More Work Than We Bargained For

I have not posted in awhile since we have been consumed with getting things ready for the move. When we decided to pursue this, we knew it was going to be a lot of work but we had no idea how much. It is probably a good thing.  Knowing myself I may have balked at taking the next step. I guess in this case not completely thinking things through could be considered an asset. After all, that is Colleen’s job to be the voice of reason. It just so happens that Colleen was “all in” for this one.

For the first 3-4 weeks there was an electrifying energy around it all. After all there was some fun stuff to do, namely buying the truck and the trailer. With this out of the way, there was work to be done. Thanks to Colleens mother Kathy, she came to help get the house ready to be put on the market. Thank God she did or we never would have been ready to hit the date we had planned. Although we were getting a lot done, it seemed like we were hardly putting a dent in getting the house cleared out. I hit a point of burnout and lost all motivation. Although I knew it had to get done, I just did not have the energy to do it. By this time it was fall and the colors started to change in northern Wisconsin. Colleen and I decided to take a trip since this was going to be the last time we would probably do this in our native state for awhile. By the time we got back I was recharged and again started chipping away on what had to be done. Still there were some days I really did not feel it. On these days I decided to just clear 1 shelf or 1 drawer. These little things added up over time and we began seeing progress.

About 3-4 weeks before departure we had removed most of the things from our house outside what we needed to live on a daily basis (or so we thought). It turned out to be quite a bit more. It was also around this time I learned how much of an effect it had on Colleen to give away her plants. After all, many of them she had for years and grew them from the smallest shoot. She said goodbye to some and some see you later. The “see you laters” went to her Moms house until we circle around again next summer. There was trip after trip to Goodwill. I was going so much that I started to get to know the 2 gentlemen at the donation center. One of them told me “After all of the time we have spent together, make sure you say goodbye before you leave”. A solid indication we accumulated a lot of needless stuff over the years.

The last 2 weeks was particularly stressful. Not only did we have the house to focus on, but we also had last minute appointments to attend and final details to button up. I saw Colleens drive during this final push. She worked long and hard clearing out the drawers with her things. At the end of these days, I could see the exhaustion on her face. Nonetheless, we got it all done. We only had to push our departure date by 2 days.

I love the adage “You are one decision away from a completely different life”  How true this statement is for us.

And now it begins!