The changes in my life over the last eight months have been huge. Now, it's time for another. Tomorrow, I list my house for sale. I have owned this house for 9.5 years. I like my home very much and I will be sad to leave it. I've no doubt that when the hour of departure comes I will cry. But I also know it's time for a change. Selling and buying a new place are part of the process of becoming John....leaving John and Gene behind.

I also have found a new home I very much like. It's about the same size as my current house, though because of the design it seems larger. It has 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. I'm meeting with my real estate agent tomorrow so we can put together an offer. The problem is, I haven't sold my old home yet, so the new offer will have to be contingent. Such an offer is never ideal, but I have to try. Trying a contingent offer doesn't cost me anything, and it just might work. The house I have my eye on has been on the market for more than 60 days and the seller recently dropped the price by 4%. Now is the time to strike. The price reduction put the home squarely within my financial reach.

The new house was built in 1995 and it's perfect for me. It's a narrow home, similar to a townhouse, but it stands alone sharing no common walls with neighbors. There is almost no front yard, but the back yard is larger - filled with a two level wood deck, a brick patio, a large planting bed full of shade tolerant plants, a large tree and a hot tub. Exactly what I want in a new place. Maintenance will be minimal, but there is plenty of room for doggy sniffing, puppy pooping, and outdoor BBQ dining.

Inside, the home is plain but highly functional. The design is very open. The main floor includes an open kitchen, dining area and living room. There is a gas fireplace and a large picture window that looks out on the back yard. There is also a walk-in pantry next to the kitchen! The stove is gas fired. A single car garage and a half bath complete the ground floor layout. On the second floor there are three bedrooms. There is also a full bath and a laundry closet large enough for a full size washer and dryer. The third floor is dedicated to the master suite, which looks very large especially because of the vaulted ceiling and the large arched window. A big bathroom is attached and includes a deep jetted tub, dual sinks, a separate shower, and a private water closet. The adjacent walk-in closet has wire shelving.

On the down side, this particular house has nothing extraordinary. The counters are simple laminate - not granite. There are no fancy fixtures or lighting.  The main floor includes wood flooring, but just plain carpeting on all other floors (I've learned to hate carpeting after cleaning up dog pee and vomit over the last 10 years!) But knowing what is available in my price range, I don't think I could hope for more, and those things which aren't refined or fancy can be made so over time. Finally, the fact that this new place is located within 2 blocks of stores and restaurants in the Greenwood neighborhood leads me to believe I have found a good match.

Wish me luck. Nothing in real estate is ever guaranteed. I will hope for the best. By the end of the week I should know a lot more.

I am doing well, unless you consider the horrible muscle spasms I have had in the center of my back for the last couple weeks.

The pain takes my breath away sometimes. But fear not! I have been to my doctor and he has prescribed the appropriate chemicals, along with an x-ray and physical therapy. I'm taking a couple days off work too. I'm not too worried.

I have been dogged by this problem since I turned 40, and it usually recurs around the time of my birthday ever since. I can only suppose that as the school year winds down, the stress level picks up and thus, tension brings on pain in my back. I am told by both my physical therapist and my doctor that it's likely I have a joint problem around my 10th vertebrae where my ribs connect with my backbone. It seems the connection isn't limber enough. Stress brings more muscle tension and less flexibility. Then a nerve gets pinched which causes muscle spasms in order to protect my spine. It's the spasms that actually hurt.

Otherwise, things are moving forward on all fronts. I had a meeting with my real estate agent last week. We are just a few weeks from listing the house for sale. Next week I will be meeting with my mortgage broker. I've already sent in most of my documentation for loan pre-approval. Once the house is on the market, we shall see how things proceed.

Locally, prices are down 6.5% in the last 18 months. However, that figure is dependent on the local neighborhood. I understand my locale has been slightly less impacted. If I must face the full decline, we are probably talking about a loss in value equivalent to 50K. That's nothing to sneeze at. Yet I keep telling myself that also means the new property I buy will also have a reduced price compared to 18 months ago. I have my limits, and moving forward on a sale is not a requirement - it's just a desire. I can always pull my house off the market and stay with the familiar surroundings, as well as the familiar obligations. I'm lucky in that I don't have to do anything I don't want to.

Recently I completed the sad task of cleaning out Gene's clothing. I finished emptying the drawers and closet. Some items I threw into the garbage, but many were donated to the Lifelong AIDS Alliance thrift store. I accomplished the task alone, which will probably assure my banishment to the dog house as far as my therapist is concerned. The first time I tried to clean out his clothing, it was so emotionally exhausting I had to stop after 15 minutes work. But this time it was much easier. Time does help healing.

I also have news of another summer trip planned now.  As mentioned in the past, I will be cruising on the Queen Mary 2 with Mom out of NYC. But the second trip is one I don't have to pay for. A week ago I volunteered to take on the training of two schools for a new part of the curriculum. It includes the integration of chess with the math curriculum for 2nd and 3rd grades. Lucky for me, the training takes place on a Caribbean cruise this coming August! I will get to try a four night Carnival Cruise Line voyage out of Miami. Such a trip is almost unheard of for teachers, but the foundation that is funding the training vows it is acutally less expensive than putting us up in a mainstream hotel and paying for all our meals. I have no doubt that is the case. They will be paying for my airfare as well. So, as you can see, I have a busy summer ahead of me with multiple trips and trying to sell my house.

For now I will try and relax, take care of my back, and enjoy my 43rd birthday in Chicago with Marcus.