It's T-7 days till moving day, and we have just come back from Memphis where I had my first look at our house on top of a house. Yep, it sounds weird and it is a bit weird. But what it is is a huge house and I do mean huge---that was built in 1945 as two houses in one. So it's a duplex, but not side by side-- instead it's upstairs and downstairs. And we have the upstairs, much to my gardening chagrin.
The first thing I did was to test the windows to see if they were painted shut. I thought if I could get some air in there, I might be able to adjust more quickly. Success there. And the interior was freshly painted and clean and certainly roomy. No complaints there. So, not wanting to appear ungrateful, I am trying to keep a positive attitude. But those of you who know me, know it's hard for me to hide my feelings--I'm just not a good faker. I'm telling myself that lots of people do not have a comfortable place in which to live, especially in today's market. And I am lucky that we have found a wonderful place in a beautiful, safe neighborhood. And Clark and I are blessed that he landed a great job after the company he worked for in Montgomery closed its doors after over 100 years. So I should be counting my blessings. But isn't it OK to be sad when you are giving up something you love? The thing is, we knew we were not going to be here forever, I just didn't know how much I would like it out here in the Alabama woods. I mean Clark can call an owl in, even in the daytime. How cool is that?
And what about Rhonda the rogue deer, and Clyde the rat snake, and Maxwell and Maxine, the tree frogs who serenade us at night? And our bluebirds?? We have watched around 3 nestings of babies fledge every year for the last 4 seasons which amounts to 2 dozen of those beautiful birds hanging around our house. Oh, and our wild turkeys! The only Wild Turkey I'll see is in the bars on Beale Street. And don't get me started on all the flowers, shrubs and trees we have planted and enjoyed. I'm missing my huge gardenias already.
I try not to get depressed thinking about fences and train noises and Poplar Ave. traffic. When I was a little girl, I wanted to be "Girl" on Tarzan. Heck, they had "Boy"; why not a small version of Jane swinging around playing with Cheetah? And when I was little, I spent a lot of time in my tree. So this makes perfect sense, right?
Now let me say that I am also a fan of Memphis. It has its problems, but it is home to us, and we have family and friends there. And just down the road a bit is our alma mater, Ole Miss, and our friends in Oxford. And a huge plus is the airport is in the same city in which we live--not an hour and a half away--very good for visiting with my kids and grandkids. So, I keep telling myself it will be fine, and I will adjust, and I will find something there that I will love doing.
But I just didn't see this one coming either........maybe the bluebirds in Memphis will, because I'm going to our new place armed with my bird feeder and my trusty mealworms.
1 comment:
I just can't resist loving people who will name the frogs and snakes and deer that wander near their home. I know you'll miss it just as much as I'll miss my blueberry bushes when I someday have to move from this place that's been my home for more than 20 years. (No time soon, I hope.) But turning the page brings new adventures and new people and creatures to love and happy times we'll miss when the next page is turned. In the end the book you've written will be marvelous as I'm certain you know. I've lived in Memphis too and it is pretty cool. My first born son arrived at the hospital in Millington so I guess you'd say he's a native. We lived in a cute little house on Altruria Road in Bartlett and were the first in the area to have a solar water heater. We were even in the local paper! I have loads of wonderful memories from that city.
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