 |
| The lake where I live from higher up ©2010 PK Hawk |
As many of you already know, I sold my home of the past ten and a half years, and finally opted to downsize and live near a local lake. I may eventually use my inflatable boat for lolling around on the peaceful waters. I may even do some occasional fishing. Most of the fish I would catch will be released back into the lake. I will only keep a few for dinner, and share a few with friends and my older sister.
The moving really did drag on, since the youngest of our motley crew is sixty-three and has severe Osteoporosis. She has broken more bones than she wishes to share with the rest of us. She is still in many ways in better shape than myself, as I have three herniated discs in my lower spine and have had two neck surgeries due to several herniated discs in my neck, as well as having Bronchial Asthma, and Spinal stenosis. I will soon be sixty-seven years of age, and really did not have anyone else to help with the moving and going through things that I had collected over the past many decades.
When a person has been active and involved their entire life, it is really not easy to ask for help, so we both are more inclined to help each other, and carry on. We did get some volunteer help from the very kind gentleman who bought my home, and he even had some of his workers helping move the heavier items, which were moved into storage.
 |
| Snow Bear checking things out at the lakeshore ©2011 PK Hawk |
When it came to setting up my gazebo, my older sister pitched in as well. Mind you, she is already seventy, going on seventy-one. Between the three of us, we setup and put together a 7’x7’ Rubbermaid storage shed, as well as a 10’x12’ canvas screen and curtained gazebo. That was no small task let me tell you. I also built and installed a fenced area for my dogs, so they would not be running amok in neighbor’s yards.
It has nearly nine months now, and I still have not been able to get to the storage facility and go through my two units full of things. I know I really will have to unload lots and lots of things, which I am not likely to ever use or have room for again. There are also many things I could sell, if I ever get around to taking photos and posting them on some online auction or sales site, such as Craig’s List, or maybe eBay. I still will have many things to get rid of, which I will most likely just throw away, or set in front with a sign saying, “FREE.” I will also probably have at least some things which I need to unload, that are worth some money, that I will probably just put into one of the auction units at the storage facility, which they can sell when their monthly auction day comes around.
I have at least two tall cabinets. One is for computers and printers, and the other one is one of those two-door, double door cabinets that is about six feet tall, with shelves inside. I don’t think I will have room to use that thing again, even though I could put it to use. I also have a large “L Shaped” desk, which I will never have room for again. My sewing machine, over-lock machine and several other things are also buried in there someplace. I have blankets, towels, clothing, as well as shoes and boots that I could use, if I could just get to them.
Seriously though ladies and gentlemen, if you are reaching an age when you need to begin downsizing, I strongly suggest you begin… Yesterday. The older and more infirm you get, the more likely you will end up having to leave it to someone else to do it for you. You probably will not like that, one little bit. Unless you are of secure financial independence, it would be much wiser to start at least some amount of down-sizing before you reach sixty or sixty-five years of age. Of course, much will also depend on your physical condition, too. Many are in much worse physical condition than I, but many more are worse off than me, too. I am a widow, and have been since I was forty-nine years of age, so I have had to be more self-reliant than someone who may still have his or her marriage mate living. I have also been disabled since the age forty-six, too.
 |
| Early morning walk to the shore ©2011 PK Hawk |
No comments:
Post a Comment