Take me away from it all

More like... take it all away from me (as in, things I willingly want to part with...) 

Our recent move to a smaller abode has proven to be an exercise in making choices and efficiently managing our living space.  The whole family has learned to have some forethought before making acquisitions.  I encouraged the young people to take a look at The Story of Stuff video.  My goal over a year ago was to downsize our material possessions and I am happy to say that we have almost met that objective.  I was so happy that the treadmill and encyclopedias found new homes :o)

We have just a few more days to clear out and clean up the old place. It was a happy, clean and bright home for seven years.  It provided us with plenty of space indoors and out.  Now we need a home that is secure and affordable.  Soon the offspring will spread their wings and leave the nest.  Some may need a little nudging ;o) Hence the plan to move to an even smaller place in two years!

Thanks for dropping by to read my blog.  It has been a challenge to find time for posting my deep blonde thoughts during this uprooting and being "off the grid" for five days.  Stay tuned for updates related to Father's Day, finding the perfect man :o) and blog references to my recently released novel "The Year of the Rabbit".  Don't be afraid to follow the rabbit.  I won't lead you down a dark hole but into the lives of small town folk in the 1970s.  Just imagine!  No Internet, no computers and no cell phones.  Ah, simpler times...

T

For the Love of Older Women

No, I'm not referring to the 1978 movie In Praise of Older Women but it likely caught the attention of a few mature men out there, eh?  Or perhaps people were thinking this was a Mother's Day reference? 

This starts out as more of a self-assurance observation.  In a recent professional setting, someone assumed I was part of a "different age range" as in, older than my actual age.  At first I was taken aback.  That was the first time that I can remember when someone did NOT think I looked younger than my age.  Using a tool called "benign interpretation", I turned this around considering that perhaps this person thought I was more mature and wise than my biological age.  That's right... I turned it into a compliment!

I like being seen as a mature, intelligent woman who has many creative, productive years ahead of her.  I am a woman, a mother and a crone in training.  To balance and complement these feminine roles, I also like to nurture my inner child.

With Mother's Day coming up this Sunday, I look forward to my own young folk helping to prepare meals and tidy up in the kitchen.  That will give me more time to reflect, sort and pack for our move - as well as allow for some creative activities.  I also invite visitors to read a post in honour of Marie Fletcher, the mother of the nature child / heroine in The Year of the Rabbit. 

A sense of order with sorting, packing and moving

As I step up efforts to downsize our material baggage, I am facing a dilemma of what to do with the copious books residing in our home.  They seem quite comfortable and content in the living room bookcases and in a couple of bedrooms.  Unfortunately, we may not be able to fit all of them in the smaller abode.  Some of them have not even been cracked open yet!

I will have to be selective with which ones can reside in the new bookcase arrangement, which ones will go into storage and which ones will have to find a new home.  It's a difficult decision. 

As I sort through the books of different subjects and attempt to maintain a logical order, I think about the library work term in Muskoka many years ago.  

As I sort out my little corner of the world, I acknowledge that the challenges I face are insignificant compared to recent tragedies and losses experienced by our fellow citizens.  My thoughts and prayers go out to them.