Red Shoes
Yesterday I went shopping for new shoes. [I sincerely dislike shopping, but sometimes it is necessary.] After visiting several stores I found a pair of black shoes that looked good and fit well. But then, because it was a “BOGO 50%off” sale I decided to look for a second pair. I found a pair of red heels. I’ve never bought anything quite so flashy before, but, at least somewhat influenced by Jenny Joseph’s poem “Warning” (When I am an old woman I shall wear purple / With a red hat…) — after all I am a mere two years away from retirement and my hair is purple — I decided to buy them.
This morning I wore the red shoes to church. I have never before had so many people comment on my shoes! In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever had anyone admire my shoes before. Who knew that splash of colour would have such an impact?
I also considered them to be my ‘courage’ shoes. Yesterday, for the first time ever, I “preached” the sermon at BMC. Sometime this week it will be uploaded to the Worship Response Blog if you’d like to listen.
Read more interesting information about the poem: http://www.laterbloomer.com/jenny-joseph/
A tumultuous month
On July 23rd I was asked to find another place to live; the homeowner wanted the apartment I was in for a family member.
This sense of homelessness sends me into feelings of panic though I have never actually been homeless. And so I did my best to calm myself and set about finding a new home. I’d been missing my old neighbourhood, the close proximity to my son and daughter-in-law as well as other family members, the streets to walk on, the park, but I started with little hope that I’d be able to afford anything in that neighbourhood.
My brother Jim suggested that we look for a place we could share — the two of us together could likely get something better than either of us alone.
One week into our search my lovely daughter-in-law volunteered to help; she loves to house-hunt! She sent me a link for a house to lease just two blocks from their place. I’d seen that ad, but had discounted is because it said, “No pets.” She encourage me to ask about it anyway. The next day Jim and I with Billie in tow looked at the place. The following day we met the landlord and signed the lease so we could start moving in the day after that!
It has felt to me like coming home. The floor plan of this place is almost identical to the house I owned on Ruskview Road for 13 years. Three bedrooms, finished basement, fenced back yard — we have never lived in a place with a fenced back yard in Billie’s lifetime!
A complication was that Trina and family arrived from California for a 2 week visit two days after our move-in day. That long weekend we’d booked a cottage on Lake Huron to spend time together as a family – first time ever since the kids left home. (We had a wonderful time; I’ll post some pictures eventually.) However, the move meant that the Gehieres could stay with me while they were in Kitchener, that would not have been possible had I been in Bloomingdale.
Yesterday was a beautiful late summer day, sunny and clear, not too hot. It felt to me like the first time in a month that I could really relax. Billie and I took a leisurely walk through Lakeside and Meinzinger parks.
Protected: Gingerich Gathering 2016
My new home
Truth is, I hate moving! And I’ve done it too often and expect I will do it again. I certainly have too much stuff. Yet it is hard to decide what to keep and what to get rid of.
Plus, this time around I developed a sore throat and awful cough on moving day. As none of us are as young as we used to be, so I doubt I was the only one with a sore back on Saturday evening. As I did not have to have everything moved in one day, there is still moving to do.
Nonetheless, I do like my new home. I need to get more creative with storage (or get rid of more stuff yet), but the view out my windows is lovely. Billie is settling in nicely, though when we hear Lynn upstairs she gets concerned.
The walking is so nice. The Grand River Trail is just a few hundred meters from my door. I worry about meeting unleashed dogs as I know lots of people like to let their dogs run on these trails and Billie just doesn’t do well with other dogs. But we’ve been OK so far.
The strangest thing is my current lack of connections. My cell phone reception is very spotty and I have no other internet yet. Imagine, we used to always live this way.
Pictures will come when I have a better internet connection.
And now I have internet! Just a few pictures:
My livingroom
Looking out the sliding doors
The back yard
A visitor to the back yard
Looking toward the house
Early morning walk on Grand Valley trail
The Grand River
Walking down a farm lane