September 19, 2021 – Photo

Horseback riding was one of my favorite pastimes before I learned that horses are not to be trusted! A horse can appear so gentle and tranquil but turn your back for one second, and it will transform into a wild steed, whinnying wildly while rearing up on its hind legs and thrashing with its front! Those folks setting out probably don’t have a clue what they’re in for, but if their ‘leisurely ride’ turns out anything like mine, they can look forward to (at minimum) a severe concussion as well as spending several hours at the nearest hospital (after being transported there by ambulance). Let’s hope that’s not the case!

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September 18, 2021 – Countdown

Somehow, some way, I have nearly fulfilled my promise to you, my readers. In the beginning, when I initially made the commitment to post daily, I was facing 365 days. It seemed insurmountable. However, I am now facing a mere ten. In ten more days, I can either continue what I’ve been doing (posting every single day), or I can choose to write whenever I please (without any parameters), or I can stop altogether. I cannot envision stopping altogether as the process of writing brings me a great deal of joy; however, if life gets complicated, I may have to temporarily move it to the back burner. As I look back, it is difficult to imagine that the finish line is just up ahead and within reach. So many times I have contemplated quitting! I have often thought to myself, “Why on earth did I make such a huge commitment?!” I had a tendency to ‘go there’ on the days when I was emotionally and/or physically exhausted. Considering what I’ve been through during the past year, especially since June when my husband and I made the decision to relocate, I’m amazed that I’ve never missed a day.

September 17, 2021 – Photo

This is one of the flowers that was sent to my father-in-law, in memory of his wife. The funeral was today and I have to admit, it really was lovely. It was tough to see so many people grieving but it’s part of letting go. I was stoic through the whole ceremony because I already grieved for my mother-in-law (when our relationship ended years ago). She wasn’t a bad person, we just never seemed to see eye-to-eye. I never felt like she liked me. It was more like she ‘put up’ with me because that’s all she could muster. Anyway, I took several photos of the different floral arrangements my father-in-law received and this one was my favorite. It is of an orchid.

September 16, 2021 – A need for closure.

As human beings, I believe we all need to be able to put a tidy bow on things before we’re able to properly move on. If there are ‘loose ends’ or unresolved issues, it’s difficult to proceed forward without continually looking back. As my husband and I drove around and looked at properties today, I realized that when I left this town 7 years ago, I left a lot of loose ends. One of those loose ends involved a particular person who I was friends with for several years, but for a number of reasons (i.e.; our relationship wasn’t equitable, her husband was embezzling/stealing from my father-in-law’s HVAC business, etc.), I decided to abruptly cut ties. As it happens, one of the homes my husband took me to today was only 2 blocks from where she lives. “No can do!” I told him, “That ‘ghost’ is a little too close for comfort. If we bought that house, I’d have to hire the official Ghostbusters, and I’m sure whatever they charged for such a monumental task would bankrupt us.” Even though the house was something we could afford, it would have come at an enormous cost (to my emotional well being); therefore, I promptly removed it as a contender.

September 15, 2021 – Photo

I had an opportunity to take some pictures of my father-in-law’s neighbor’s grandchildren today. They were reaching through the fence in order to pet my dog and were the most adorable, little, towheaded boys! The pictures turned out fantastic. I told my husband I was going to use the ‘best of the bunch’ on my blog and he reminded me that I had to ask permission first. Needless to say, I am not featuring a picture of the boys. Instead, I am featuring a picture of a ripe crabapple off the tree in my father-in-law’s backyard. I call it ‘Harvest Time’.

September 14, 2021 – Twists & Turns

This day has been full of so many twists and turns, I’m not even sure where to begin. To keep things simple, I suppose I should begin at ‘the beginning’. ‘The beginning’ involved waking around 9:30 am and heading directly to the restroom. After emptying my bladder, washing my hands, brushing my teeth, and splashing some water on my face, I exited the restroom and entered the basement TV room. It was in the TV room where I encountered my husband (with a very concerned and cross look on his face) seated at a table. There was no denying that something was wrong, but when I asked him what was going on, he wouldn’t come right out and say it. Instead, he made a motion towards the bedroom and said we needed to speak privately. “Did I do something wrong?” I asked. “No,” he responded. He then revealed that he’d overheard his sister and brother-in-law discussing Covid and how there was a possibility his brother-in-law may have been exposed to it. They’d been talking about it in hushed tones at the dining room table when my husband was in the kitchen (a few feet away), and he’d heard everything they’d said.

September 13, 2021 – Photo

I thought it’d be nice to feature a photo of a flower today. I couldn’t resist taking a photo of this particular flower because it’s so unusual; it’s definitely not something you see everyday! I’m not sure what else to say about it other than that. I’m pretty brain dead after driving all over ‘hell and gone’, looking for a place to live. It seems so much easier to sell a house than buy one in this market. Each time we think we’ve found the ‘perfect home’, we discover something about it that stops us dead in our tracks. For instance, my husband looked up a lovely home on Zillow that met every one of our needs. It has been for sale for at least two months. We figured out why it hasn’t sold after we checked out the location on Google Maps. The house literally backs up to an active railroad line. No, thanks!!

September 12, 2021 – Off to a ‘ruff’ start (part two).

Welcome back, my friends! Before I resume discussing the ‘ruff’ start to our trip, I have to let you know that we finally arrived at our destination. As soon as we pulled up in front of my father-in-law’s house, he met us at the curb and didn’t waste a moment seeking out his son. After he had greeted him and given him a long, warm embrace, he walked over to me. I was standing in the grass (just a few feet away) with our dog, hanging on to her leash. I expected a hug as well. Instead, without speaking a word, he took the handle to the leash out of my hand and walked the dog over to the back yard. I was a little stunned and hurt because I wasn’t prepared to play second fiddle to my dog; however, he eventually returned and gave me a heartfelt hug. It’s been a strange day filled with a range of emotions, from profound sadness to extreme joy, to everything in between. Everyone was really close to my mother-in-law except for me, so I don’t feel any sadness as a result of her loss. However, I do feel bad for everyone who is struggling emotionally, especially my father-in-law. He’s having a difficult time holding it together. Today, he shared that he wished he’d never placed his wife in the memory care facility. I tried to remind him that he really didn’t have any other options and had gone above and beyond what anyone else would have, caring for her for years until it became impossible.

September 11, 2021 – Photo

The title of this photo is ‘Burned Into My Brain’. Since we left our previous home and started our journey east, I have been staring at the back of this cargo trailer. The going has been slow but steady and we’ve nearly reached our destination, but we had to stop again tonight because I just didn’t have it in me to drive 500 plus an additional 235 miles today. The 235 remaining miles can wait until tomorrow after I’ve (hopefully) had a good night’s rest and can better focus on the road (as well as the back of the trailer). I was so tired that it was a little touch and go this afternoon, and I don’t want to push my luck by driving while impaired (aka ‘sleep deprived’).

September 10, 2021 – Off to a ‘ruff’ start (part one).

I wish I could say that everything went smooth as silk today, but if I did I’d be lying. Today was a carryover from yesterday, which also didn’t go well. Yesterday, I spent countless hours cleaning and packing and cleaning some more. It was ten in the evening before I even got started on the bathrooms. My husband thought we’d be able to get everything taken care of early and get a sufficient night’s rest before climbing into our vehicles and starting our long journey east, but he was sadly mistaken. I knew better, of course. There were piles of stuff everywhere and those piles add up! Each time he’d ask if there was anything else that needed to get loaded into the trailer or truck, I’d pause and then say, “Why, yes, actually.” “There’s more?” he’d respond, completely taken aback. “Yes, there’s more,” I’d confirm, “There’s the 3 totes in the kitchen, plus the large box by the oven, plus the two Rubbermaid containers on the counter, plus all the stuff in the refrigerator, plus the tote in the bathroom, plus, plus, plus.” “We need to get started on the cleaning,” he’d remind me. “I know that,” I’d reply, “But we have to pack everything first. We cannot properly clean if there’s a bunch of stuff in the way.”