Life moves on

and somehow I find that things are other than what I anticipated - sometimes better, sometimes worse. I used to have the notion that retirement would be so wonderful. I'd have plenty of time to do all the things I wanted to do but never had time for when I was working. Well, I do have time but not the energy, health, or financial state I thought I'd have. So I'm making adjustments. Don't we all? My parents were always doing something artsy/craftsy so it was natural for me to do the same. I can't tell you how many different activities of that nature I've done over the years. And I've accumulated a lot of supplies! Some of the things I used to do I don't expect or want to do again. For instance, counted cross-stitch is a thing of the past due to aging eyes. So I'm trying to go through my supplies and instruction booklets and so on and down size. I've got a big box in the living room - a "take-away" box as my friend, Chloe, calls it. In it I'm stashing items to go to the local Children's Hospital Thrift Store. And I've got a tote bag next to it to put in old quilt magazines for a friend who's making quilts for her grandchildren. Tonight I went through 3 magazine holders full of patterns, memories, and dreams and culled heavily. Gone now are cross stitch patterns, patterns for sewing stuffed characters, and booklets full of wedding ideas. As I added these to the take-away box, I remembered happy lunches with my friends at the Virginia Beach telephone office years ago. Counted cross stitch was a big deal back then and on paydays we'd take long lunches so we could stop in at Piece Goods (a fabric and craft store that's been closed for years now) and buy new pattern booklets and skeins of floss for our next project. I miss those ladies! I used to make silk flower arrangements for weddings at one time too: bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres, flower girl baskets, table arrangements and so on. That was fun but rarely profitable as I never charged much above materials. I didn't want to add to the financial stress of the brides. I held on to a thick handful of these booklets and plastic sleeves filled with ideas for favors and so on because I thought I might need them one day for my son's wedding. But he is going on 36, has been with his present girlfriend 5 years now and they are in no rush to marry. I've just learned she's decided to go back to college for her vet. tech. license. That's a year of prelims and at least 2 more years. By the time they get around to getting married (they are talking after she's finished school and is working?) I may well be gone. Besides, they don't want a traditional wedding and chances are, none of these ideas would work with their thoughts on a beach wedding. So into the box the stuff goes. No, you can't see much difference yet but I hope by month's end there will be more empty shelves and fewer boxes of supplies etc. I'm only going to hang onto thing I think I really will use and I'm trying to be realistic about that. One good thing is less will make house cleaning easier, right?