Settling In

This Sunday morning two weeks after the 'locked out of our son's apartment' night we are enjoying a leisurely morning.  Yesterday was a productive day of rearranging and additional sorting.  We now have the little trailer almost full of additional items we are selling.  It is beginning to feel good to let go of the stuff.  It is like losing weight.  Now I will not pretend to be living a spartan life by any means.  There is still the whole storage room to sort and rearrange.  The load is lighter none the less.

Yes, it is a shame we did not do this while still in Springfield.  What can I say, it is a physical and emotional process.  Maybe it is because we are living closer to our son that I do not feel so compelled to hang on to his childhood and baby toys.  Maybe it is the lack of space for such luxury.  What ever the reason, it is happening and it feels good.

Yesterday we finally were able to get the top of the little freezer visible and accessible.  Today we hope to get the last of the boxes out of the living/dining area.  It will be good if we can actually use the breakfast counter and stools for more than just piling what we unpack.  Each day brings us closer to that goal.  Surely there is plenty still to do but it is so much better.  

It is pleasant to be sitting on the sofa in the evenings and look out the sliding glass doors.  The view is one of a long distance valley and rise covered with the lights of a small city.  Not the high rises normally associated with a city, more the lights of homes.  It is fun to watch the busy street that runs about 60 feet from the same doors.  Watching the busy lives of folks going to and from work in the nearby companies like Dell and Emerson.

The nearby businesses help fuel the need for restaurants in the immediate area.  We have been taking full advantage of the variety and ease of access to these restaurants over the last two weeks.  Nothing like a day of unpacking, sorting and schlepping boxes to and fro to work up a healthy appetite.  Likewise the schlepping wears down TOFs to the point we do not wish to cook.  So off we go to help boost the food industry economy!

The weather has turned quite cold for this area.  There were actual potential freeze warnings for the next couple of nights.  But we do not need to worry about faucets or the bathroom cabinets being left open.  We will focus on making a pot of soup and relaxing on this cold, cloudy Sunday in Round Rock, Texas.  The Jeep has its Texas plates and we are truly settling in to our new surroundings.

Gene in his favorite new place.

12 x 14' 7" Will Just Make It

It will be only about 4 8 feet shorter than my current living room.  Or I could just not have a dining table and chairs and it would be the same.  Hummmm.  Maybe that is just the answer.  The bedroom is about 3. 5 feet more narrow.  But all the furniture from it will fit in the new place.  That is a most rewarding feeling tonight.  There are two other rooms of furniture to deal with.   Do we keep and store to see if we might want to go to a 2 bedroom when one is available?  What to do what to do.  It is a little dicey about all eight lovely country French ladder back dining chairs.  Gene does not want me to let them go as we are giving up so much all ready.  Deep sigh.

Downsizing is the name given this part of life.  I think we should help our children learn not to up size in the beginning.  My brilliant son has taught me this.  But no matter, it is still difficult to let go of the comfy chair that is a bit to low for old people.  Keep the higher, less comfortable chair I can actually get out of without making too many old people noises from every orifice of my body.

Come with me on this next great adventure as TOF, that's two old farts, downsize and relocate to loft living.  Gene says it's hip.  I keep telling him we will probably be the only folks living in the place with knee replacements.  Our son toured the place for us on Sunday.  Said it was really cool and that we did not fit the demographic of the residents.  Not the first time I heard that about Gene and I.  "Are you sure you are ready for such a change?  There is no place to go if you get in an argument", said our Wise Son.  Sure there are plenty of places to go:  Kohl's, World Market, Lowe's and Sam's are just across the street.  And an ice cream place, a Bed and Body Works.  Holy cow, there is a Garden Ridge and Hobby Lobby.  Not to mention the lounge and coffee bar on sight.

But for tonight I am just pretty stoked that my king size bed will fit.  Along with the furniture we bought in 1968 for the bedroom.  We will get this move conquered.  And thank you, God, for letting us keep the king size bed.  That could have caused big problems like when we argue at night and Kohl's is closed.

All this in 12 x 14?

To sell or not to sell?