Thankful Thursday - SOLD!

My father passed away in June of 2009 and my mother became a widow. She lived alone for about a year, but we worried about her driving on dark, winding, country roads after her visits with us, as well as going home to an empty house. With EZ's diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma in January of 2010, we felt we could be of help to one another if we combined households. Easier said than done, when it comes to the emotion of parting with much that represented 60 years of marriage and life with her longtime sweetheart.  

With lots of help from our family, we got her house on the market in August of 2011, and after 90+ showings, two failed offers, and one cancelled contract, she closed on July 31, 2012! The real estate market certainly isn't what it used to be, and it has been an emotional roller coaster dealing with inspections, criticisms and demands. But our prayers were answered and, difficult as it was, we are grateful that Mom no longer has the "worry" of putting additional money into a home she no longer occupies, and is ready to part with.

EZ's touches are all over this home. He added vinyl railings at the front entrance for hand support and to create a "porch" effect, before my father passed away. It made such a difference, and my parents loved it. He also replaced the side deck with composite, and added the white vinyl railings which gave my mom the "yellow house with a white picket fence look" she had always wanted. We snapped a few pictures of his last handyman repairs (replacing lightbulbs in the heat of the day!) just before it sold. Yes, that ladder position made me nervous!

 

To celebrate the end of the required "work" on the house in order to close, the three of us headed out to Texas Roadhouse for a delicious meal, courtesy of Mom.

Many thanks to Patti O'Reilly, our longtime friend and realtor, for all the time and effort she put in to selling this home, and for her sensitivity to the emotions my mom was experiencing as she went through this process. If you need a realtor, Patti is your girl! After the closing, she treated Mom to a wonderful celebratory lunch at a local crepe restaurant.

We have a new wreath adorning our front door, thanks to Patti. And now, on to the next chapter...whew!