November 1, 2010. Chevy Chase, Md. Home.

I have a very long 'to-do' list, now we are home at the apartment in Chevy Chase. We have decided to sell the apartment, probably in February or March, so we have lots to do. While in the car together on our long 281 trip, Ken and I talked out our options for the next ten years, and we decided it was foolish to keep the apartment any longer. Just the co-op fee itself is costly. What we will do is stay in hotel suites when we come in town to work. It will be cheaper. But before our apartment comes for sale we must make it ready for sale and stage it properly, which means getting rid of furniture and send some to the farm.

Our list includes hiring a cleaning service too. When we were away all summer I cancelled the service, thinking that we did not need to pay to clean an empty apartment. It actually was false economy because of the water overflow from the kitchen sink so it was a stupid thing to do. Ken will obtain four extra sets of keys, ready for the fix-up and the sale, and will buy book boxes to take some books with us when we drive to Mississippi for Thanksgiving.

The plan is to turn the lower level at the hill house into a multi-room space, for a television area, a desk and office space and an already existing workshop for Ken. I think it will work just fine. I will use the second floor closet for my clothes while Ken will use the guest bedroom and closet on the first floor. Now we must sort and organize and donate everything else. It will be fun, I am determined to say!!

Now we have three weeks in town to get it started.