I Can Do This
I’m writing this on Fat Tuesday–we’ve been running moving-type errands today, getting ready for the movers to come tomorrow to pick up what Fred, our mover, (he rocks!) calls “the declutter load.” We’ve emptied closets, packed box after box, bin after bin, taken down photographs, and packed away tchotchkes and beloved knickknacks in an attempt to depersonalize our home in preparation for staging it and putting it up for sale.
It’s been…freeing in many ways but also bittersweet, and I’ve discovered that there is no way to neutralize this house. It’s been too lived in, too loved in. Our rooms are cozy and warm and inviting, so I’m counting on that vibe to sell this place. The yard is huge and the trees provide shade for us and sanctuary for the critters who’ve made their homes in our woods–deer, groundhogs, raccoons, foxes, and birds.
We heard our owl the other night, and we wondered together whether we’d hear owls in our new home, wherever that may be. We’re hoping for some good-sized trees in a much smaller yard along with a smaller house all on one level. I’ll miss my little garret at the back of the upstairs, but a new sunny office will be lovely, too.
Husband will miss mowing on his lawn tractor, but a smaller yard means less upkeep, less work. and maybe a chance for a couple of tomato and pepper plants. We couldn’t keep a garden here because the critters think we planted it for their feasting pleasure. Over the years, we tried everything to discourage them, including an electric fence, but when a squirrel bit the wire and electrocuted himself a few years back, we gave it up and decided to buy our fresh veggies at the farmer’s market or get them from dear brother-in-law, who has a bodacious garden in his backyard.
So, we’re getting there and some of the huge tasks that seemed insurmountable just two months ago are done–new shutters are hung, the old boat is on its way to boat heaven, the brush out front is cut, and the purging is nearly complete. We don’t know yet where we’ll end up, but there’s more pleasure now in the idea of moving and that’s a good thing.
As always, mes amies, remember to hold your face to the sun, be grateful for all things, and love well.