Preparation

 Winter is fast approaching and I am trying to prepare for the end of the year and get ready for a new, hopefully less stressful year. I have no reason to believe that it will (as it should) be anything less than the new beginning I desire. I have that itchy urge to travel welling up in me and I hope to make another trip abroad next year. I have one foot in the dream of exploration and another one stuck in the thick mud of responsibility.

I don't begrudge my responsibilities, because much of the best of my life is born out of the experiences I have with family and friends. I do wish to be lighter and not carry as much stuff and perhaps not as many people through this world with me, though. Our venture into selling items on line to make some extra money has run into the snag of taking up more room in the house than I am willing to give and taking more time to post the items than Marilyn is able to spare, so tonight I will pack all of it into bags and start dropping them off at Goodwill and The Salvation Army. 

The best laid plans...