We have a date for the relocation of The Ravishing Mrs. TB.
This has been a bit of a longer decision making process than she (or I) likely imagined 8 months ago when we came out here for a house hunting tour. Part of that was due to the fact that she wanted to give her work as much notice as possible about her impending relocation. Another was the simple fact that she still has a life going on there, both with Na Clann and her own interests, that needs to be wound down. Third is that with her relocation and going to part time, it will change our finances and there was some sense in delaying that as long as we could.
Still, delaying something is not the same as letting it run on forever. Final details are still to be worked out, but sometime in the middle of January 2025 she will be here on a more or less permanent basis.
I say "more or less". Given the recent death of The Master Sergeant, it is quite likely (and we have discussed it) that she will be spending chunks of time at her mother's to help with various and sundry things. Fortunately the flight - the same flight I take to Old Home now - is only 1.5 hours total, so it is (relatively) convenient. And being part-time will mean that she has the ability to help her mother in a way that trying to fit it into a weekend visit will not allow (as I have found out myself).
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The relocation comes at an inflection point in our lives: for the first time in many years we find ourselves largely without the responsibility of children or a house (well, I mean there are still some financial obligations, but none of the making sure the children are fed and clothed or mowing the lawn). Somewhat remarkably, we have not been in this position since before the turn of the century, which is a long time to wake up all of a sudden and find that things are completely different.
What happens next? As God is my witness, I do not know. I have been consciously trying to minimize my commitments here beyond church and Iaijutsu to leave space for her arrival, whenever it happened - unlike New Home, I am trying to leave time to do things, not pack my calendar completely full. Undoubtedly there will be a certain amount of exploring to do, and reconsideration of all the things we have moved, and maybe a more permanent address for a bit. In a bizarre sense, the world is suddenly our oyster.
How remarkably odd to find out that an enforced relocation has resulted in all kinds of new beginnings.
The Mists of the Future have parted a bit eh,TB? Who knew changes happen? Uh.....cue David Bowie....what was that song of his? Apologies for so many question marks..... :)
ReplyDeleteNylon12 - I laughed out loud when I read your comment. When was the last time I thought of that Bowie Song? An apt reference Sir, an apt reference.
DeleteI used to see it as sand in the air. After a while, it falls back out and you can see clearly. If it were anyone else, I advise taking stock and making a good plan. I think you have that done six ways from Sunday already. Don't overthink it, and go with your 'instincts' (RTB and gut). Oddly, RTB can mean Return To Base. Maybe this is the chance to reset to an earlier vision of life you and the Missus had.
ReplyDeleteSTxAR - I like the image (and will promptly borrow it for the future).
DeleteWe have the beginnings of what I would call a plan, although not fully developed - but at least I can say with some confidence the next one to two years seem clearer. I think the biggest plus is the fact that - barring the unknown of course - we have a base of operations for a while to think through the next steps.
RTB sounds like a great concept. I will think on this more.
Even with some uncertainties, it's nice to see progress on the chaos. Not that it was really chaos, but with so many changes in your lives, old routines needed to be replaced with new ones. And the new ones were up in the air until the practical realities took shape. It's nice to see things working out.
ReplyDeleteLeigh, it is. I mean, there is still some uncertainty to be worked through (such as how now The Ravishing Mrs. TB's travel to her mom's), but they see less now.
DeleteI am sure that with her arrival things will change some yet again, which is also to be expected. But again, that seems okay, at least to me. It will be enough of an adjustment learning to live effectively "on our own" again.
How exciting it must be for you, to have a date when your core can be together again as a family unit with exploration to look forward too. I feel where I am now, it probably the most developed root system I have placed down in my life and feel kind of root bound at times. Kind of relating to your most recent post, I feel sort of like a big corporation, unagile and bloated. Perhaps when my last child leaves the nest, I will have the courage to lop all the excess and do some exploring one last time before my days of exploring come to a close.
ReplyDeleteEd, "root bound" is not a bad concept to describe things, and something that I have thought about more than once in the intervening months since my move. In a sense I was "root bound" in that my life had a very defined schedule almost every day of the week - not that any of those things were bad (they were not), but that it essentially circumscribed my ability to do new things, or even think about doing them. Being "kicked out" of my comfort zone by a job loss and a move has made me re-evaluate things a great deal.
DeleteThe Ravishing Mrs. TB already is making plans for the near future. There may very well be a lot more adventuring in the not too distant future.