Today was moving day for Twin 2, who has been living in the multi-family building next door.
How we came to live next door to each other began when I retired while living in that part of the Inland Empire known as Ontario. There was a very bad dysfunctional family situation going on which necessitated my relocating to Long Beach so granddaughter wouldn’t end up homeless.
Things did not work out. It became a situation where I had to Let Go and Let God; so, after a year of wasting my time, energy, money; I applied for and got a unit here in the senior building next to the multi-family building, moved back to the Inland Empire.
Twin 2 was living in Murietta at the time but eventually got a job in the leasing office of the multi-family building, a unit came with the job.
When she later transferred to the main office of the leasing company in Murietta, she remained living in the multi-family building — travelling an hour or so, depending on traffic, back and forth from working in Murietta, living in San Bernardino.
During this time, her estranged partner was living in the condo, passed away, left Twin 2 everything; whereupon Twin 2 rented the condo out to a relative of her partner.
Big mistake.
The condo renter having not worked out — caused significant damage, Twin 2 now winding down with a disability retirement due to her knees and other physical ailments, she decided to move back to the condo in Murietta.
As the condo was pretty much trashed (appliances, cabinets, flooring, water damage, the whole 9 yards) after a lawsuit got the renter out, it’s taken a little over 2 years for Twin 2 to have contractors strip and redo everything. Plus, it took time because Twin 2 is bougie (she didn’t get it from me) and very particular about the cabinets, flooring, appliances, lighting she had installed and in how she’s decorated the condo.
Once everything was in place, including the room for her fur babies, she packed everything up and called in the movers.
I got up early and drove over to give her a hug before she left the area, which made for an emotional day for me.
One of her neighbors has a fun sense of humor.
Murietta is only an hour or so away, but her moving felt like I was losing my last baby girl.
It made me feel better to know she has good friends from her job that live in the Murietta area, plan to stay in contact; and condo neighbors she’s reacquainted with while checking on progress of the condo work.
One work friend, bless her heart, even took the day off to help Twin 2 with the move, said they’re already planning BBQs and to party party party at the condo. Champagne was mentioned, LOL.
I’m happy Twin 2 will now be in an area where she can have more of a social life, but all these life changes are hard for me to swallow.
Another change — not a life change but one worth mentioning is …… Remember when I posted that video where I captured a hummingbird pollinating the Bird of Paradise area on the complex?
Well, this is how the area looked in January.
This is how it looks now.
Bye bye birdies, but WHY? Just WHY?
Had I'd come across the crime in progress, I’d have asked for some of those birdies, tried to repot/regrow on the patio.
Wow, your daughter has a real kitty Disneyland now!
ReplyDeleteand How, LOL.
DeleteHopefully being an hour away will not be an insurmountable distance to still keep easily in touch. And yowza, it looks like Twin 2's fur baby cats are bougie too, LOL -- what an amazing room she's made for them!
ReplyDelete🤣I hadn't thought of that, but you're right about the cats being bougie. Spoiled rotten with their own room and every accoutrement imaginable.
DeleteI'm sad to see the Birds of Paradise disappear. Why would they do that!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry Twin 2 is moving further away. It sounds like she had a time with that condo! It sounds like she does have a good support system with friends. But change is hard.
She'll be happier, more social now, which probably means her physical ailments will get better; maybe disappear entirely.
DeleteI want to be one of Twin 2’s cats! Happy for Twin 2. Sorry for you. I hope the change does her good. I absolutely love her T-shirt!
ReplyDeleteShe inherited bougie from her dad, inherited wordy t-shirts from me, LOL.
DeleteOuch! Drats! But an hour away is a very nice distance: not too far, not so close that you know everything she does. Glad she could get her spot refurbished.
ReplyDeleteIf I recall, those birdies start fading after they open up and spread out. Looking at the leaves in your before and after pics, they're healthier with nicer leaves. Some flowers need to be cut off to help the plant focus on roots and new flowers the next bloom. You can usually find them in grocery store floral sections. Buy a few stems and big leaves for your kitchen. See what they do! I just can't picture you in cold Ontario. Linda in Kansas
The Ontario where I lived is a neighboring city, about 45 minutes away, not Ontario like in cold Canada. The complex did not have the spacious grounds, pool, spa like here, but it was close to work, shopping malls, the arena, convention center, etc. This complex isn't close to anything, but I like it better here because of the open-air structure, and spacious grounds.
DeleteWhy not offer the residents some of the plants they are removing; it'll save the plants and the resident might love having the plants on their patios!
ReplyDeleteAnd that cat room Twin 2 had? If I was a cat I would be in heaven!!!
And hopefully you and Twin 2 will be able to visit from time to time.
"Why not offer the residents some of the plants they are removing" ... because they are not the most considerate management team, can't think that way. I don't know if it's related to the birdies, but one resident got so upset with the landscapers that she or he threatened to call ICE. Not right. Not something any of us would have appreciated. Manager, in telling us of the incident, did not say who the resident was, only that the landscapers left the premises, threatened not to service this property in the future. I asked Manager what was done to the resident (should have been evicted for harassment) but she just said, "got into a lot of trouble". Again, I don't know if this is related to removal of the Birds of Paradise, but maybe.
DeleteI second the cat Disneyland being awesome....and it probably saves the rest of a house from getting damaged by cat antics.
ReplyDeleteShe'll probably allow them to roam free, so cat antics in other rooms are likely.
DeleteThat is hard timing for you but it will be exciting to see your daughter thrive again- and I am sure that she will. However many cats does she have? They are getting a wonderful place to live! JanF
ReplyDeleteTwo 😺😺 so far. She refers to them as her kids. I'm grandma.
DeleteI know it has to be hard to have her move but at least it's within a reasonable drive. She has some lucky cats!
ReplyDeleteLucky they are 😺
DeleteOh gosh. When it rains it pours. I am sorry Twin 2 is moving just now so close in time to all that has happened..... Her place does look lovely though. Bougie. I had to look that one up....I think we used to use the word "yuppie" back in the day. LOL.... Roberta
ReplyDeleteI think you're right about "yuppie" and "bougie", LOL.
DeleteThis mom who has to endure a five hour plane trip to visit children would gladly take your one hour drive.
ReplyDeletePoint taken. I'm lucky.
DeleteIt is indeed bittersweet when Loved Ones move on to something good for them but we feel like we won't get to see them as often, if ever. Big transition. And I'm sure it's a Relief for your Daughter to get that Condo Renovation done and out of the way, it's a shame the Renters trashed it, this is why I won't be a Landlord and Sold my Historic Property rather than risking Renting it out like the Current Owner of it presently does. He's had a lot of bad Tenants already who've caused damage and Stolen from him and getting someone Evicted is a Process for sure and can be expensive. I ran Foreclosures for major Lenders and even getting Squatters out was an Ordeal and we had the best Attorneys at our disposal and did it all the time after a Foreclosure of Real Estate.
ReplyDeleteThis move hit me a little hard because, like commenter Roberta said, it came so close to all that's happened; it just felt like another loss. I guess Twin 2 is lucky the lawsuit scared the renter out because I've read so many stories of squatters taking over properties, causing the owners financial difficulties in having to foot the bill with no recourse while someone is living there rent free.
DeleteI have two elderly grandcats. They love me. When I walk in, I say "Granny's here," and they know i'll give them little kitty treats FIRST, and they accept some snuggles that way. One is a fancy Abysynian, which is supposed to act like a dog. Nope. The other is a fluffy kitty that came to the shelter my vet son works at, with it's front arm stuck in it's too-tight collar. He sewed up the injury and brought it home. It's repaired fur doesn't match exactly over it's shoulder blade, so it looks like it might have a little angel wing sprouting. Take some little kitty treats; you'll get to visit twin 2 more often! Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteA funny memory popped into my head that, when Twin 2 was a toddler, she was deathly afraid of cats. I'd seen a tiny little kitty huddled up by the outdoor trash dumpster, taken it inside to care for. Twin 2 tolerated it being in the apartment but kept her distance. When the kitty (I can't remember the name I gave it) but when the kitty went from crawling around, room to room, on the carpet to leaping onto furniture, I figured there'd be a problem. Sure enough, Twin 2 was sitting on the couch, the kitty wanted to get friendly, leaped onto the couch and Twin 2 lost her mind. I had to rehome the kitty. I can still see the panic on Twin 2's face, the screaming, jumping up, running. 🤣🤣
DeleteWell darn. The changes keep coming. Even though it sounds like a fun move for Twin #2, I know it was nice for you knowing she lived close. I laughed at the cat room. I'm more a dog person but it was so cute I almost want one.
ReplyDeleteThe change wasn't just hard for me, the cats were overwhelmed, huddled in corner and cried all night until she went to the room, slept with them.
DeleteI will never understand why they cut the plants like that. They trim the trees back so much here too. Lots of changes for you and I know it's not easy.
ReplyDeleteI can't understand it either. As for changes ... they're exhausting.
DeleteBittersweet change for you. Good of you to look on the bright side for Twin 2.
ReplyDeleteThat room looks like furbaby heaven.
Her cat owner neighbors are gonna want their babies to come over for a play date.
Delete