December 2, 2005 — Last night as Kelly finished his email, I sat in our Colorado living room with Midnight Star purring beside me. The house was as clean as it was going to get, and the motorhome was crammed full. The last load had gone to our storage unit, and the last trash had been disposed of. My back was sore and my hands were raw from scrubbing.
It felt good to just sit quietly and look around the room. With the artwork off the walls and things gone from the shelves, the house was in transition also. We really like the people who bought our house — a couple within weeks of our own ages with whom we have a lot in common — but they had hit the nail on the head in an email yesterday, when they said we must have mixed feelings about leaving this house.
Sure, we do, more than other houses we have left. We built this one ourselves, mostly Kelly, from unique design concepts. But as I sat there, with so many images running through my mind, I was in a place of peaceful acceptance about the choices we’ve made and a curiosity about what lies ahead. I’m deeply grateful that my beloved cats can still here in this house a while, till we are ready for them elsewhere.
When we were in Mexico last winter, we decided to sell the house, get completely out of debt, and return to Mexico and see about living there full time. When we came back here, I found that it wasn’t so easy for me to give up this community where we’ve lived for nine years, where we have such deep ties. The climate is hardly my favorite, with lots of sub-zero weather in the winter, strong winds in the spring, mosquitos ruling the out of doors for a couple of months in early summer… late summer and fall are nice. If I were starting over, I wouldn’t choose this climate. But much of my stress turned to joy when we recently bought some land here for another home. Community is one of the greatest riches there is, and I am so happy to be coming back here later.
Now it’s about time for me to turn off the computer, take the last things out to the motorhome, and take off southward with Kelly, and for the first time in Mexico, with our dog Larry.
We’re heading down into New Mexico today. And soon into Mexico!
Posted in In the US