The announcement .....

Getting right to the point.

Our home of twelve years, in the town in which we have lived since the Eagles released Heartache Tonight, is going on the market.  And we are, for the time being, replacing it with a 40 foot motorhome.  This is something we've researched and thought about for a quite a while as you already know, if you've followed this blog.

The Beast

The current plan is to do a bit of traveling (nothing drastic) and figure out where we want to settle next... because ... to put it simply ... we can.  Our children, all successfully launched years ago, are of varying opinions of this plan.   But hey, we're still around.  I mean, nobody has died or moved to Fiji.  And we very well might find our next home right back in our current zip code.  Our manufacturing business of 25 years is firmly rooted here.  Husband (in his current status of semi-to-mostly retired) stays connected as needed on consulting and advisory basis and therefore, we figure we need to stay planted within a two to three hour radius.  So ..... who knows?   Old age is approaching, the years are ticking down and, at the risk of you all getting sick of hearing my favorite motto, ..... if you never try, you never know.  My entire life, except for two years at college, has all happened within 20 miles of where I grew up.  Sometimes a soul needs a change of scenery.

There are, of course, plenty of unknowns:

Will our house sell?
Where will we go?  
Will I ever gain the confidence to drive a bus the size of Detroit?
Will our marriage survive shrinking to 350 square feet?
Will I learn to use a convection oven?
Will the GOP ever regain the White House?
Etc.

This is downsizing with a vengeance.  The pool table and two bikes are sold.  Miscellaneous other stuff .... gone.  Goodwill is scoring big time with our discards.   My wardrobe will go from occupying most of a large walk-in closet and dresser to about four feet of closet space and three drawers.  And, sadly, Craigslist produced some buyers for our dear little trailer, who promised to love it as we did.

We have spent our forty years of marital life living according to The Rules.  We have literally defined Establishment.  We have reared four fabulous society-contributing kids (our greatest legacy); built, bought, and sold several homes; tamed acreage; started and ran a successful business providing many jobs and livelihoods; paid enough taxes to support every government worker and program on the continent (it seems); and contributed to the spiritual and physical welfare of generations.   So although certain responsibilities and obligations never cease, as soon as life's details are tied up, handed off, and/or stored away, we will take a brief hiatus to see what this land has to offer.  Together.  Husband and me ....  and the motorcycle.... somehow .... 'cause it's NOT going on Craigslist.

And you -- 'cause you're all invited along, via this blog.