NEIGHBORS

The new house is small.  Twelve hundred square feet and all on one floor.  There is an attached garage for a shop and a full basement for sewing.  True I won't have the full windows for daylight but all of my sewing and quilting work space will be in one area.  I won't have to trek outside to sew and upstairs to quilt.  Plus there will be a small area for tinkering.

 We have living neighbors as well who are very friendly and know our grandson.  There are other friends of the family who live on the other side of the cemetary. Ready made community.

Bonus, there is an apple tree on the property with different variety of apples grafted on to the same tree.  I will plant some berries, maybe take along some mock orange, and of course, the iris.

I was out in the shop the other day. I started crying. It's ok to grieve. I don't know when I will be back to sewing machine tinkering.  I know I will again.  Maybe as early as July.  Certainly not for the next two weeks.  Sigh. 

Today completed the 6th of 6 cycles of chemotherapy. The next few days will be hell and then I slowly come back to life.  In a month I go back for re-staging.  That's the scary part. 

One thing I do know, when I die my obituary will not read "She fought a courageous battle against lymphoma."  Not me.  I am a fucking coward.

More Lilacs

Our house was built around one hundred years ago.  I am certain that no one has refinished the woodwork in all that time.  Until now.  This is the only window that opens in the house. The cord that was connected to the sash weights on the other four had rotted or been cut. I do know how to replace that cord (AMHIK) but we decided that we had enough ventilation with the screened front door, this window, and the three kitchen windows.  So we sealed the other four with caulk when we moved in nineteen years ago.   Oil wasn't cheap then and it isn't cheap now.  The large plate glass affords lots of light and lots of heat loss.  Even so, I will miss these windows.  

Spark of Joy

We had a cool spring with lots of rain. The lilacs loved it.

It is so beautiful here in the summer.  I simply love this place.  So, yes, I am somewhat sad to leave.  It is time.

A few weeks ago I read a NY Times article about Marie Kondo. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/10/magazine/marie-kondo-and-the-ruthless-war-on-stuff.html. I think I will read her book.  The question: should I buy an e-book or the real thing?  The real thing (paper book, hardcover or not) will add to my stuff.  I could, pass it along, spreading her wisdom. Dilemma.

I applied what I learned from that article as I sorted through my clothes.  Ms Kondo recommends handling each possession, evaluating for the "spark of joy" and if absent, thanking the object before disposal. I was all about disposal. I handled each object, found no spark and tossed the item.  No gratitude for its service from me. I ditched two thirds of my clothes. I even discarded those "Oh but it  might fit someday again!" jeans, skirts, shirts, pants. 

Let's see what happens when I go to the Sewing Machine Repair Shop where most of my machines now reside.  I think I will find too much joy out there.  Shoot.