This past Thursday, my sister came over and helped me go through a lot of tubs that have been stored downstairs in the basement. In it, we found uniforms, old collectibles and an entire tub of letters written during Desert Storm. It's amazing how long it takes to clear out just a little bit of stuff. I realize now that it will take the entire year to get through all this stuff we have in this house. I've now spent one entire day scanning in these old letters - they are moldy and disintegrating quickly. It will probably take me at least one more day to continue and finish this project.
Dave emptied out his tool cabinet and two file drawers. This is an emotional journey. As we find things we hadn't seen in twenty plus years, the sentiment hits us and takes us back to another time.
But I think that our leaving has begun to hit home. We had dinner with very special friends last night and talking about it just made it more real. We are going camping this coming weekend, and we've agreed to look around and talk about how much space we each have to store personal things. This may seem trivial, but when you have a "master collector" in your marriage, it seems that the actual visual is necessary for them to understand that they can't take everything with them.
I'm so glad my family has been so supportive of us and our decision. My sister and I talked and we realized now why we don't make good travelling companions. For me, travel has always been about the experience, whereas she likes to buy things on our travels to remember them buy. She is a nester, and I'm not. As a matter of fact, I said last night at dinner that the thought that I don't have to be a domestic diva much longer is so freeing. I want my little 300 sq foot house and nothing more to take care of.
Driving down the road yesterday, I saw so many people outside in their yards, mowing, weed eating and sweating like crazy. My thought was, you work all week long to afford that house you're living in. Then you spend your spare time doing nothing more than maintaining that same house. What a waste - I'd rather be out living life and enjoying it than to be consumed by things. I know, to each their own, and I'm not judging. I've just come to realize that this is not the life that I've ever wanted for myself and now that I'm leaving it behind, all I can do is smile.
Dave emptied out his tool cabinet and two file drawers. This is an emotional journey. As we find things we hadn't seen in twenty plus years, the sentiment hits us and takes us back to another time.
But I think that our leaving has begun to hit home. We had dinner with very special friends last night and talking about it just made it more real. We are going camping this coming weekend, and we've agreed to look around and talk about how much space we each have to store personal things. This may seem trivial, but when you have a "master collector" in your marriage, it seems that the actual visual is necessary for them to understand that they can't take everything with them.
I'm so glad my family has been so supportive of us and our decision. My sister and I talked and we realized now why we don't make good travelling companions. For me, travel has always been about the experience, whereas she likes to buy things on our travels to remember them buy. She is a nester, and I'm not. As a matter of fact, I said last night at dinner that the thought that I don't have to be a domestic diva much longer is so freeing. I want my little 300 sq foot house and nothing more to take care of.
Driving down the road yesterday, I saw so many people outside in their yards, mowing, weed eating and sweating like crazy. My thought was, you work all week long to afford that house you're living in. Then you spend your spare time doing nothing more than maintaining that same house. What a waste - I'd rather be out living life and enjoying it than to be consumed by things. I know, to each their own, and I'm not judging. I've just come to realize that this is not the life that I've ever wanted for myself and now that I'm leaving it behind, all I can do is smile.