Fact of life: Moving is very stressful

Don’t ever move. Not ever. The CEO-CFO and I decided to make a move and leave our family home with its three stories of squeaky stairs for a more hospitable single story condominium.

We lived in the family dwelling for over 40 years and during these four decades we’ve raised three prized daughters and a gaggle of grandchildren, entertained countless holiday assemblies, and, well, recorded at least one or two million remarkable memories.

All those things are pieces and parts of our really great and fortunate family history. But the years add up and we finally agreed that the house had outgrown us and thus shopped for and found our new, somewhat smaller home.

The positives

At the time of signing a purchase agreement and high-fiving over the fact that we could disperse of some of our less favorite things, such as the mower that started only when it felt like it, and the snow blower that felt the same way about work, came the realization that those two items were just the tip of the iceberg.

What does one do with over half of a lifetime of stuff and indeed, “stuff” is the key word.

What to keep and what to trash?

Several trips to our local Goodwill drop off, more to our local clothing enter, and still more to our local recycle collection bins, brought some satisfaction that others might find uses for our clothing that had suffered closet shrinkage even before we removed the tags as well as dozens and more dozens of household items, tools, and well, stuff.

What a job

Seriously, what a job. We are now moved. Our old house, no longer our home, echoed as we closed the door with the laughter and tears of forty plus years of love.

New environment

So here we are, buried in boxes. Sleeping in a strange bedroom, trying this chair in that spot, wondering if we made the right decision, missing our familiar spot by the fireplace, and more importantly, searching frantically for items of importance.

Things like choke tubes for a favorite shotgun, duck calls that have apparently migrated to unknown hiding spots during the move, and the other hunting boot. Really, now, how can you lose a lace-up leather boot during a somewhat organized move?

Here’s the deal

I am trying to pack for a week-long and soon-to-happen, trip to the Dakotas to chase pheasants. I need two boots, and I need those missing screw-in chokes.

Maybe I don’t because we are still looking for my choice of shotguns, which is locked in the cabinet with my second and third choices.

Losing the key

I know for sure and certain that I’ll get to them as soon as we find the key. I always try to pack lighter than the last time to the same destination and it appears that lighter won’t be a problem, but walking with one leather boot and one sneaker may be awkward at best.

I guessing I will find most of what I’m looking for eventually. But guessing may be as close as I get.

Don’t ever move. Not ever.