Mark Twain

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do ...
Explore. Dream. Discover." Mark Twain

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Less than two weeks

Here we are on August 2 and our settlement is scheduled for August 12 - 10 days from now.  The moving company arrives on August 14.  The light at the end of the tunnel can also be a brick wall.

Ready or not - here we come!!

Packing seems never ending.  Empty boxes seem to disappear to be replaced with stacks of labeled and sealed boxes, and yet unpacked items still remain.  Some things just defy boxing - so a stack of things that must be moved without boxing is starting to grow.

In my mind, I see moving day as a time when everything gets carried out - leaving the townhouse totally empty except for a few cleaning supplies.   I suspect, however, this process will spill into the following week as I clean up the townhouse one final time for sale.  I would prefer a "clean" move ... a house that is full this day, empty the next ... but I wonder if I can pull that off.

How people move from one state to another in a single action I will never know.  I am moving across town.  I will still be in the area to vacate any last items ... but what if that wasn't an option.  Yikes.

In fact, I can't imagine how people move frequently.  Military families do this all the time.  I guess the effort needed to move is a good argument for not putting down "roots" in any one place.  My roots run very deep here.

Emotionally I continue to have my sad moments as I extract my self from this home.  I don't allow myself to dwell on it long because these emotions are counter productive to reaching my goal.  I have have honored this house in my heart for the last year.  Now it is time to move on.

But still ...

I drove by the new condo yesterday while I was out on other chores.  With every visit I am reminded why we decided this place was good.  Although it is located within hearing distance of a major road, it is also across the street from a property that has horses.  It is within 1/4 mile of a shopping center with a grocery store and other retail.  Walking distance!  It is part of an established neighborhood.
Reminding myself of the "why" and the "where" seemed important ... even if it was a decision that was beyond changing - at the 10 day mark!

And would I change my mind if that was an option?  No.  I would not change my mind.  My husband needs a safer environment.  I need less house (and stuff) in my own life, and we both will benefit from no steps.

In less than two weeks our home base will change.  The time is very close now.

4 comments:

Paula said...

I think those military people probably know better than to acquire a lot of possessions. We have so much in this house I think it will take a number of months to get it all down to deciding what to take and what to get rid of. I am glad you made this decision to take your time doing this. It is a grieving process, much like when you lost your mom, you just have to allow yourself time!

Dr. Kathy McCoy said...

Moving is so tough both physically and emotionally. I know a couple in their 50's who have moved seven times in the past four years!! Their second move was to a house two doors down from us. They have this moving thing down to a science. My husband and I were in the same house in California for 29 years before moving six years ago to Arizona. Even though the house here is much nicer and larger -- accommodating our many interests and also our need for our own individual space -- I occasionally miss our little home in L.A. I found myself getting teary when our next door neighbors here, during a vacation trip to L.A., drove by, took a picture and sent us a postcard of our old house. I've driven by it occasionally on my own trips to L.A. and have been happy to see that the new owners take wonderful care of it: it looks exactly the same as when we left it. So I think, especially when one isn't used to moving a lot, you always miss a part of an old home -- maybe the times of your life experienced there. But it sounds like you have some very good reasons for moving to the new condo and reasons, too, to be very happy with your choice!

Carolyn said...

Hope all goes well for you for the next ten days and beyond. Moving is so much work, and I can understand your feelings about your old home. It sounds like you are on track to moving into a great place!

Una said...

We have a saying here that the light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train! I DON'T believe it! You have made meticulous plans and thought long about where to move to. It can only be wonderful.