Hello everyone. Please welcome me back. I can’t believe I haven’t posted here since June 9. And I only posted one time in the month of June.
But, I have a good excuse. I moved out of my house of forty-two years on June 23, and the work leading up to that day and after that day has been horrendous and exhausting.
I wrote a bit about my moving experience in my writing group yesterday – my first time back there in several weeks as well. I thought I’d share it with you here.
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I’ve said to several people since I moved to my new apartment in Playa Vista, whether I like it or not, I’m never going to move again. The only way I’ll get out of here is feet first. How’s that for standing firm?
It is not that I don’t like it here. Actually being here just a day less than two weeks, it’s too soon to tell. Everyday I find things I like and things I very much hate. For example a wonderful woman named Blanca cleaned my apartment this morning. She came at eight and worked about two hours, and everything looks great. The other good part about that weekly service is that the charge is included in my monthly rent – like gas, electric, food, wifi, valet parking.
But then I also get into a hissy fit about the mask rules, the need to have my breakfast brought up to my room rather than let us eat together from the sumptuous buffets that they used to have here. Plus we have to make a reservation in advance to eat in the dining room. That keeps me lonely and in my apartment most of the time, and that makes me hate it here all the more. I came here for the company, but unless someone calls to ask me to join her for dinner – which has happened several times – I’m just as lonely as I was living in my house after Bob died. And I doubt if that will change.
About the moving. That was like a trip to hell. I spent weeks before the actual move day giving things away – 31 boxes of books, family heirlooms and some of my cherished things to my family – and there is no telling how much I threw away as well. Then when I got it all moved here, I found that of course I brought too much. So, I immediately began a giveaway box. The Salvation Army picked that up just a couple of days ago. Needless to say, there will be more.
Another thing is all the paperwork I brought from Bob and my file drawers. Take my advice. Throw most of that away before you move. I must have dumped a carton’s worth of papers into the recycle bin this morning.
Clearing away the stuff – and believe me I’ve kept a lot of it – is definitely a never-ending process. It will either kill me or free me. Hopefully it will be the later. Maybe it will be the start of a new book.
Here’s my historical fiction book – published two years ago. Yes, definitely time for another book.
The blog world is a better place with you back in it. I predict that you will be surrounded by admirers soon where you live. Mo
Thank you, Mo!
Dear Marilyn,
Congratulations on the move. It sounds like a lot of work, but in the end will be worth it. If you ever want to get away, you can always come to the Philadelphia area for a visit. I still have a four bedroom house. Hopefully, the mask requirement will be over soon and you can eat those sumptuous buffets again in the company of others. In the meantime, yes, think about another book. All these years I’ve lived alone would never have been bearable without writing.
Thanks, Susan, especially for the invitation to Philadelphia. I’d love to meet and talkk writing with you. Yes, life would be unbearable without writing. Through this all – even while my husband was so sick and since his death I’ve continued to write a poem and a journal entry a day.
I meant to say Madeline. My apologies!
Thanks, Susan, especially for the invitation to Philadelphia. I’d love to meet and talkk writing with you. Yes, life would be unbearable without writing. Through this all – even while my husband was so sick and since his death I’ve continued to write a poem and a journal entry a day.
Hi, Madeline. Congrats on the move…and on your return to blogging. As you know, I am also in the process of moving, so I can very much empathize with things like giving books away (I’m taking 6 boxes to the used bookstore today), throwing out papers (I actually burned about 10 years of old tax records as part of my July 4 celebration!), and just the pain of realizing how much “luggage” (literally…we had a dozen suitcases) we haul around with us. We are having another garage sale this weekend (had one back in April…didn’t get rid of enough stuff), and then putting all of our stuff into storage for ~6 weeks until our new house is available. Anyway, kudos to you for getting it done, and as Mo Miller said, don’t worry…you will soon be surrounded by admirers at your new place!
Hi Mike, Sounds like your moving story is a lot like mine. I gave four suitcases to Goodwill – would I ever carry a big heavy suitcase around with me? I don’t think so.
Yes, and I wish I had thrown away more of the paperwork before the move. I still have several boxes of it to go. Burning it was a good way to get it gone.
I wish you good luck on your move in six weeks. Hope you’re keep in touch and report how it goes.
All best! M