If you look through our blog, you'll see that we've had quite difficult summers over the years...this one was especially hard.
My mom renovated the house maybe 10 years ago and at the time instead of purging, she had them make "more places" for her to store things...
So when we were de-cluttering, it was a "treasure trove" full of stuff in boxes.
You just don't realize how much stuff can fit in a closet until you have to actually empty it.
The rule of "if you haven't opened a box, looked at the contents in a couple of years, you probably do not need it" is true.
My mom kept everything...receipts, documents, you name it, she had it neatly filed away.
And while it was interesting looking at documents from my parents first couple years of marriage! their grades from elementary school and such, shredding all those documents was not fun.
I overheated and overloaded the shredder too many times to count.
A quote that I heard on a "Super Soul" podcast by Abraham Joshua Heschel kind of stuck out in my mind, "Things when magnified are forgeries of happiness" (It's not that we shouldn't have "things" we should just appreciate what we do have and make the most use of them.)
When deadlines arose, (I think) personalities of people really showed.
It kind of reminded me of the different ways my brother and I did homework...I was the type to "just get it done", so I would have more time to get out and play.
My brother, on the other hand, seemed to be the opposite, he would (procrastinate or maybe he was just more thorough) stay up late the night before something was due...
She probably won't miss me, but I will truly miss "hugging" (terrorizing) her and having our "conversations".
I know she was stressed seeing everything being brought out of closets, her hiding places taken away.
She let us know she was stressed (maybe even depressed) by peeing everywhere EXCEPT where she was supposed to.
I got first hand of this when I sat in one of her "puddles" when she had peed in a chair, stepped in one when she peed on my slipper and once when she did so in or near my suitcase (actually she probably is getting back at me for all the terrorizing...)
She is not the cuddly type and I was totally not a cat person before meeting her but I am thankful for her keeping me "zen".
I am also thankful for my Aunties (blood and not), BFF, V and the many friends who took the time out of their busy schedules to spend some time with me, for keeping me "zen" and on track.
Very thankful that I don't have to work, so I can do these all these "chapters" in life.
Also appreciate the virtual and real life friends who reached out and shared their "purging" stories as well as their hurdles in selling their family homes.
It reassured me that I was not alone going through these things and was definitely not the first to do so.
Very thankful for Satoshi for letting me be away from him this long...thankful for technology so we could facetime (so that I could help him find stuff around the house as well as be his "alarm clock"...)
You should know that while I was here, MIL fell and was hospitalized (BIL says she is on the mend and should be discharged soon) and Satoshi's nephew's wife had a baby (when I get back to Japan, we are sending them LOTS of diapers!)...
I also hope the family that is purchasing this house will enjoy living in this neighborhood and enjoy the house.
It has been a long yet short 90-plus days here.
As always, it was delicious (maybe too delicious?! I need to go on a diet!!)
This summer was krazy super hot and humid.
And if you are worried that I won't be back to Hawaii, I will, my stay may not be as long, but next year, some time after the (Tokyo) Olympics...I need to renew my license (hoping "that" adventure won't be too painful)
Thank you Mom and Dad, I will treasure the memories of this house and you.
Take care and be well.
Talk to you from the other side of the world.
