T - 15 It Felt Good

Today I began cleaning and packing items we would be moving.  I decided I did not want to make this bed again.  I mean why?  I need to pack not make a bed.  Therefore, I ran all the shams, comforter and pillows through a Dryel cycle.  Folded and placed in a tub marked Master Bdrm, 1 of _ cause I do not know how many more boxes I will have for the Master bdrm.  Well, it is the only bedroom but whatever.  Also, backed up my laptop and made sure it had actually backed up properly.  It had.  Cleared breakable items from both bedside tables as well as all chapstick and lotions.  Found some candles in a couple of places.  Those have been placed in the 'we gotta carry not the moving van' box.

Gene spent a lot of his day in Marionville visiting and dealing with his Mom's issues.  She fell again yesterday getting our of the wheelchair.  The brakes were not locked and she pushed up only the chair moved so down she went.  The meeting with the care team had no new information.  The assessment was she continues to decline in strength and memory.  She will be 99 this Saturday.

We gathered the clothing that is too old and not the 'name' labels from yesterday's wasted time and took them to places where they were appreciated.  Battered women aren't nearly so fashion conscience as some folks.  Something about priorities I suspect.  While at the shelter dropping off some stuff it occurred to me how much I will miss doing the spiritual spa for these women.  While there are women at the church that will continue the tradition, I will miss the opportunity to serve these women.

I have one chair that cost us around $400 back in 1971.  That chair is so comfortable with a down pillow back.  One feels safe and snug in that chair.  I actually cried more than once about parting with this chair.  But there is just no room at the new home.  While at the shelter today I knew what needed to be done with this favorite chair.  It needs to live at the shelter.  It needs to be a place a woman can sit and be safe.  A place where she can feel cared for and loved.  And then it felt good.  I was ready to part with the chair.

This is really what down sizing is about, making choices of what to do with stuff that has become almost members of my family.  In addition to the chair having found a new home, we came home to call folks to eliminate the guest bedroom bed.  We were planning to take it and store till we moved to a two bedroom apartment.  We realized that was just not practical.  The chances of our moving into a bigger place are slim.  Different families had inquired earlier so we gave them calls.  Now it is down to coming to an agreement of value.  It felt good to let more of our belongings go to new homes.

A sister from another mother stopped by to visit 'one last time' tonight.  We had dinner ready for her as she was on her way home from work.  A leisurely dinner and great conversation was enjoyed by us three.  She had brought munchies for us to have to grab as we are working on the packing projects.  I will miss her so very much.  She was sent home with a metal butterfly yard decoration she had admired for years.  A book, Whatever Happened to Kansas?, given to Husband by Son will travel with that Kansas native.  It was time for her to leave.  We all hugged, cried and said good bye.  Then it felt good as I watched her put my butterfly in the trunk of her car.  Another part of me will stay here.