I think I started an avalance

In addition to the high school reunion, I came home with the intention of helping to clear out our family home so that Dad would have the option of selling it sometime this year.

I scheduled Salvation Army to come and do a pickup. I called "College Hunks Hauling Junk" and they'll be here tomorrow. (I gotta admit, it's more fun when you're making a pile of musty old blankets and papers and you get to say, "This is for the hunks." And it's especially wonderful when your father says it!)

We've torn our way through the top floor, most of the kitchen, Dad's bedroom. I've started going through the kids books in the living room. I found our stash of Pogo books, our 1950's Barbies (very bad haircuts on those babes!). OTRsis instructed me to take photos of her stuffed animals and then go ahead and give them away. We've avoided the Basement of Doom, but must face it today.

One of my classmates is a developer here in the neighborhood. He and his wife have been looking for a single-family house on our street. Apparently, O street is THE street to live on in our neighborhood. The little trees that were planted when we were kids have grown into a flowering mass that makes our little block feel like an oasis in the city. They came through on Sunday to look around. Definitely interested, not in a rush.

I wasn't either. I thought maybe Dad might sell next year. The realtor came yesterday. She confirmed what I've been telling Dad: don't worry about fixing it up, just clear it out and clean it and it will sell well. Sure it's beat up, but whoever moves in here will already love old houses and will want to fix it up according to their tastes anyway.

Dad and the realtor chatted away. Then she pulled out a listing agreement, and he signed it! The house goes on the market a week from Sunday!!!

That's crazy talk. The house next door sold in 23 days. This one isn't as perfected as that one was, but it's a charming, quirky little house and should go quickly. It's actually freaking me out a little. One of my own charming, quirky characteristics is being comfortable thinking about any theory, but then being surprised by my emotions when theory becomes reality.

I'm not entirely clear what Dad's plans are at this point. The one he's talked about most is buying an empty loft and paying to have a condo built into it. It looks like he might make a fair amount of money on this house, so that's actally very realistic. The realtor thinks they can do well buying an empty space since no one is buying right now. She's on the hunt for a building with an elevator and a 1500 square foot space.

In the meantime, I've been plugging Seattle. Not because I don't want Dad to remain here where he's a bit of a celebrity (aka Character), but because I've learned the hard way that it's better to plan for the worst. Unfortunately, if something bad happens, nothing compares to family.