Wow, I have been really fortunate the past couple of days. Yesterday morning I was running out the door and the neighbor on the corner stopped me to talk about my hydrangeas that aren’t really thriving. He proceeded to let me know what I needed to do. We say “hello” when we see each other but I don’t know his name or anything else. I thanked him for the advice and let him know I would make the improvements when I got home. Turns out, I came home last night after work and he had already done it and redone my other neighbor’s flowerbed as well. That was so kind and so unexpected. I went to thank him and they will be getting some of my homegrown tomatoes and other treats when they finally ripen.

Just before I left to go to Seattle, I had received some information about someone who had known my mom as a kid and my grandparents and greats as well. This came from the gentleman who had been digging in the Groningen archives for information about my family. It turns out that not only did she know my family, we’re related. She’s my mom’s age and her grandmother and my great grandmother were sisters. I called her on Tuesday and after some confusion on her husband’s part as to why someone from Amsterdam was calling his wife, we had a lovely conversation when she called me back. She was able to tell me stories about going to the beach with my mom, right down to the color of their swim suits. She would visit my mom in the Hague and stay with my grandparents. Next Sunday, we are going to meet face to face. I don’t know which of us is more excited to talk to the other.

I went to see my Rollins painting this afternoon. It is going to need some restoration since it has been hanging on the wall for 20 years or so. After that, it will be moving into our new house. It is enormous and luckily I have a wall big enough for it. Funny enough, the painting that is currently being commissioned to take it’s place on the wall is of Joey Ramone. Go figure 😉

I don’t have big plans for the weekend other than to start sorting through my things and making the usual Becky Method piles. This means you sort by the following criteria: Sentimental/Irreplaceable, Haven’t Used in the Past Year (which automatically means recycle or donate) and Currently in Use. Only Currently in Use and Sentimental are allowed to move. It is a very effective system and I find myself able to apply it without stress or drama. Despite my best efforts not to, I have gotten some new things over the past 20 months and I don’t think I want to take them all with me to the new place. The pets, are of course, going.

I have until the end of October to move. However, things need to happen like closets going in to the new house since they are not built in here. Since I am sort of staying in the neighborhood, two streets away, I can do a lot of small trips myself.

Two weeks from today and we should be arriving in Italy. Astrid went to 900 Classic yesterday to get an oil change, spark plugs changed, etc. I want to make sure everything is running smoothly before we get in the car since it is about 875 miles each way. On the way home, we went through the car wash so now she’s also gorgeous from the outside.

Things are good 🙂 I am really grateful for the quality of my life and the people in it.