Change-a-Comin'

Love is in the air and you know what that means ... change!
We knew our granddaughter Morgan was engaged but yesterday we learned her sister just got engaged. It looks like an exciting 2009! My brother and his wife return today from their Caribbean honeymoon and we had our first yard sale as partners.

It's hard to separate out things we don't need -- duplicate appliances and stuff we've dragged along through life that won't fit in the new plan. Like on TV, we had to decide which stuff to store, or display, or sell or donate. It's surprisingly hard to look at our lives that way after so many years, and I am currently better at the game of detatchment than he is, but we're getting there.

After several weeks of spot-targeting, there was enough for a garage sale. I made cute little signs which were totally unnecessary because we're on a major street and the minute you put a sofa and table on the driveway, everyone stops. He told me that: I didn't listen.

Yard sale day was a kick. One funny, spunky lady really got into it and sold stuff for us to a spanish speaking family. An older guy hung around a while and negotiated a better price on the sofa than the deal I had made. When they left, the sofa guy's wife gave each of us a homemade mexican pastry that was out of this world. In the end we emptied some of the storage unit and garage and have over $300 in the new sofa fund.

Our favorite neighbors were our best customers - isn't that always the way? But I'm sure they will probably make it back the next time we play Tripoley together. Another neighbor bartered with something we wanted for something we had. That was funny, as was the lady from down the block who came by just to tell us she loved the yard.

We had put an up-for-grabs list out to the kids beforehand, and Morgan and Jason came by to keep us company. They came knowing their apartment was full and left with glassware, dishware, a barber pole, a big old box of baseball cards and a full belly. That's just how it works at yard sales - you can't leave empty handed, especially when it's free.

It was the first time any of Randy's family had been here since the transition of households began, and I watched her look around, taking it all in. I know, honey, it's different than it was, and she said, but now the house has you in it and that's good. I just love that girl!

Yesterday, too, my sons got together and moved the last of furniture out of the house in Elk Grove and parceled out tools. We're hosting Thanksgiving for the Fassio Bros. and our eldest son has invited his girlfriend's family to join us. How very interesting! Who knows: maybe there's more change-a-comin'.