It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new.
But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful.
There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.
Alan Cohen
"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
Groucho Marx
The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.

Thursday, December 31, 2015

A New Year

I am taking the example of the wonderful John / Going Gently and summing up my year .. looking forward to the New Year ... very much actually.

2015 brought more adjustment to the huge sad change in my life. I cannot imagine ever feeling like Life is Normal again but the new version of Life is getting back to the New Normal.

Minette and I spent a lot of time listening to music and watching shows on TV that I had watched in a previous life with my husband.
We also took a lot of naps, read books / thank you Kindle and had visitors now and then to break the solitude that we both adapted to.

I tried to take my sons advice and stop worrying about bills and money . Having never been in charge of it all / house/cars/bills etc ... I was very insecure .. well, actually Terrified would describe it better.
He helped as did my daughter with tips on how they do things and how to Manage.
Learning to Manage has been an ongoing lesson for me.

The sad chores of putting Things in my name only took longer than I would have liked but everything went accordingly and I am now on my own officially .
With all the responsibilities and I am proud to say I was only late once for a bill that I forgot had to be paid. By me. The One who does all that stuff now.

I decided in the Spring that I wanted to sell the house. I saw a much more charming house in an area I liked that cost less than this one.
Sadly, no one really loved my house and the charming house was sold.  I took this house off the market after becoming totally sick of the whole ordeal and the bossy realtor.

It was a beautiful summer. I never had the a/c on in the bedroom. not once.
We had a family, mama, daddy , baby deer who made the garden home .. the cats and I would watch them with held breath as they crossed the street at night, in the dark,  to go to their other area for eating and hanging out.

My friend who lived here before moving to Florida with her Marine husband and their new baby, continues to write to me and she was able to visit once.. there are so many days that I wish she lived here still and we could sit and play with the baby and laugh and talk.
She is a very good laugh and talker. And baby Ethan is enchanting. And the happy news is young Ethan is going to have a new brother  ... I will be a Fairy Godmother of 2 !!!

Someone wanted to buy the house. I accepted the offer. They backed out.
I quit.

In the late Summer, I was overwhelmed with "Nature" ... first Bees.
I am seriously allergic to bee stings .. like heart stopping allergic.
Imagine my delight when I noticed more wasps than usual around the house .. a couple got in the house. Then I saw the nest. Attached To the house ...
The bee man was called.
He fixed it.
 No More Bees.

Maybe a month later, I noticed a cricket in the garage.
 I like crickets.
So do the Japanese.

About a week later, taking laundry down to the basement, there were more crickets. Never saw one in the house.
I called the exterminator and asked what to do.
He said they should die from the previous poison.
That made me sad.
I went down about a week later and they had all disappeared, no body to be found.
Not one.
A mystery.

Minette and I adopted an old cat. I wanted her to have cat company .. and planned to go to the place where I got her.
But I looked at the County  Animal Shelter web page and on the front page was this photo .. an old Himalayan cat .. blue eyes, all squinted in the light and cranky looking.
I fell in love with that cranky face.
I was at their door the next day. He is the oldest sweetest softest and now, heaviest cat that I have ever had ( we are not counting Minette) and I adore him ... as does Minette.
In fact, they nap together, eat side by side, look out the windows together .. they won't admit it but they love each other .
He is such a magical old man, we named him Merlin.

This fall/winter Merlin, Minette and I decided it was time to move to Florida.
The house sale failure and the lack of houses for me, plus the cost of living in New York State, convinced me that warmer weather, more sunshine and being in a less stressful environment would be nice.
The cats agreed.
So the house went on the market and here we sit.

I was warned that houses don't sell as fast where I live as they do in other places so I am trying to enjoy where I am while I wait to leave where I am.
The cats agree, they enjoy the chipmunk watching and the late night deer sightings and snuggling with Mama when winter hits.

So this is where we stand .. It is almost 2016 .. a new home, location and a new life is waiting to happen .. until then I am trying to appreciate the beauty of where I am and being able to see my son and his family now and then.

I admit I also like the idea of how close to Buenos Aires, Florida is.
A shorter less expensive flight and friends telling me there is room for a visitor.

The Future ... The New Year is going to be Exciting and Fun and hopefully Happy.

And that is what I wish  for all of you ... an Exciting, Fun and Happy New Year ~











14 comments:

  1. Life ebbs and flows, but by some miracle or another we make it through to a New Year...
    A new start, to adjust to old ways, or simple to just be, whatever path you take, I hope it is filled with happiness, peace and contentment.
    Happy 2016 !
    ~Jo

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  2. I didn't realize you'd had to learn all about personal finance, and under such stress. Good for you, for coping so well.

    Best wishes for a happy and healthy new year in a location you love.

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  3. You've come a long way in a year. I hope someone comes and buys your house soon and loves your chipmunks and deer just as much as you do.

    I hope you have a better 2016 than 2015 was. Health, happiness and contentment are my wishes for you this coming year.

    ReplyDelete
  4. "By some miracle or other " ... oh Jo, no truer words were ever spoken :)
    Thank you very much.

    Emm ... shock kept me slightly buffered from most of the harder to cope with parts of reality .. the new reality .. I sort of missed that when it went away .. A friend of mine who has been through it .. was always there with advice and sympathy ... what we would all do without our friends ?

    hetie .. sometimes I think anything will be better than this past couple of years but I try not to think that way often. A change in location, scenery etc will no doubt make a huge difference in life for me .. the cats are just making sure they still get to sleep in my bed with me at night .. so we are all ready for the next move.

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  5. I wish you every happiness & good health for the New Year. 2015 was not a great year for me so I'm looking forward to a fresh start; I have learned however to be grateful for small victories, so with one foot in front of the other & one day at a time we'll see what's in store for us in 2016.



    Barb

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  6. Barb, Happy New Year and here is hoping that this new year is going to be wonderful ...

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  7. I love the idea of enjoying where you are while waiting to leave where you are. Enjoy the moment, that's something I always try to keep in mind :-)
    I hope the new year will bring you lots of smile, positive changes and happiness!!

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  8. Thank you Tamago, my husband was very good at accepting the moment and still planning and looking forward to whatever ... I am trying to be more like he was ..

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  9. I hope you get your wishes this year.
    Happiness, and a move to Florida with your sweet kitties.
    Happy 2016

    cheers, parsnip

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  10. Thank you parsnip .. Happy New Year to you too !

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  11. Wishing you all the best and sending magic telepathic commands to the universe to deliver it unto you (yes, I can do that, just you wait and see). ;)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Andrew, you are a sweetheart, I love people who make commands to the Universe .. they are so very cool. Thank you !

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  13. Hello. I have found youyr blog and bookmarked it. I wish you a fruitful, peaceful 2016 that brings you what you wish for.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thank you , you sweet little Dormouse :)

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