Well, we did do the deed….we sold our lovely, little, goofy old cottage in the Rockies, and moved to the ocean! I have not yet fully grasped all that this means, although I am quite sure I shall never forget the entire ordeal. This, my friends, is the reason I have been off the blogosphere lately…way too long, and I do apologize. You see, it was both a traumatic decision gripped with uncertainty and a wild, bold fling into a long-held dream of adventure. There were days of heartache, days of jubilation, bittersweet goodbyes, and all of these underscored by rampant crazy-making fear.

I, frankly, am still pinching myself. Each day I awaken to warm skies, blossoms and palms. Feeling much as if I will shake awake to discover this all to be impossible…I reach across the table and grab my husband’s hand. We are both so grateful to be able to do this together, now and not later. Yes, now.

I wrote about our plans to sell out in the hot market, and take our chances but to plan, then ‘do’ is often in far measure. Thus, following our 20 year-old vision of living close to the water(if not on it), we took a leap and stuck the For Sale sign out front. Two days later we were under contract, with multiple offers. Sheesh…we were in too deep to back out. Small confession…I wanted to. It all happened…so…fast.

The transactions went fast and easy…we closed weeks before we had planned to be renting a moving van. Packing, sorting, disposing, cleaning…of storage units, shed, and home was overwhelming. The nail-breaking, hair-yanking, stomach-turning, drippy-eyeball kind of overwhelming. Sanity was not EVEN present at this point. 

It took longer than we hoped, drove out in darkness just to get a few miles down the road and get a hotel. All of us needing hot showers, food, ibuprofen, sleep…and a glass or two of wine. We didn’t even make it 20 miles from home before stopping that first night….after our big plans of driving into the next zip code at least!

I can tell you, that driving across the country with a caravan of budget trucks pulling cars is not conducive to restful travel. But it sure as heck felt closer to rest than we had experienced since the first moment we decided to list our house. All we kept saying was how great it was not having to unpack it all for at least five days!

The minute we hit Florida, the moods changed in our little convoy. Even through moving into one (wrongly issued) apartment for a week, as we awaited moving into the correct apartment….nothing has been as heinous as that week we tried to get packed, loaded, and out of our old place.

It did take a few weeks to come to peace with the fact we are not homeowners.We have considered living aboard a boat for years, and it still may be the way we settle in. Right now, we just have no clue…not that this is bad. It is exhilarating to have an abundance of options, being coastal is just the touchstone.

Grateful. Happy. Eager. Ready. It seems still fuzzy. The fact that we not only have a coastal address, but a new address AT ALL. We realize just how rutted we had been. Just how settled and closed. Not to be naive here…we realize there are new obstacles to face, new experiences to embrace, a new home to buy…a new business to get up and running…we will be pushed to now live up to this new challenge. To make the most of it. To give it the chance that it deserves.

We miss our old home, friends, the town ….we will always be Colorado…(devoted Bronco fans forever~and we show our spirit here)..But we stand open to this new adventure, to its problems and its joys, knowing that life has given us a bonus gift. We are ready..

May your 2017 be wildly glorious and inspired. May it be filled with joy, excitement, love, tolerance, and peace. May we all stand as one family, strong against those who would divide us. May all of us step through the next months with a sense of hopefulness and possibility in all of humanity …across the globe. 

Haskell’s Pen~