THE UPS AND DOWNS OF DOWNSIZING

    Downsizing is not for sissies... or pack rats ... or people who would prefer not to get hernias. But we did it! And lived to tell the tale. We have the strained muscles to prove it. There were times when I wondered what I was thinking when I let Gerhardt lure me to an open house at a condo. I took one look at the view and all my brains fell out. The condo itself was new and pretty with hardwood floors and plenty of kitchen storage. And who wouldn't fall in love with the view of Puget Sound - ferries going back and forth, aircraft carriers passing by, gulls swooping, the tide gently whooshing. Oh yes, I was in love. We came back a second time to measure and see where we could put our furniture and I discovered that, in my absence, the place had shrunk. But by now there was no turning back.
    So, in we moved and the whining began. I don't like my gas oven. Ick! My fridge beeps at me if I leave it open too long and it has the poorest excuse for a freezer I've ever seen. And, speaking of, there's no room for my freezer! Where am I supposed to put my winter stock of berries and mushrooms? Sigh. And all my husband's stuff? Well, it's taken over many areas. The old furniture had to go and we're waiting to get dollhouse furniture to put in the postage stamp that passes for our living room.
    Having said all that... here are the up sides:
    No more weeding. Yay!!! My gardening now consists of pots on the balcony. I brought kale with me and I've planted spinach, which has already come up. The strawberries and rhubarb made the transition just fine.
    Travel is sooo easy. We walk the couple of blocks to the ferry with our carry-on, hop on the boat and once we hit the city take the light rail to the airport. No more airport parking. Yay! Hopping on the boat is my new favorite activity. It's fun to take a ferry into Seattle and just kick around.
    Fun activities are within walking distance. Our little town is in the process of transforming itself into a liveable, fun place, and one of the things they're offering is a concert on Friday nights. Last night we walked the couple of blocks to participate in "Rock the Dock" and enjoy a free concert and fun family atmosphere. (See pictures below - is that baby the cutest thing you've ever seen or what? She was the friendliest baby ever. I'm sure she'll grow up to be in public relations.)
    We've also discovered that we've bought into a very nice community. I've already found a book club and one kind lady took me in when I found myself locked outside my condo. "You learn to take your keys everywhere," she informed me. Lesson learned. I didn't think I'd need them since Gerhardt was inside. But he'd fallen asleep and didn't hear me banging on the door. I'm sure everyone else did!

    Needless to say, we're settling in. I'm getting used to life without a house and a freezer (adapt or die, baby), and life is good. I've done some exploring of our little town and have found some very interesting shops - some of which donate proceeds to good causes. Hope to blog about them soon.

So, for those of you who moved this summer... I feel your muscle pain. For those of you contemplating downsizing... you can do it!