Time Flies...

When you're packing up (and throwing out) 40+ years' worth of stuff and memories. My mother was a "keeper" and I have dutifully followed in her footsteps. Every scrap of paper I saved, every child's toy, every Sunday church bulletin ... every single item in my house, garage, and closets has evoked a powerful memory. And smiles and tears. The saddest thing is, I'm the only one who treasures these memories. My family just sees "stuff". Stuff that has no reason to exist except to take up space.

Since I posted last I have emptied out the garage (98%, anyway), four closets, and both kids' bedrooms. I've saved some things, but I've thrown away a whole lot more. I've taken photos of a lot of things and then cried bitterly as I tossed them into the dumpster that we rented. I've done this by myself because it was something I needed to do. I don't ever want to be able to accuse anyone of throwing away my things. It needed to be my doing, and I needed to have some closure when I did it.

I have miles to go before we move in two weeks, but it will be done. It has to be.

Moooving right along!

In five weeks I will be retired from directing a church choir. Sad, bittersweet as I wrap things up, but we have exciting new adventures ahead! Once our house sells (we listed it 5 days ago) we will be picking up stakes and heading for the rolling hills and country charm of Tennessee, just south of Nashville. We will be empty nesters, as our soon-to-be 18 year old daughter is refusing to go with us, but instead we are taking my husband's mother. She will be 81 in October and is tired of being lonely in her senior living facility.

So, adventures await us! Hubby will still be working, but he works from home and can go anywhere there is a wi-fi signal, so I'm looking forward to farmer's markets, pumpkins on my porch in October, and a simpler life style than Miami has afforded of late. I'm also looking forward to having a totally new area of the country to explore.

We visited in February and on the first morning we were there it was 19F and I loved it! Much balmier than the time we spent in Illinois as newlyweds, when some days the wind chill was -40F. We will get to play grandma and grandpa to our two grandchildren in the Atlanta area, and can't wait! Our Miami son and his wife are expecting their first baby (a boy) in September and we will most likely not be here for that but I know that we will visit as soon as we can, and that the other grandma and grandpa are ready to step in and be just wonderful to him.

"Tales From the Sunny South" will remain just that, so stay tuned for more adventures as we mooove into the next phase of our lives.