I woke up at 8:00am again this morning. I felt a lot better than I have the last two days. I spoke to Eric and started my day. I knew I had a lot to get done today. I continued packing, cleaning, and did a load of laundry.
When I passed his apartment, I mentioned to the building manager that he had never done the final inspection, so he came over to do that. He mentioned how clean and spotless the place was, even though it was cluttered with boxes and packing materials. I told him that I didn’t even really need to do a deep cleaning, because I always keep up with it, and since I had company in the last couple of months, I was very much on top of things.
He said that I could save about $100 by cleaning the apartment myself, instead of them bringing in a cleaning service. He said he thought the apartment was clean enough, but there was a list of items that needed to be cleaned and he went back to his apartment, printed it out, and brought it over.
After he left, I took a look at it and then promptly called him. I told him that I was leaving TOMORROW, and wouldn’t have time to, “dust the ceilings, wash the baseboards, remove wax from the kitchen floor (I’ve never waxed the floor, so I’m assuming there is none), and wash the windows – inside and out. I told him I’m clean, but I haven’t gone THAT far and I’m certainly not doing it today and I’m leaving tomorrow! I don’t think ANY tenant washes the baseboards before they move out, do they?
Anyway, I COULD complain, because it was his responsibility to do the final inspection and perhaps if he HAD told me all the things that needed to be done, maybe I would have at least tried (but I doubt it – I’ve been pretty busy). I guess I’ll just leave it alone and let them deduct the $100 from my security. Meanwhile, the thing that got me the most on the list was the note: Do NOT fill in holes in walls. I went around and spackled ALL the holes except for a few that I couldn’t reach. What’s up with THAT? I thought I was doing a great thing. I guess people do a bad job (hope I didn’t!), so they’d rather not have you do it at all.
I got a call from the body shop in El Monte, CA. The guy is SO nice. He told me the final tally on my damage was $5,200, so I was pretty darn close. It's amazing how such a small accident can add up to so much, but -- again -- it was just the way I hit the Yukon. Anyway, I'm sure they're going to either raise our rates or drop us, because in two months I've managed to become their worst customer!
At about 3:00pm I went out to return the rental. First, I drove through STARBUCKS and said goodbye to my “crew.” One of the girls had told me that she was trying to think of a “trophy” to give me, and they gave me a venti cup with cute stuff written all over it. I packed it and will display it proudly! They also gave me my final drink free, but I gave them a $3.00 tip, so it just about evened out!
After that, I went across the street and drove through DEL TACO for the second and last time, because I was starving. I got a spicy jack cheese quesadilla and then drove to the post office. I had asked to have my mail stopped on the 8th, so of course I had mail delivered yesterday AND today. I called the post office yesterday and they told me my forwarding request had not yet gone through (so efficient!), but they would have my mail held at the post office until the forwarding started.
When I went in today the woman was SO annoyed with the mail carrier, because she checked into it and said that a HOLD was already requested for my mail and she couldn’t understand why it was delivered today. There was only one piece -- coupons from COSTCO, so it was no big deal, but I still don't want anything delivered. I’ll still be here tomorrow when the mail is delivered and if I have any I have to call the supervisor. It’s ridiculous, because I can’t ask the building manager to forward my mail to me if they keep delivering it, and I don’t want to miss anything important. The post office here has just not been up to par, I can tell you that!
Next I drove to Pacific Beach and went down by the water. PB was the first area that Eric I enjoyed when we came to San Diego, because the two RV campgrounds that we stayed at were both located there. We loved all the great little restaurants, and the cool shops on Garnet and Grand.
I reminisced about our life here in San Diego. I will never forget the time here and will cherish the memories. This has been such a difficult year for us both, and I think it was the hardest of our lives, but for me it was worth it. I am so grateful that I got to live here, and especially that I got to spend two winters here. This was another dream fulfilled, and I feel very lucky.
After looking for the last time at the Pacific Ocean I drove back to Clairemont and drove through some of the canyons, so I could see those views for the last time, too. Then, I went down to Mission Bay. Finally, I drove to ENTERPRISE and returned the car.
The young man who drove me home was so adorable. I told him that the reason I was moving back to NY was that Eric couldn’t find a job and didn’t like it here and got depressed. I told him that he was now back in NY and had been working steadily and was much happier.
He started telling me that when he graduated college last year he started looking for a job and he was really frustrated and he started to doubt himself, and he got very down, and was unhappy. He finally got the job with Enterprise and said, for now, he was very happy there. He said that he could see how hard it would be for someone who just moved here, and couldn’t find work and he felt bad.
When I got back I just did more stuff around the apartment and then decided to walk over to KEIL’S for the last time with my little cart and buy some food so I could have a little goodbye party for myself tonight.
I got a six-piece sushi, some fancy potato chips, an Arizona Iced Tea, some cheese, and a tiny single portion of Hagen Dazs DULCE DE LECHE. When I told Eric he laughed, because I told him I was having my own little party. I really enjoyed it, too!
I watched two episodes of PRETTY WICKED, a new reality TV show that is very much like TRUE BEAUTY. They got together about 10 vapid, spoiled, bratty, princesses who think the world revolves around them. Just like TRUE BEAUTY, they also thought it was some kind of beauty contest, but it turns out that the winner (who will receive $50,000) has to show the most change in personality and actually become a human being. It’s pretty amusing!
I watched HELL’S KITCHEN, and then started watching some other shows I had previously recorded. I knew I was going to return the DVR tomorrow afternoon, so this was my last chance to watch whatever I could.
As I was watching TV I started packing. When I went into my closet I realized that I never packed my skirts. I think the story was that I wanted to weed through them first and get rid of a bunch that I never wear, but instead I just filled up a bin with all of them and packed it with the rest of the stuff. I would have brought some of the skirts to the garage sale and sold them with the rest of the clothes, but I just plain forgot. They were on the other side of the closet, which is closed most of the time (there are sliding mirrored doors), so I didn’t see them!
I started packing my two suitcases. The small pink carry-on will have all my important stuff – Betty (my GPS), my camera, all my important papers, and anything else I want to keep close at hand.
All my make-up, toiletries and clothing will go in the bigger bag I’ll be checking. I have my black winter coat, which I’m hoping I won’t really need, but I didn’t pack it, so I guess I’ll drag it back to NY. So, I’ll be carrying my big suitcase (which is on wheels), my pink carry-on (also on wheels), my purse, my coat, and Conrad in his little cage. I have a long strap for my purse so I won’t have to worry about carrying that, and I can drape my coat on my carry-on. I will check the big bag immediately and will just need to carry my purse over my shoulder, Conrad and the pink carry-on to the plane. Poor Conrad. I’m anticipating that he will get tossed around a little as I’m carrying him around, but what can you do?
Here's a little story I've been meaning to tell: Do you remember the part in the classic book TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD where Boo Radley keeps leaving little presents for the kids in a hole in a tree trunk? If you don’t remember, or you never read that book (or saw that movie) – get it out of the library or rent the movie today. It’s one of the best books in the world (one of my all-time favorites) and the movie is, too!
Anyway, I’ve become the Boo Radley of Clairemont Drive. Last year I blogged about Tess, who is the young girl (about 12) who lives next door to me. She lives with her mom, whose name I can’t even remember. She’s not very friendly. Tess, on the other hand, was a little angel. The only time we ever really talked was when we swam in the pool together. She was so sweet and so friendly and I just fell in love with her. I thought I’d get to have a friendship with this sweet young girl and thought about how great it would be to teach her decoupage, or talk to her about collecting.
Unfortunately, her mom was so cold that I never felt comfortable forging a friendship, and I never did. Now, I’m leaving, and it still makes me sad, because every time I see her she is so friendly and sweet and her face lights up. Her mom says hello, too, but she hardly makes eye contact.
They have a table on the balcony in front of their door with lots of pots of plants on it. I saw that someone (I assumed it was Tess) was collecting white stones – smooth stones, like you’d find at the beach. There were also some seashells. One day, as I walked by, I stopped and took the stones, which were just lined up, and arranged them with the shells in a decorative arrangement on the table. I don’t know why, but I was just feeling mischievous.
The next day, the shells were back the way they were before. I arranged them again, this time in a different way. They stayed that way for a few days, and then were back the way they were. Two days ago I was packing and came upon a little candy dispenser that looked like a can of soda. It had been one of the toys Ilene gave to the kids at Evan’s Bar Mitzvah, and I loved it so much, because I’ve always loved anything that is a tiny version of something big. I decided it wasn’t something I had to bring back to NY, and I thought it would be fun to leave it on the table for Tess.
As I walked by to run some errands, I just left it there. The next day, when I went out, it was gone. I decided to continue leaving gifts. I had no idea if she knew where they were coming from, but I kind of figured she knew. Yesterday I left a Tasmanian Devil PEZ dispenser that Eric and I had purchased at the Pez Museum in Northern California. I knew he couldn’t care less and would never miss it (I did keep my Yosemite Sam dispenser!!!!).
Next, I left a little purple purse made from an Asian inspired fabric. Yesterday, I left a small black plastic Cocker Spaniel that my friend, Carole, gave me years ago. I don’t think Carole would mind!
I figure when the gifts stop she’ll figure out it was me. Every day when I walk by I see that the gift I left is gone, so she must be keeping them and I’m sure she’s enjoying them, too. I don’t know why I do these things. It just makes life more interesting, don’t you think?
I don’t know if I’ll get a chance to blog tomorrow night. I may have time after the movers leave, and I’ll be sitting on the floor in an empty apartment. If I don’t, I will fill you in on my move as soon as I can. Wish me luck!