I’m writing this one on the fly. A short one at that. Now on the cusp of May, April was a whirlwind, kicking up dust everywhere, pushing me into my future. And, there’s still so much to do. I feel overwhelmed, yet exhilarated to be moving forward. After putting my house on the market, it is under contract with the closing looming just ahead, the inspections and appraisal but an April memory.
During all of that, out of the blue came my optometrist’s diagnosis for cataract surgery. Silly me, I thought I was just in need of a new prescription. You know, aging and all. When I couldn’t read a single letter on the chart using my left eye, my stomach felt as if an iron ball dropped into it. My first instinct was to put surgery off until the house closed and I’d been to Italy and back. But, if I was to see anything in Italy and find my way around airports, surgery was a must have it done. I could feel my shoulders drooping under the additional weight. Fortunately, it’s a common surgery and I was in good hands with people who orchestrated all the appointments, and there were many, without a hitch. That’s now behind me. After 30 years, I can see without glasses! Tuscany here I come.
My son-in-law is a busy guy who has my new build on his calendar for an October start. No, I don’t get favoritism for being his mother-in-law and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Fair is fair, which brings me to finding a place to live for the next year. Rents are high with few apartments available. Feeling further burdened with finding a suitable temporary home, you can’t imagine the happy dance I did upon discovering a one story two car garage unit in a new walkable neighborhood at a reasonable rent. And, both my roommates are welcome (meow meow).
Now for the packing, closing, transferring utilities and the bazillion changes in address, moving, unpacking with no time to settle in before flying out to Tuscany for the trip of a lifetime. My biggest worry? Yes, the cats. I’m upending their little lives then disappearing for ten days. Did I mention feeling overwhelmed? Through all the packing I’ve thought seriously about becoming a minimalist. Not joking. With all the giving away, selling and donating over the last year I still have so much furniture and stuff, too much furniture and stuff. But, I’ll address that at some other moment in time. For now, I’m moving forward. And, that is what counts.
Kathy's Retirement Blog 
I love your blog, retirement and aging was always in the distant future, yet here we are. My husband and I-retired in 2020, the pandemic was the driving force, Our house sold in an hour so we relocated to our little cape on Martha’s Vineyard. We spent months throwing out a lot of stuff, and when emptying our storage unit this January to retrieve the last of our belongings, we realized we kept way too much. No one wants my grandmother’s dishes, or my mother in law’s Chrystal, and good for them! I kept everything, because our parents were of the Depression era, and they passed on that “what if” attitude to us! Today less is more, and time so important. More time to visit friends, more time to spend with family, more time to listen to the birds in the garden. I don’t want to waste time moving around stuff. Enjoy Tuscany, enjoy your new adventure. Time is of the essence!
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Exactly! No one wants all the chrystal and I have tons of it from my mother-in-law. But, no one entertains like that anymore doing cocktail parties and large dinners. It’s very casual these days and I like it that way. So, I don’t even want it. My new house won’t have the space for storing it. Like you, I’m finding less is more time to do what I enjoy.
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Thank you for sharing about your life. Hope to hear all about your trip!! Candy P.
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Candy, Thank you for letting me share about my life with you. I am planning on photos and posting about my trip to Tuscany!
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Have a wonderful time in Tuscany. I leave this Thursday for 2 weeks in Italy, a lot of it on my own. First trip on my own in my life.
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Gail you’re braver than I am. I’m going with the MSU Travel Program so solo, but not solo. Maybe next time I’ll go on my own. Let me know how your trip to France goes. I’ve always wanted to visit France, too. Maybe next time.
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Not Italy but France.
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Fun adventures ahead. I’ve been in a bit of a sea change year as well and understand how the overwhelming feelings creep in. Enjoy Tuscany and the place where you are now!
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I just read this weekend that change takes place when something in our lives falls apart. I thought it was an interesting take on why we move forward. We all go through those sea changes and feeling overwhelmed is part of the territory. I’m looking forward to Tuscany and the other products of my “sea change”. Take care.
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Sounds like an exciting change Kathy, though overwhelming at times.
My husband and I are going through a big clean up, giving away, selling items in preparation for a downsize down the track. So much stuff!
Italy sounds wonderful. Enjoy your trip to Tuscany. I look forward to hearing about the highlights of your trip.
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I understand the cleaning out of a lifetime of stuff. I’m still coming across items that I have no idea why I’ve kept them. My new rule is if I haven’t used it in the last year and it doesn’t add meaning to my life, then it goes. I’m planning on posting about my trip to Tuscany. Can’t wait to share!
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Wow – you have had a lot going on!!! Sheesh!! I have a small cataract
forming so hoping it will progress slowly.. Yay for the trip to Italy!
Hope you can get all the moving details taken care of – that is a lot!
Renee In SC
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My cataracts progressed slowly so I’ve known for years this was coming, but they got worse a lot sooner than my doctor anticipated. Apparently, that happens sometimes. Take care.
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