to have to repaint it on a regular basis. Moreover, all the trim is rotting and needs to be replaced. We’ll be going with barn red, a color that is very close to the current color, with white trim. Here is a barn owned by the company that is going to put on the siding where they used the same color siding:

Their barn looks a lot like ours:

The closing was a nail biter.

I sometimes hate lawyers. We were doing this long distance so particularly at their mercy. And some don’t have any. They promised to get the paperwork to us, in advance and assured us it would consist of about two pages that wouldn’t need to be notarized (we’d already executed and notarized a number of documents, last week). The buyers had been pre-approved and there were no red flags that suggested there would be any problems. The closing was scheduled for Wednesday at 2:00. Husband had an extremely important meeting at that time but since the paperwork was supposed to have been done well in advance, we weren’t worried about it.  We know closings often don't go smoothly but both buyer and seller came to the table, more than ready to go. 

Tuesday came and went with no papers.  All Wednesday morning, no paperwork. No explanation.  Which is inexcusable, right?

At 1:45 on Wednesday, the lawyers call to tell us the paperwork is on the way. It is six documents and some need to be notarized. Are you fricking kidding me? We don’t have a notary here waiting around on them (and I’d told them that, several times).

Grrr. The buyers are waiting around and have just driven five days, cross country. Their moving van is in the driveway and they had to have been more stressed and tired than we were. So while I didn’t mind the lawyers having to wait while we tracked down a notary, I felt bad for the buyers.

The paperwork arrives at the same time that husband’s meeting is starting (it was with his CEO). He has to bow out and hope there won't be ramifications. The paperwork is messed up so they have to redo and resend some of it. Once they got that right, we rush out to have it notarized and fax it back.

They are supposed to call when everything was done but they blow that off. 

I knew things had been done because neighbors saw the new owners moving in and let me know. Husband called the lawyers Thursday morning to confirm that it had gone as scheduled.  It is a good thing he did because they were preparing to mail our check to the old address. HELLO???? Criminy, we had to notarize specific documents related to our new address in a different state and I had specifically called and corrected our address, two weeks ago. ALL the paperwork has our Oklahoma address. We had to execute and notarize documents because we live out of state. Frankly, if there is ANYTHING they should know, it is that we don’t LIVE at the house we just SOLD!!!! Grr…

So while all that was going on, my youngest daughter was having her third wedding anniversary. And the card that I’d planned to send was sitting in my desk. And I didn’t even think to call her. I am such a horrible mother.

Thursday morning, I went to the quilting guild meeting and surreptitiously checked my e-mail when my iphone vibrated. I didn’t want to be too obvious because a lot of these ladies aren’t computer savvy and I didn’t want to come across as rude or snooty. So I get a text message from younger daughter telling me that she and her husband had gone out to dinner to celebrate their wedding anniversary the night before, and she just wanted to thank Husband and me for helping make that such a lovely wedding day.

Okay, just twist the knife, child. I am sure the blood drained right out of my face as I sat there, surrounded by lovely elderly ladies who I am sure were much, MUCH better mothers and grandmothers than I will ever be. I went clammy. My brain momentarily shut down and all I could see was white light. I may have had a small seizure. I may have actually died. For all I know, I had a minor heart attack and had an out of body experience.

So I sent daughter a quick e-mail expressing horror and promising to send a check or something. I suddenly understand why there used to be such corruption in the Catholic church so many centuries ago at the time of the reformation when people were buying papal dispensations. Suddenly, that didn’t sound so crazy. I slipped out of the guild meeting and called her at work. She was in a meeting. So they claimed.  I confessed my sins to the receptionist who sounded confused as to why I was doing that.

When I got home, I immediately grabbed her card and remembered that I had also bought a second one to wish Husband a Happy St. Patrick’s Day. And I didn’t give it to him, either. So I rushed into his office and shoved it at him.

“What is this?” he asks, looking at the romantic card – if a card with a shamrock on it can pull that off.

“Just read it,” sez I, “I forgot to give it to you.”

“Who is it from?” he asks.

Grrr.

“From ME!”

“It isn’t signed,” he says, looking confused. Then, at my level look, “Thank you. It is very nice.”

“You’re welcome, “ I say, snatching it back. “I will give it to you next year.”

“Will it be signed?”

“YES!,” I say as I head to my office, “Act surprised!”

No worries, he’ll forget all about it by then. I probably will, too.  I have about fifty cards bought out of love but never sent. My best friend suggested I start buying more generic cards that are blank inside so I can wing it, easier. She also kindly suggested a computer reminder so I wouldn’t forget. She didn’t mention that I hadn’t sent her a card on her birthday in several years.  I came THIS CLOSE to signing the St. Patrick's Day card to have one less thing to do, next year, but decided I might have to use it in an emergency for someone else. 

She and I went to the Medieval Fair, today and had a great time. We spent the afternoon oohing and awing over the cool clothes:

Great costumes:

Dragons:

I adore dragons.

If I ever got a tatoo, it would be of a dragon. 

I'm not getting a tattoo.

Art:

Dogs:

Exhibits (this is a model of a viking ship):

Exotic animals:

Camels

And we people watched.

I have to get myself a dragon. I think I would like to make a dragon art quilt.

Girlfriend gave me a lovely wooden box for my birthday. She didn’t buy it at the Medieval Fair. She bought it in advance because she remembered that my birthday is week after next.

It has been a week of guilt.

Happy Quilting,

Penny, Evelyn and Pearl