A bad fall.

For the past few weeks, I have been so enamoured with my packing and cleaning out that I find it so depressing. Working alone, it took me two weeks to clear my store room, full of stuff accumulated over the last thirty years. Taking a break after I cooked and ate my dinner, I have decided to do a short posting on my blog.

Nursing a painful shoulder, neck and back of my head, I had a bad fall last Tuesday. Climbed on top of the ladder over the cupboard, I picked up a fairly big box. Balanced on my right hand, it started to sway to the left and was about to topple over, when I tried to catch it with my left hand. I suddenly realised that both my hands were off the ladder, and I was about to fall. I tried to descent very quickly but missed my step. I fell backwards and landed heavily on the floor bashing my head on the wall. I was in pain and for several minutes, could not move. Then slowly I began to move my fingers, then my toes and with some effort, my arms. The pain became numb as I moved to sit up. Eventually I managed to get up. Fortunately there was no bleeding or injuries except for the pain. For the past few days, the pain has bothered me. When I brushed my hair, the bristles were very painful on my scalp. Although I still feel the pain now after three days, it is not so intense. What a horrible experience!

I read in the newspaper classified of this guy who wanted to buy old records. I called him and he promptly came to my place riding a bicycle. The 60 year old guy was like a little boy in a candy shop, when he poured through my old records. He finally took the whole lot including a lot of my LD's. He wandered round my place looking for things to buy. He finally paid me $210 for the whole lot including my old run down small tv monitor. Strapping the loot on his bicycle, he paddled off and made a second trip later in the hot afternoon. I am glad that he took the lot because I was in a delima as to what to do with my old records, since my turn table has not worked for a long time.

As I also wanted to sell my Rosewood bar and writing desk, I called someone who had advertised looking for such items. I had earlier posted the advertisement on the internet, but did not receive any single call. The guy came with his wife. He was not sure if he could find a buyer for my bar but decided to buy my writing desk. Walking around my place like a hungry animal, he was interested in many of my things. He eventually also picked up all my first day covers, a steel rack in the kitchen and a lot of my 'trash' for $300. Both he and his wife are rather plumb, and I find them rather amusing. They will be returning to collect the writing desk, which he said he was buying for his son.

This morning, my neighbour came and bought my Rosewood bar. We have been neighbours for thirty years and I must commend them as being excellent neighbours. We have never had any differences and have complemented each other. Iwill miss them.

I have never realised how much magic stuff I have at home. This is the result of over forty years of buying magic items all over the world. Last year, I had sold 7 boxes of my magic apparatus to the US for US$12k. Since I have retired from my magic hobby, I called four of my magic friends to come and help themselves to my stuff and books for free. They had to do it in two sessions and went home laden with all the goodies. I am glad there were four very happy people today, who went home with bags and boxes filling up the their cars.

Also today, I sold my old Sony video camera to a friend for $300. I had wanted to give it to them for free, but they insisted they wanted to pay for it. So I offered them a token of $100. They came back with an offer for $300. So to cut a long story short, I accepted the offer.

My renovations are coming along despite the slight slippage. So they are working through the weekend to meet my move-in date.

As I look at the mess around the house, I also see some empty shelves and stacked up boxes. There will now be intense packing for the next week. As I look at the calender, I am awed at the time approaching for me to get out of this place which has been my home for the past thirty years. Sad? You bet. But life must go on as I see so many of my friends having moved on.

Till then....

"Oh my back and my hernia!"

I have been busy, busy, busy for the last few weeks. Keeping me on my toes, and nearly breaking my back, has been the packing for the house move. Thirty years of accumulation of stuff is no joke. I have been throwing away bags of trash. Besides my back, I am now feeling the ache of my hernia, which my surgeon only stitched up last year. I worked late last night, and decided to take a short break to write my blog - an excuse to sit down. Might end up in hospital again to stitch up my hernia.

Today, Saturday 2 August, also marks the last morning, I serve the altar at the 0700 Mass in church. Fr. JT has been the celebrant for the week. I have been doing this for the past 13 years, and had it not been the house move, I would have continued serving. Serving at the altar, has always been a spiritual achievement. It has given me a lot of peace and brought me closer with the Lord. After the Mass, when I reflect on what I have done, I am overcome by this spiritual feeling which I find it hard to describe. May the Lord forgive me for giving up my services.

In between my packing, I had many chores to catch up with. I was in SNEC for my eye check up. Fortunately everything went off well.

Trying to get my new residence telephone organised, I could not find a Hello Shop. So I called my faithful colleague, who was probably dozing off, for assistance. Sure enough, she found the website and directed me to the nearest one. Good to have friends in high places. It took me about five minutes to get my new telephone number. After that I found a ramen shop and sat down to a nice ramen for lunch, saying cheers to my ex-colleague.

The next day, two old friends sms me for lunch and we ended up in the same ramen shop. It was nice catching up with them and telling funny stories.

During my packing, I threw away a lot of junk which has lost its meaning in the passage of time. I came across some horror pictures of my wedding. That innocent and fine looking young man did not know what he was doing! Too late now.

I came across some funny stuff as well when I found my Fart Book. I must now look for my remote control fart devise. I also found some newspaper cutting of a couple who could not separate after making love. The ambulance had to carry the locked couple in a stretcher. Guess the ambulance came first before the man did.

It was also surprising that I found things (especially my magic stuff), that I had bought and forgotten about, still unopened.

I had posted an advertisement online trying to sell my rosewood bar and writing bureau. So I spent yesterday cleaning them out. I had so many bottles of liquor that I had forgotten about. Unfortunately most of them are now spoilt and not drinkable. So I opened them up and poured the lot into the kitchen sink. My kitchen smelled like a bar. My neighbours might have thought that I have been having a party. I now have the idea of pouring the rest into the toilet bowl. What will I think of next? So far no one has called, and I am sceptical about the response.

The fact that I still have my sense of humour helps me to retain my sanity, in spite of my worries and pain. My next target, the store room. May the Lord grant me strength.

So long....