This year, Mr. M and I celebrate our 30th Anniversary. Or as we call it, 28 years with credit for time served since marriage is and institution and we were together for 2 years before committing it to law. As I was reading the list of traditional wedding anniversary gifts, for 30 the gift is pearl. Why is that ironic? It takes constant irritation of an oyster's mantle for 5 to 20 years to form a pearl of any value. Notice any correlations? Me neither.
At any rate, since I was researching I looked into the other traditional anniversary gifts. Only a few that I'll share. This is the link to the chart I'm using, if interested: https://www.eternityrose.com/anniversary-gifts-by-year
1 - paper, 2- cotton, 3-leather, 4-silk... The first 4 years' is a win/win. One spouse can get gifts covered in the lingerie department and both sides win.
5 - wood, 6 - iron... then we get into the heavy metals, which means kitchen wares for her and golf clubs for him. Otherwise known as stuff you could literally hurl at each other. Is there any wonder that most marriages tank in the first 7 years?
10 gets to diamonds - figuring after 10 years the original wedding band is worth an upgrade. Then we get into jewelry furs and watches. Value added investments, since you get one for being married to the job at retirement, why not at a decade of marital bliss.
16-20 revamps the table wear with silver and porcelain. 21-25 goes back into the heavy metals in case you need more battle implements. Pictures, sculpture and furniture round out to the end of the 2nd decade.
Then we get into the semiprecious stones and noticeably - this chart only goes to every 5 years because if you have survived marriage into the 35-60 range it's high time your kids start coughing up the goods and it better include tropical vacations and elaborate fetes.
At the end of our original wedding reception, we adjourned to our hotel and took a 2 hour nap, with no extra curricular activities. We awakened to discover we had no wallets, no money and our shoes and clothes were in another vehicle. So we drove to my grandmother's house, stopped to pick up our mail - found a wedding card with cash inside! Had quick drive through since neither of us ate at the reception. Arrived at my grandmother's famished, ate wedding cake and opened gifts. THEN we went back to the hotel to the previously interrupted extracurriculars...
We determined that if we had it to do over again, we'd keep it small and simple and catered by KFC. HENCE, for our 30th, we're only inviting 30 of our closest friends and family, keeping the BBQ theme and NO ONE is wearing hose or bow ties... period.
This time we're using any funds to replace our aging freezer. Where's that one the traditional gift list? Nowhere for good reason. That kind of gift is sure to get a spouse whacked and PUT in said freezer.
It promised to be a grand time... and here are the then and now photos...
Sunday, March 1, 2020
Social media fasting
Lent started last week. I made the choice to give up social media access because I wanted to spend more time in positive activities rather than running down click bait rabbit holes, being goaded into online debate on political positions and free myself from judgement and being judgmental.
I spent more time walking outside, re-learned how to crochet and cranked out 3 lap quilts for a senior center to distribute to their clientele, cared for two ill friends, planned a party, read more, cooked healthy meals, went to the gym, worked out with friends, went out with friends, talked to my spouse more, snuggled my cat more, spent time with my parents, wrote more, and read far more than I had in the last year. It was a very enriching time to learn more about the things I find drive my passions. Caring for others, educating myself, creating something from nothing, enjoying simple times with those I treasure.
As two friends enter hospice for life ending illnesses, the focus of what is truly important becomes abundantly clear. It's not what you give or have that matters to people, it's what you give of yourself - effort, knowledge, time, tasks they can no longer do independently, taking care of the daily minutia that is now beyond someone with dementia, making a little extra of a simple meal to share.
What became readily apparent as Lent progressed is that though I intended to subtract something from my live to make room for more important endeavors, the result ended up enriching my life in more ways than what I relinquished. It was hard to avoid going to facebook to see what friends and family were up to, and I slipped a few times... to be honest. It was hard not to post a witty quip in Twitter and just share it with my husband. It was hard to write several blog posts and SAVE them, rather than posting right away...
But the long term benefits far out weigh the brief inconveniences, as is usually the case.
I spent more time walking outside, re-learned how to crochet and cranked out 3 lap quilts for a senior center to distribute to their clientele, cared for two ill friends, planned a party, read more, cooked healthy meals, went to the gym, worked out with friends, went out with friends, talked to my spouse more, snuggled my cat more, spent time with my parents, wrote more, and read far more than I had in the last year. It was a very enriching time to learn more about the things I find drive my passions. Caring for others, educating myself, creating something from nothing, enjoying simple times with those I treasure.
As two friends enter hospice for life ending illnesses, the focus of what is truly important becomes abundantly clear. It's not what you give or have that matters to people, it's what you give of yourself - effort, knowledge, time, tasks they can no longer do independently, taking care of the daily minutia that is now beyond someone with dementia, making a little extra of a simple meal to share.
What became readily apparent as Lent progressed is that though I intended to subtract something from my live to make room for more important endeavors, the result ended up enriching my life in more ways than what I relinquished. It was hard to avoid going to facebook to see what friends and family were up to, and I slipped a few times... to be honest. It was hard not to post a witty quip in Twitter and just share it with my husband. It was hard to write several blog posts and SAVE them, rather than posting right away...
But the long term benefits far out weigh the brief inconveniences, as is usually the case.
Presidential Race 2020
When all is said and done in November, we will truly be able to say hindsight is 20/20. We have many possible Democratic candidates vying for the nomination. So much so that the need to turn over the House and Senate has been overshadowed by he said/she said debate sound bites and who is raking in the most donations.
What are the crucial issues that will need to be addressed? Social? Economic? Political?
Should we eliminate the electoral college? Won't happen before this election...
The deplorable state of homelessness and homeless veterans and homeless elderly in this country? What is the solution?
What about Medicare for all? What about Social Security? Will there BE any social sec for the future?
What can we do about the economy to help new graduates afford all the things they need to survive besides paying student loans?
What is to become of the out of control housing market?
My level of frustration is that while several candidates want to address the state of student loan poverty driving owers into bankruptcy, homelessness and under employment to make ends meet, those of us who are severely sacrificing to save and pay as we go for education to minimize the economic effect on recent grads will get nothing for our dedication and foresight. Our first son emerged from college with a BA in cinematic arts, currently works a contract job doing AV for hotels and owed $10K at the end of college, we ran short of funds his last year. Sallie Mae kept telling him he didn't make enough to start paying back loans but neglected to tell him that they were continuing to compound his interest. When we sold our family home, we paid off his now $12.000 in student loans thereby increasing his credit rating as well. A win/win most would say, except that he is now plagued by constant marketing calls and has to regularly check his credit report against identity theft. If we had it to do over, we'd pay off 1/2.
Our second son is a year away from graduation. We are trying to pay month to month to avoid the same ed loan trap with him. This arrangement has necessitated him to reduce credit hours, take a 20 hour a week campus job, have mom come out of temporary retirement due to job burnout to take a 30 hour a week job, and takes a good portion of our disposable income to make come to fruition, including an occasional loan from grandparents when pay days hit too far from tuition due dates. For the first time in years, we are living paycheck to paycheck as our home mortgage and tuition payments are nearly equal. BUT we make too much to qualify for tuition grants. So we're stuck between proverbial hard place and wall. Kid could take more credit hours, but then couldn't work (campus rules) so he could graduate earlier. There is no way to win. Will we get any tax credits for paying as we go? Remains to be seen.
But others who rack up debt and want it erased will have a plan for that? Life isn't fair and our kids' education is a worthwhile investment, but it would be nice to see a break even point on the horizon. Have them pay off our mortgage? Assisted living expenses? Funeral home expenses? At what point do we get a break for doing 'the right thing' and foregoing vacations and new vehicles and updating appliances and making what we have last just a few years longer? Where's the Warren plan for that?
My overall hope is that the Dem candidates will pool their resources and assemble a kick ass cabinet once Trump is defeated with Warren revamping college ed costs like she did consumer spending advocacy. With Pete Buttigeig in charge of foreign policy, we could mend so many strained relationships that our wall building, insult hurling POTUS has committed against us. With Bloomberg guarding US funds with the same diligence that he guards and invests his own, we could be a contender again. Each taking personal responsibility for an area of their own expertise and coming up with a collaborative plan that reaches across the aisles to formulate a policy that will cure more than it cuts. With Bernie at the helm with the support of the best and brightest the Dems have to offer, America could be great again, not because of red hats, but because of the minds and creative genius NOT found below the hats. Make America care again. Make America united again. Make America matter again. Take America back from hate, rage and indifference.
What are the crucial issues that will need to be addressed? Social? Economic? Political?
Should we eliminate the electoral college? Won't happen before this election...
The deplorable state of homelessness and homeless veterans and homeless elderly in this country? What is the solution?
What about Medicare for all? What about Social Security? Will there BE any social sec for the future?
What can we do about the economy to help new graduates afford all the things they need to survive besides paying student loans?
What is to become of the out of control housing market?
My level of frustration is that while several candidates want to address the state of student loan poverty driving owers into bankruptcy, homelessness and under employment to make ends meet, those of us who are severely sacrificing to save and pay as we go for education to minimize the economic effect on recent grads will get nothing for our dedication and foresight. Our first son emerged from college with a BA in cinematic arts, currently works a contract job doing AV for hotels and owed $10K at the end of college, we ran short of funds his last year. Sallie Mae kept telling him he didn't make enough to start paying back loans but neglected to tell him that they were continuing to compound his interest. When we sold our family home, we paid off his now $12.000 in student loans thereby increasing his credit rating as well. A win/win most would say, except that he is now plagued by constant marketing calls and has to regularly check his credit report against identity theft. If we had it to do over, we'd pay off 1/2.
Our second son is a year away from graduation. We are trying to pay month to month to avoid the same ed loan trap with him. This arrangement has necessitated him to reduce credit hours, take a 20 hour a week campus job, have mom come out of temporary retirement due to job burnout to take a 30 hour a week job, and takes a good portion of our disposable income to make come to fruition, including an occasional loan from grandparents when pay days hit too far from tuition due dates. For the first time in years, we are living paycheck to paycheck as our home mortgage and tuition payments are nearly equal. BUT we make too much to qualify for tuition grants. So we're stuck between proverbial hard place and wall. Kid could take more credit hours, but then couldn't work (campus rules) so he could graduate earlier. There is no way to win. Will we get any tax credits for paying as we go? Remains to be seen.
But others who rack up debt and want it erased will have a plan for that? Life isn't fair and our kids' education is a worthwhile investment, but it would be nice to see a break even point on the horizon. Have them pay off our mortgage? Assisted living expenses? Funeral home expenses? At what point do we get a break for doing 'the right thing' and foregoing vacations and new vehicles and updating appliances and making what we have last just a few years longer? Where's the Warren plan for that?
My overall hope is that the Dem candidates will pool their resources and assemble a kick ass cabinet once Trump is defeated with Warren revamping college ed costs like she did consumer spending advocacy. With Pete Buttigeig in charge of foreign policy, we could mend so many strained relationships that our wall building, insult hurling POTUS has committed against us. With Bloomberg guarding US funds with the same diligence that he guards and invests his own, we could be a contender again. Each taking personal responsibility for an area of their own expertise and coming up with a collaborative plan that reaches across the aisles to formulate a policy that will cure more than it cuts. With Bernie at the helm with the support of the best and brightest the Dems have to offer, America could be great again, not because of red hats, but because of the minds and creative genius NOT found below the hats. Make America care again. Make America united again. Make America matter again. Take America back from hate, rage and indifference.
Viral Frenzy
The corona virus has claimed its first victim in WA and the ensuing fear and hysteria is sad and at times comical if it weren't so off base. Viruses mutate at every transmission. People are noting that human coronavirus is found as one of the 99% of germs eliminated by Lysol products. In general, are you planning to ingest Lysol to protect yourself? People think Corona beer is related to corona virus and are refusing to buy it based on that bias. Drug stores are running out of face masks and hand sanitizer.
The true travesty will be when the virus hits the most vulnerable. I don't mean the young, the old and the immune system compromised. The homeless and those who cannot afford to stay home from work to tend to their illness or who will be caring for ill family members as the only employed person in a family. The family leave system in WA is already being taxed and taking longer to reimburse those who are eligible to utilize the benefit.
Our out of control homeless community is often plagued by frequent illness. If the corona virus takes hold of a homeless encampment, it could be devastating. For volunteers, for health care workers, for first responders, for those who go in to clean up the aftermath of the crisis. The effects are far-reaching and unable to be fathomed how far it will reach into those who feel insulated. Fast food workers caring for ill and vulnerable family members at home. Those who don't recognize early symptoms due to mental debilitation or dependencies that leave them ill often. The many without access to medical care, preventative factors or who can't read cautionary signage in public places to comply with safety measures. We are as vulnerable as our weakest links.
At our home church, where we serve the homeless a free meal several times a week, all of our bottles of hand sanitizer were stolen this week. Fear driving desperation. Someone who can't afford the protective measures, resorted to stealing. What will others resort to for protection? Medical insurance fraud? Jeopardizing the health of others to get ahead? The world is a crazy place full of folks who feel the rules and mores don't apply to them. I'm fearful of the hype and fear overtaking reasonable reactions.
The true travesty will be when the virus hits the most vulnerable. I don't mean the young, the old and the immune system compromised. The homeless and those who cannot afford to stay home from work to tend to their illness or who will be caring for ill family members as the only employed person in a family. The family leave system in WA is already being taxed and taking longer to reimburse those who are eligible to utilize the benefit.
Our out of control homeless community is often plagued by frequent illness. If the corona virus takes hold of a homeless encampment, it could be devastating. For volunteers, for health care workers, for first responders, for those who go in to clean up the aftermath of the crisis. The effects are far-reaching and unable to be fathomed how far it will reach into those who feel insulated. Fast food workers caring for ill and vulnerable family members at home. Those who don't recognize early symptoms due to mental debilitation or dependencies that leave them ill often. The many without access to medical care, preventative factors or who can't read cautionary signage in public places to comply with safety measures. We are as vulnerable as our weakest links.
At our home church, where we serve the homeless a free meal several times a week, all of our bottles of hand sanitizer were stolen this week. Fear driving desperation. Someone who can't afford the protective measures, resorted to stealing. What will others resort to for protection? Medical insurance fraud? Jeopardizing the health of others to get ahead? The world is a crazy place full of folks who feel the rules and mores don't apply to them. I'm fearful of the hype and fear overtaking reasonable reactions.
Friday, December 27, 2019
Joining Hands and Hearts in Prayer
At our church, there is a longtime tradition of joining hands and singing the "Lord's Prayer - Our Father." When I attend the early Rite I and more traditional service, the service does not embrace this tradition. And I really miss it. In a world where we are divided by so many factors, the opportunity to join hands, hearts and voices in prayer is rare and precious.
For many of our elderly members who live alone, this is a rare and blessed opportunity to touch and be touched. There are a countless physical, emotional and neurological benefits of human touch. As we age and live increasingly solitary lives, our human need for contact is often suppressed and ignored.
The release of oxytocin is released as the cuddle hormone and the stress hormone cortisol is reduced as well as blood pressure and slowing the heart rate.
For many of our elderly members who live alone, this is a rare and blessed opportunity to touch and be touched. There are a countless physical, emotional and neurological benefits of human touch. As we age and live increasingly solitary lives, our human need for contact is often suppressed and ignored.
The release of oxytocin is released as the cuddle hormone and the stress hormone cortisol is reduced as well as blood pressure and slowing the heart rate.
Monday, December 9, 2019
Why Help Someone Who is not Family
For the last month I have been very involved in the life of an 87yo friend. She has needed greater help to stay in her home and transition at a rate that is comfortable to her to assisted living. Her sons are out of state and rarely contact her but by phone/email. In late November, she fell in her home and ended up in the ER. She did not have a stroke. She was found to be in relatively good health, but no longer safe to live on her own. I jumped in with both feet to make sure she was not alone in navigating this process and sometimes have doubted my decision to do so. She needs a local advocate, a pal, a visitor to keep her connected with the outside world. We all do. Several people have asked me why I'm doing this for Lucy and why I don't just drop the situation and let her kids handle it. In short, they won't, they can't, they still think she should be able to handle it all despite the evidence to the contrary. They haven't for the last 10 years I've known her and won't expand their level of involvement even when it's warranted. This makes me sad, because Lucy can't be the only senior with this experience. She's just the one with whom I have connected. Why? She has all but served as my surrogate grandmother for the entire time I have known her. She raised 2 sons (the same age difference as mine) and managed subsidized senior housing to augment her social security income. She cared for folks who lived in her buildings in Montana when their families left them alone. When they had no families. When they had no one but themselves to rely on.
The first time I worked with Lucy we were assigned to facilitate a taco bar for a Junior Youth Conference at our church. At that time, she was in her mid 70s and hadn't cooked for a group in some time, and never tacos. Since I was elbow deep in Cub Scouts at the time, we joined forces in the experience in feeding youth and set out with a plan. We made a grocery list, filled the trunk and back seat of her convertible (yes, I see the irony there) with food stuffs, assembled the ingredients, enlisted folks to help cook, and produced 15 LBS of taco meat. Yes, 15 lbs. Because we were feeding 50 middle schoolers and that's what the recipe said we needed. We had shredded lettuce, cheddar cheese, taco meat and salsa from hell to breakfast in that tiny church kitchen. We dirtied EVERY bowl, container and set of tongs. She was sure we needed 25 taco shells. I insisted we would need only taco chips and soft tortillas. Lucy also bought 2 dozen taco shells. When we ran out of tortillas and chips, she took her 25 taco shells in the back and "found" two extra bags of chips... she broke up the taco shells and put them in two bowls. Lucy is an out of the box thinker like that. When all was said and done, we had one ziploc bag of taco meat left over and my family grew quickly tired of taco salad, nachos and the like.
When I was diagnosed with colon cancer, there were several weeks before we could determine a treatment plan and I just had to sit and wait for test results to come back. We escaped to the Quinalt Lodge at Ocean Shores for the weekend. We walked the beach, played slots in the casino, had massages, ate and drank well and thoroughly escaped the impending doom of what was to come for a day or two. It was just what I needed at the time. After my surgery, when I was recovering and bored out of my mind, she'd come kick off her shoes and sit on my bed and chatter about everything and nothing. She brought me a stuffed dog that one of my sons kept at his side the entire time I was at the hospital, and Dan has in his room to this day. After all was said and done and I was completely cured of the cancer due to the surgery and the fact that it was first stage, she told me her mother had died of colon cancer and she wanted me to have some time free of worry just in case I followed the dismal road as her mother. She waited to tell me this until I was free and clear - she held the thought that I may die like she watched her mother die and kept that from me. That is a gift, to protect others from what you fear most. That is what a surrogate grandma does.
Lucy and I have had many adventures over the years. We attended the Nutcracker and more movies than I can count. Some were memorable - Spectre - the latest James Bond, and some forgettable - the Tree of Life - huh? Some in the theater and some at home. She was concerned that since I couldn't have popcorn since colon surgery, her large buttery bowl would annoy me. I made up for it by having caramel milk duds, something she can't have due to dental work. We found ways to adapt to each other's idiosyncrasies. We are Thelma and Louise, we are Lucy and Ethel, we are Lucy and Mimi and we get each other. If we are together more than 10 minutes, giggles ensue. We get each other. More lunches and dinners and birthdays than I can fathom. She has often joined my family at holiday dinners not as an outsider but as an extension of my family. I now know her birth date and SSN better than my own. She has watched my sons grow up and hears the stories of their trials and tribulations with as much eagerness as if they were her own grandchildren. She reinforces that I was and am a good mom and I trust her judgment.
The Lucy I knew was an out of the box thinker. The Lucy we have now is definitely in the box thinker and sometimes cannot see what all is in the box due to vascular dementia and cognitive issues due to age and blood flow to the brain. Lucy now is vulnerable to a world where she could be taken advantage of and exploited as the elderly often are in our society. I fear what could happen if I abandon Lucy and let the world take care of her. The world won't take the same quality of care for her that I do. The world won't make sure she has her favorite shampoo, her Bose radio set to classical and her TV set to Judge Judy daily at 3pm. These things bring her stability now and make her feel at home wherever she is - hospital, nursing home or assisted living apartment. The world won't make sure her lifetime of things in her condo are dispersed to sources that are of importance to her - to Habitat for Humanity and Salvation Army and such. The world will let her disappear to oblivion, The world won't hold her favorite outfit and jewelry from the past in a drawer in my home and bring it out for her memorial service, but I will. Because I have known the gift of her friendship, her gift of presence and it will be my final gift to her.
The first time I worked with Lucy we were assigned to facilitate a taco bar for a Junior Youth Conference at our church. At that time, she was in her mid 70s and hadn't cooked for a group in some time, and never tacos. Since I was elbow deep in Cub Scouts at the time, we joined forces in the experience in feeding youth and set out with a plan. We made a grocery list, filled the trunk and back seat of her convertible (yes, I see the irony there) with food stuffs, assembled the ingredients, enlisted folks to help cook, and produced 15 LBS of taco meat. Yes, 15 lbs. Because we were feeding 50 middle schoolers and that's what the recipe said we needed. We had shredded lettuce, cheddar cheese, taco meat and salsa from hell to breakfast in that tiny church kitchen. We dirtied EVERY bowl, container and set of tongs. She was sure we needed 25 taco shells. I insisted we would need only taco chips and soft tortillas. Lucy also bought 2 dozen taco shells. When we ran out of tortillas and chips, she took her 25 taco shells in the back and "found" two extra bags of chips... she broke up the taco shells and put them in two bowls. Lucy is an out of the box thinker like that. When all was said and done, we had one ziploc bag of taco meat left over and my family grew quickly tired of taco salad, nachos and the like.
When I was diagnosed with colon cancer, there were several weeks before we could determine a treatment plan and I just had to sit and wait for test results to come back. We escaped to the Quinalt Lodge at Ocean Shores for the weekend. We walked the beach, played slots in the casino, had massages, ate and drank well and thoroughly escaped the impending doom of what was to come for a day or two. It was just what I needed at the time. After my surgery, when I was recovering and bored out of my mind, she'd come kick off her shoes and sit on my bed and chatter about everything and nothing. She brought me a stuffed dog that one of my sons kept at his side the entire time I was at the hospital, and Dan has in his room to this day. After all was said and done and I was completely cured of the cancer due to the surgery and the fact that it was first stage, she told me her mother had died of colon cancer and she wanted me to have some time free of worry just in case I followed the dismal road as her mother. She waited to tell me this until I was free and clear - she held the thought that I may die like she watched her mother die and kept that from me. That is a gift, to protect others from what you fear most. That is what a surrogate grandma does.
Lucy and I have had many adventures over the years. We attended the Nutcracker and more movies than I can count. Some were memorable - Spectre - the latest James Bond, and some forgettable - the Tree of Life - huh? Some in the theater and some at home. She was concerned that since I couldn't have popcorn since colon surgery, her large buttery bowl would annoy me. I made up for it by having caramel milk duds, something she can't have due to dental work. We found ways to adapt to each other's idiosyncrasies. We are Thelma and Louise, we are Lucy and Ethel, we are Lucy and Mimi and we get each other. If we are together more than 10 minutes, giggles ensue. We get each other. More lunches and dinners and birthdays than I can fathom. She has often joined my family at holiday dinners not as an outsider but as an extension of my family. I now know her birth date and SSN better than my own. She has watched my sons grow up and hears the stories of their trials and tribulations with as much eagerness as if they were her own grandchildren. She reinforces that I was and am a good mom and I trust her judgment.
The Lucy I knew was an out of the box thinker. The Lucy we have now is definitely in the box thinker and sometimes cannot see what all is in the box due to vascular dementia and cognitive issues due to age and blood flow to the brain. Lucy now is vulnerable to a world where she could be taken advantage of and exploited as the elderly often are in our society. I fear what could happen if I abandon Lucy and let the world take care of her. The world won't take the same quality of care for her that I do. The world won't make sure she has her favorite shampoo, her Bose radio set to classical and her TV set to Judge Judy daily at 3pm. These things bring her stability now and make her feel at home wherever she is - hospital, nursing home or assisted living apartment. The world won't make sure her lifetime of things in her condo are dispersed to sources that are of importance to her - to Habitat for Humanity and Salvation Army and such. The world will let her disappear to oblivion, The world won't hold her favorite outfit and jewelry from the past in a drawer in my home and bring it out for her memorial service, but I will. Because I have known the gift of her friendship, her gift of presence and it will be my final gift to her.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Rehoming is chaos put into perspective
For the last 2 weeks, we've been moving. For the second time in less than 11 months. And it is in every way a beast, a burden, and a luxury. Moving is to take all of your worldly belongings, plop them on a floor in a new to you home and try for the next several weeks to be functional while living out of boxes and finding places for the things that you have so lovingly hauled. The term downsizing doesn't apply to us in this instance. What we have done technically is upside-down sized. We sold our family home that was too big, moved to a condo with more stairs than storage and then found a just right house with 2000sf and no stairs and lake views that will engage us for years in wasting time staring at the waterfowl and changing colors of the landscape, sky and lake.
The whole time I've been moving, cleaning the old place, pulling items from storage I haven't seen in a year to reconsider if they have a place in our life as it is now, I've had strange thoughts. What if I had to pull together only what would fit in a backpack, grocery cart or what I could carry on my person to live day to day?
What would I take if I were homeless?
What are the things that would do dual duty and be worth their weight?
What would change about my priorities?
What would it feel like to be more minimalist and let some of the things go that I feel overwhelmed finding a Place for here?
The whole time I've been moving, cleaning the old place, pulling items from storage I haven't seen in a year to reconsider if they have a place in our life as it is now, I've had strange thoughts. What if I had to pull together only what would fit in a backpack, grocery cart or what I could carry on my person to live day to day?
What would I take if I were homeless?
What are the things that would do dual duty and be worth their weight?
What would change about my priorities?
What would it feel like to be more minimalist and let some of the things go that I feel overwhelmed finding a Place for here?
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