Our Last Sunday Evening in City House

Yesterday we got back to the city house and I helped my friend load an armoire I gave her, then we took a good 4 mile walk.  It was humid, but not terribly hot (upper 80's).  Friday we took, unloaded and organized last load until we move excess personal effects/clothes/sheets/towels/cleaning tools - literally what can't fit in hotel.  That won't be until July 13.  We are staying in the city the next 2 weekends.  We will keep 3rd vehicle (suburban) in city parked at hotel, which will be handy because it will act as our rolling storage unit for few more weeks.  Then we will move it south and park it in DH workshop - we already made the room for it.  For Aug and Sept, we will just have our personal commuter cars in the city.  But anyway, back to Friday in the country...it wasn't the biggest load, nor the hottest day we have worked in, but I got dizzy and nauseous and about passed out.  So DH made me sit in AC house and drink some water.  It only lasted a short time and I was fine.  I think I just did not drink enough water Friday.
Ate a small dinner Friday down at retirement country and got to visit with BIL.  He had been working a job keeping him away afternoons till 11pm, well, he ended up leaving there and thinks he has another corp gig lined up late july or early aug.  He and SIL had sold their 3rd veh and are considering selling their cattle (usu keep about 15 - 20 to let them focus on their downsize).  He will spend few weeks attacking jobs at his late mother's residence to be able to finish that house and get the prop on the market.  His sister and her husband drives 6 hours one way each weekend, versus BIL 3 hours one way to work on this property. 
When DH and I got back to city and walked into CH Sunday, we could see that the woman we hired to clean had done a great job and my friends who came and got sev pieces of furniture had not left a trace of dirt or dust, so we were pleased.  I cleaned out laundry cabinet, kitchen drawers and weekend the area behind my house/patio area.  I weeked front area last week.  We had a large brunch on the way home for DH birthday, so we just sat in our lawn chairs in our living room and drank our healthy smoothies for dinner!  It was sort of fun.  Our 2 dogs are like what is going on?!  Where is our furniture?!
Today is the last Monday we will commute from our CH.  The picture is of a rain shower we enjoyed from our view last week.  Tonight I will finish packing my clothes and wipe out master bath vanity and do one more load of laundry.  I will take one more walk if weather permits on my lovely route i will miss so much.  DH brother coming over to get a gifted briefcase and our FSBO house sign for when he sells his house later this month or next.  DH sister and his brother are all about same age as DH and all working toward downsizing and getting more nimble for retirement.  I have inspired sev friends and family members to purge.  I will never stop purging after seeing people deal with estates after the fact.  I have no children to help me.  Have a wonderful day!  Here in the Midwest, we are enjoying some mild overcast weather today.

I Survived...

I survived A to Z challenge.   
I didn't do all the links/photos.  I mainly just wanted to see if I could find content to post everyday and I did.  So, I will keep going. 
Soon I will be saying we survived selling our house and moving!  This is a momentous year and even if I stop after this year, it will be a time capsule for a big year of change.  Downsizing and uncluttering, selling a house, rightsizing our stuff/activity/lifestyle, moving from city to country in diff state, retiring...
So I got my continuing ed finished for my prof license Thursday thru Saturday.   We took our dogs and went to RH after my DH had minor surgery wed.  I only worked 20 paid hours this past week.  Then wed night I framed some art and hung it, and I and spent the rest of Wed evening unpacking my truck.  Mostly clothes and racks for storage in the garage.  I also hung some glass crystals to jazz up an old light fixture. 
Thursday I visited with my in laws after my seminar and completed the chandelier for our entry way.  Friday I lunched with my sister after my seminar and then worked on my attic storage and painted 2 lamps.  I also hung 2 towel racks...so master bath is finished for RH.  I was so tired I went to bed at 7.30!  My seminar is an hour and a half drive from RH.  So, last half day was Sat, then I ran home and got the dogs and drove another 4 hours back to CH and put 2nd coat of stain on CH deck.  Whew.  I did not get to the leaves---was too wet.  I will do that late May. 
My husband and I - I think we are still just in shock that our house is under contract and we have a more definite timeline to make everything feel real.  The big stuff we are keeping/moving is almost all at RH, we just have a tool box and motorcycle jack/stand and misc pers effects (kitchen/bath/clothes) to move.  We figure 3 or 4 more trips with our SUV and one trip with our trailer for the bikes.  Can't believe it!

Downsizing the Family Home

I just read this book by Marni Jameson.  I really liked it.  Thought it had some good ideas in it.  I like that she shares her personal experience with her parents/her childhood home as well as her own personal downsize and move.  She also has many experts weigh in.

She wraps up her experiences by calling it downsizing up "...living better because you have freed yourself of excess".  I have come to think of it as "rightsizing".  Plus it sounds nicer than Swedish Death Cleaning.  Haha

HNY!

This is a special year for me.  This year my DGM made it through an illness and hospital stay just after her 98th bday.  I turned 50 this year and my DH is retiring next year, making 2017 our last full year (& last winter) in this city/state.  We celebrated our 10 year amniversary and 10 years in this house.  It has been awesome, we love our house.  However, we are ready to downsize.

In 2018, i am going to try to stop saying downsize and say rightsize.  I am not into making resolutions to feel bad about not keeping, but I am into sharpening and focusing my intentions.  There is a lot of power into writing down our goals. 

My word next year is "abide".  As we move toward a huge life transition, I want to abide in the present.  I also want to abide in whatever I experience, not tune out with distractions.  But most of all, I have been learning in church to "abide" with Christ in my daily life.

I hope you feel joy and hope as you abide in 2018!  Thank you for stopping by.

Sunday Drive Day

This post is from sunday, but i had to delete start over, still cannot do photos

Well, we got 4 of the 6 projects finished at RH this weekend.  I will try to post a photo.  Every trip down we load as much as we can which involves unloading and organizing so we can fit more next trip.  But, its all good. 

Got sheets and towels clean for girls weekend in 2 weeks.  Got an old light taken down.  DH got lawnmower tire fixed.  We have a person we pay now, but never know when that could fall through.  He also patched a hole in porch ceiling and used spray foam master closet where I suspect spider enter (ewww).

I cleaned weeds out of 2 raised planters and rescattered existing flower bulbs, plus transplanted my peonies.  One of the planters was full of rocks, I moved those too.  My sister (D3) came and visited while I worked.  She got some peonie bulbs, some wild onions and some cypress vine seeds.  We told her to watch where you put cypress vibe, cause it will never go away once it starts!

We got to share couple dinners with my dear in laws, but SIL and BIL were away dealing with BIL mom's estate.  She passed this summer with a house so full of stuff, you could barely walk through it.  Literally a path.  Plus, she had barely a spot cleared on her bed large enough for her to sleep.  Between these stories and seeing my Aunt's (PA) place, i vow to give my stuff away while I am alive so I dont leave a mess like that to my loved ones.  We have no children (thats another post).  But I wouldnt want to put that on anyone.  My DGM (grandmother) has been great about this, every step of the way deciding she can no longer drive, downsizing from house to apt, moving from apt to indep living, etc.  She is my role model in aging (and many other things!)

So. I will continue as long ad i am alive to be aware and organized, and hopefully proactive. 

My MIL always cuts out articles on local history.  This time it was about a local lake and how a wealthy businessman from Chicago had arrived and built a resort.  The resort eventually flooded to create a lake.  My DH and I enjoy reading about history.  We enjoy her thought that we might enjoy reading something.  I wonder if hoarding is a newer phenomenon.  I suspect it is.  Maybe because stuff is so much more readily available.  I wonder about this, that is the type of dialoge in my head.  At least when I drive 4 hours home, my mind isnt doing such random thoughts.  If you have to work tomorrow, like me, have a great Monday.  We dont get Columbus Day if thus year at my firm.  But I am mighty grateful for the income.