WASAGA BEACH…
We returned to Canada mid-April….and for a little while I
looked around our home and thought about all that needed done for this BIG
ADVENTURE. We planned to take ONLY what needed to go, i.e. personal items that
‘I couldn’t live without’. Bruce had decided he didn’t need to take anything as
all the fond memories were seared in his mind! Personally I’m not that esoteric
so I knew there was much work to do and many decisions to be made. The house
was going to be sold as was all the furniture and everything else that wasn’t
‘stuff I couldn’t live without’. We listed the house mid-May…and then kept it
very clean.
About this time, I noticed on the Park Place Calendar that the annual Community Garage Sale was taking place in June. I started the process of going thru every drawer, cupboard and closet, and clearing out those items that would go in the Garage Sale. I bought a bunch of moving boxes and set them up in the garage; labelled for $1.00, $3.00, $5.00 and sectioned an area for ‘over $5.00’. Before long I added another box for $2.00; then another for ‘less than $1.00’; then started putting the prices on the ‘over $5.00’ stuff as it accumulated in the garage. Thankfully I’m the most organized person that most of us know!
Ultimately I priced all the furniture and had a sheet on hand for Garage Sale Day….everything was priced to sell. The Garage Sale was a smashing success…and most of the furniture was sold and promised for ‘when the house sold’, expected end of August / mid-September. Unfortunately I was too busy with the whole process that I neglected to get pictures as Margaret/Mum (who always helps with my Garage Sales) and I ran around like chickens with our heads cut off. Bruce was in charge of the money and also had to run around too. The neighbors came visiting; the sun was shining; and the cash was rolling in.... A GREAT DAY FOR THE HAGUES...
The ‘organizing and clearing out’ process continued all summer; along with all the other regular chores including lawn & garden care….and keeping the house clean and ready for potential buyers. Bruce helped out by mowing the lawn most of the time this year. There wasn’t a lot of traffic thru the house; everyone that came, claimed to love the house but no one made any offers. Ultimately we cleared out all the furniture and all the stuff…healthy family donations included! Our life’s belongings became 10 ‘relatively small’ boxes; mostly pictures, photo albums, yearbooks, special mementoes and favourite clothes.
About this time, I noticed on the Park Place Calendar that the annual Community Garage Sale was taking place in June. I started the process of going thru every drawer, cupboard and closet, and clearing out those items that would go in the Garage Sale. I bought a bunch of moving boxes and set them up in the garage; labelled for $1.00, $3.00, $5.00 and sectioned an area for ‘over $5.00’. Before long I added another box for $2.00; then another for ‘less than $1.00’; then started putting the prices on the ‘over $5.00’ stuff as it accumulated in the garage. Thankfully I’m the most organized person that most of us know!
Ultimately I priced all the furniture and had a sheet on hand for Garage Sale Day….everything was priced to sell. The Garage Sale was a smashing success…and most of the furniture was sold and promised for ‘when the house sold’, expected end of August / mid-September. Unfortunately I was too busy with the whole process that I neglected to get pictures as Margaret/Mum (who always helps with my Garage Sales) and I ran around like chickens with our heads cut off. Bruce was in charge of the money and also had to run around too. The neighbors came visiting; the sun was shining; and the cash was rolling in.... A GREAT DAY FOR THE HAGUES...
The ‘organizing and clearing out’ process continued all summer; along with all the other regular chores including lawn & garden care….and keeping the house clean and ready for potential buyers. Bruce helped out by mowing the lawn most of the time this year. There wasn’t a lot of traffic thru the house; everyone that came, claimed to love the house but no one made any offers. Ultimately we cleared out all the furniture and all the stuff…healthy family donations included! Our life’s belongings became 10 ‘relatively small’ boxes; mostly pictures, photo albums, yearbooks, special mementoes and favourite clothes.
In reality, the fact that we could dispose of so much
‘STUFF’ tells me there was way more stuff than we needed. A little scary but it
also felt kinda good this extreme ‘downsizing’.
The last few weeks in Wasaga Beach were fairly emotional. We’d met great people and made great friends. We had quite a few ‘Good-bye Dinners’ and visits with good friends. My sister, Anne, came from Nanaimo (British Columbia) for a visit and we were able to get out to dinner with some of The Bremners, our childhood family friends.
The last few weeks in Wasaga Beach were fairly emotional. We’d met great people and made great friends. We had quite a few ‘Good-bye Dinners’ and visits with good friends. My sister, Anne, came from Nanaimo (British Columbia) for a visit and we were able to get out to dinner with some of The Bremners, our childhood family friends.
Our neighbors, Joe & Paula, managed a Surprise Dinner
with most of the people on our street. There aren’t any pictures of that as I
was totally taken by surprise and thought that Bruce & I were dining alone
with Joe & Paula. Thank you very much Virginia Avenue!!
Debra also enjoyed her 2nd Annual Pike Lake
Ladies Golf Retreat. The ladies surprised me with a card and special
gifts…
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Our last night in Wasaga Beach all the beds and furniture
were gone. Thankfully the lady that bought the sofas was still out of town... We were offered to sleep at neighbors but we set up comfortably in the
house.
Deb & Ben's sleeping/reading in the middle of the nite spot
The final cleaning day was a NIGHTMARE. We started early in
the morning and didn’t get out of there until well into the evening. I finally
cleaned the windows….did they ever look nice! The house has been left in good
hands with Joe & Paula…and the lawn & garden care with Wayne. Thank you
again Special Friends! Hopefully it will sell sooner than later and we’ll all
not have to worry about it any more.
BRADENTON BEACH….
This was supposed to be the easy part….but it didn’t work
out that way. In many parts of Florida, vacation homes are sold ‘furnished’.
Believe it or not we had a lot of stuff here also so I started clearing out for
‘enough’…stuff went to friends; for the Park Garage Sale; and the Park Penny
Sale. After Bruce’s investigation into shipping costs, we
decided it was cheaper...and easier??... to take the
‘can’t live without’ stuff on the airplane. A large part of this decision was
based on Debra’s assumption that it would all fit into 2 large & 1 medium suitcase,
4 carry-ons, and maybe 2 boxes… The assumption proved erroneous and I ended up
packing, unpacking, deciding what stuff to take out, and repacking the boxes and most of the suitcases 2, 3 and
4 times….including the morning of departure – much to Bruce’s
excitement!
In retrospect the challenge was that there was WAY more that I wanted to take than fit in the above configuration. In Canada, I decided what I wanted to take and ensured that I had enough boxes to take it. In Florida, I had to cut back…again…and again…and again…and one last time! Ultimately a HUGE box of some of my favourite clothes went to a Women’s Shelter…to help me feel better about leaving them behind; more stuff to friends, and the Park Garage Sale. The bottom line is that I had WAY too many clothes, both in Canada and Florida. I PLAN to never do that again…….really?!!
We enjoyed a bunch of Going Away parties….
In retrospect the challenge was that there was WAY more that I wanted to take than fit in the above configuration. In Canada, I decided what I wanted to take and ensured that I had enough boxes to take it. In Florida, I had to cut back…again…and again…and again…and one last time! Ultimately a HUGE box of some of my favourite clothes went to a Women’s Shelter…to help me feel better about leaving them behind; more stuff to friends, and the Park Garage Sale. The bottom line is that I had WAY too many clothes, both in Canada and Florida. I PLAN to never do that again…….really?!!
We enjoyed a bunch of Going Away parties….
Thank you again Special Friends!
And the blog wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the
exceptional efforts and assistance from our personal ‘technology expert’ who
spent a lot of time advising us what to buy; teaching us how to use it; buying
some of it for us; and even providing books and music to put on it! We appreciate all the help…we have finally arrived into the technology
revolution…it’s really quite exciting and I’m even planning on getting a decent
cell phone.
Finally we were off in the rental vehicle to Miami…so that
Ben (to become ‘Benito’ upon arrival in Uruguay….what a Dad!)was limited in the
excessive time he would be in the plane ‘pet cargo hold’…we all know who’s MOST
important!
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Then the Miami Airport...
Thankfully we arrived 4 hours before our flight time. The
lady that checked us in was great…but it did take an hour with all our stuff!
Wow - sounds like quite a challenge. Whenever I talk to Dad about purging, he panics! Debra, you can never have too many clothes :). Seriously, you guys look like you are enjoying yourselves with old and new friends and that's the way it should be.
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