Last Thursday, the couple that normally hosts the “Growth Group” of St Alf’s sent a message to say the bloke was sick so they could not host for that night. They asked if anyone else could. We have been the usual back-up hosts so we said we were happy to do that. On Thursday however, we were to meet with a real estate agent to discuss putting our home on the market. So, it was a busy Thursday and at that meeting that night, we told them our plans to relocate. We did so right at the end of the meeting, so as not to interrupt the usual stuff that we discussed. It surprised everyone. I guess we too, remain a bit befuddled by it all.
On Friday, we signed some papers to proceed with one of the agents we met. The process to put our home on the market is now underway. Later today, we’d meet with a “stylist” who’ll advise us of the works needed to present our home better. Later on Friday night, we caught up with Jason and Mel at a pub restaurant at Wheelers Hill (the one bearing the name of a well known brewer), and we told them of our plans. They too were surprised but said it was not unexpected. We remain a bit befuddled by it all.
On Saturday morning, we had the AFES group meet at our home. We were going to tell them too but it didn’t feel right so we kept mum, and after the meeting, we headed off to Brandon Park for lunch and then hurried home for some work around the house. We did some tidying up – I dealt with the outside and Tress dealt with the inside – and I also started going through the very old stuff in our shed, to sort things out for an eventual clear-out. We only finished when light was dimming – as beautiful as the day had been, it is still winter and it got dark by 6pm. We washed up, I made some veg for us to have a bite, and then finally put our feet up for a rest. Our bodies and minds felt battered but befuddled though I may remain, I found myself looking forward to being nearer Kiddo, Mic, Abby and their latest addition.
After St Alf’s on Sunday, we had lunch with U Seng/A Anne and A Marloney/A Hooi, at our usual place at Donvale. They were both a little special as I stayed at U Seng/A Anne’s home here in Blackburn when we first arrived back in 2004, before finding our own rental home a few weeks later, in Mount Waverley. We told them our plans and they were surprised but thought it sensible. I have become less befuddled.
We then went home, and we both went to Groomer’s before I went home and cleaned some windows and fly screens. They look less swamped by cobwebs and spider mansions now. We finished late, I did the week’s cook quickly and we finally put our up feet just after 7pm. My limbs were sore and tired when we saw Kiddo’s videos of little Abby. She had taken her first stuttering steps and looked utterly happy doing so. I think I became far less befuddled.
The weeks ahead will be long and tiring. I trust the outcome, that light at the end of this “tunnel”, will provide such luminescence, I will wonder why I was befuddled. Hope, as Stephen King once said, is a dangerous thing but it is also a good thing.
Ante 