December packing woes

Hi All:

It’s been a month since my last newsletter and it’s gone from summer to winter - 75 degrees to below zero and about seven inches of snow.

I finally began going through things, packing away and organizing in preparation for my winter away from here in California. I’m, still having a hard time packing Barb’s things away. Every once in awhile I’ll run across something that brings on a torrent of tears.

I spent a wonderful Thanksgiving week with my Michigan girls and their families. After losing the use of both vehicles in a single day - the transmission went on my pickup and the merc blew its water pump. My thoughtful daughters didn’t want me to drive up in Buford so they arranged for a rental car. Because I was late getting away I stopped Wednesday night at Robbie and Bob’s then headed for Mindy and Joe’s Thanksgiving day morning.

I spent my first ever Thanksgiving day with the Guraks. After a lovely turkey dinner we played Star Wars Monopoly for hours. Everyone played and we really enjoyed the day. Joseph and Chantel thoroughly enjoyed playing with Charlie and I’m sure he did as well. Then we played poker - no money of course - until it was time for bed. Friday we all relaxed and again played Monopoly and poker. Saturday about noon I left Charlie to harass the Guraks and headed over to the Hellers. Just to be safe, I left Charlie with Joseph and Chantel because of Jack and Luna, Dee Dee and Dave’s bull mastiffs.

Saturday night the whole gang threw a birthday dinner for me at an Italian restaurant. A good time was had by all and I received some really great presents. Of course I had some teary moments as Barb was always such a big part of my birthday celebrations in the past.

Sunday we had a relaxing day and even managed to help Dave install some support beams in their new garage. They have certainly dressed up that little house. Dave’s expertise shows everywhere.

Monday morning I left Dee Dee as she headed for work, returning to Mindy and Joe’s to pick up Charlie. Mindy and I managed a long talk around Chantel’s antics. It was a very pleasant day for me and my baby and her baby. A special visit long overdue. When Joseph came home from school, we played poker and then I taught him how to play gin rummy. Joseph is such a courteous, considerate boy. He’s also very competitive. Reluctantly, I left early in the evening and headed for the Fee’s and my last visit before heading home.

I arrived just in time for dinner and then - the lights went out. Because of the power outage, the twins’ practice for their band concert on the 30th was cancelled. Because their band wasn’t able to practice, their part in the concert on Tuesday was postponed for several weeks. Tuesday, Robbie and I had a chance to visit one-on-one, a rare pleasure for me. Then Tuesday evening we went to the high school for the band concert with Nicole’s band. It was a nice concert and they really did an excellent job. My little granddaughter is quite a flutist. (or is that supposed to be flautist?) I missed seeing Jessie and Danni perform, but I’ll catch them later at another performance.

Wednesday morning I headed home hoping to miss the impending lake effect snows. (It was clear almost all the way home.)

Since then I’ve been packing and cleaning in preparation for my trip west and for the family who are going to live in the house for the winter. I called Grace College looking for someone to live here and they immediately came up with their new athletic director and his family. They are moving here from Lexington Kentucky and must sell their house there and find one here. Living in our house until the end of the next quarter in April will give them the chance to look for a place without too much time pressure. It will be good for both of us. They have a boy nine and a six-month-old baby daughter.

I’m packing as much as I can in our cargo trailer which will remain in our back yard for the winter. It’s water tight so all will be kept dry and secure. I’ve been trying to get all of Barbs’ things out - the ones she has listed in her will - out, packed and into the hands of those she wanted to have them. I may not be able to take care of all of this before I head west, but at least it will be ready for next spring and summer. I’m packing things away so the Newtons will have places to put their clothes and other things. Plastic boxes are beginning to proliferate around here.

I am pushing to get everything done so I can relax a few days before I leave. Things are not moving along as well as I had hoped and I am beginning to be concerned I will not be ready by the nineteenth. Then of course, there is the weather to deal with. I’ll have to go over the Wasatch Mountains into Salt Lake City and I did that once before in a foot of fresh snow. If you’ve never heard that story you’ll have to wait until my next book of short stories. It will definitely be included along with quite a few others. I may end up with an autobiography written in short stories. If the weather gets bad enough, I’ll just hole up in Buford and wait ‘til the roads clear. I’ll try not to do anything stupid.

My next entry in this family and friends saga will doubtless come from California. Maybe from someplace on the way should I have to hole up for a day or two.

Take care! And thanks for your continuing solace and kind words. They really do help.

With love to all, Ho