Fast forward and then slow down

So much has happened since I last checked in that it’s hard to know where to start! The bottom line is that we had a full-price offer on our house in West Lake Hills after two days in MLS. We were able to set the closing for November 30th, so the family came for one last Thanksgiving in that house. It was a lovely day, and it gave our kids the chance to say goodbye to the house and to clean out the last of their stuff.

Selling the house was a cause for sentimental reflection, but not sadness. We had almost 25 wonderful years there, for which we are more grateful than we can express. But that house is made for a family, and two people kind of rattle around in it. Our buyers have young kids, and we wish them the best as this house becomes their home.

Mark and I spent the three weeks before coming here at our little house in Dripping Springs. The packing up, storing Mark’s Mustang, and shipping off our boxes for Spain (see you in three months, shoes!) kept us crazy busy.

A week ago was our last Sunday worship at First Methodist. This church has been an important part of our lives in Austin. We will be back to visit, but to our deep delight our pastors blessed us and wished us Godspeed, and after the service we collected hugs and prayer shawls to serve as remote hugs as we travel on. That all felt great.

Getting back to the mundane, Mark and I were working on getting the house closed up, laundry done, etc., until about 5PM on Friday. Happily for us, our dear friends Vivian and Jimi Ballard invited us to spend the night with them so as to be able to leave housekeeping issues behind for a night. We ate, drank, and made very merry with two of the nicest people ever. And then on Saturday it was off to the airport for us!

So after lots of miles and hauling of super heavy luggage, here we are in New Hampshire. Our darling daughter Mary is with us; apparently babies arrive on Christmas (there’s precedent for that, I hear), so our dear Jane and JJ are in Cleveland for the holiday. It’s my 60th Christmas and my first one with snow and outside of Texas. These two conditions are probably causally associated.

After a lovely service this morning at the local Methodist church, we are hanging out in the condo and doing a whole lot of nothing. Life is good!