Pieces of Renee

I continue to unpack boxes as I organize the new house and am now finding the treasures I kept.  Many are pieces of art that Irene did.  Her last major piece was a stained glass panel she wanted to use outside at the Merlin house.  She had drawn the design, gathered the glass and had much of it laid out before she died.  Fortunately, Charlie, my neighbor, consented to build a frame for it, and Kate Smith agreed to finish the piece.  Rex Hart, my finish carpenter, came by today and helped me hang it.  The original idea was to hang it in the bedroom window.  But, that would not work due to the window treatments.  Thus, we implemented Plan B.  The result is below.

Guardian Angel

I would have liked to post this two days ago, but I was without Internet due to the fact that I moved into my new home.  And somehow, I feel that Irene is watching over it and me.

Why do I have that feeling?  We broke ground on the house on August 13, 2011, Irene's birthday.  (Coincidentally it was also Grandma Maggie's birthday.)  Then, the house was finished on January 25, and January 26 was my first full day in the house; which was also the second anniversary of Irene's death.

Remembering That Special Day

Irene & I were married 30 years ago today in a little country church in rural Wisconsin.  It was a Norman Rockwell setting, an early 1900's brick church with white wooden doors and steeple that was set at the end of a tree lined gravel lane.

As a bit of irony, it was 4 years ago today that we found out Irene had a brain tumor and the beginning of a whole new journey.

Irene, you are in my heart.

A Blast From the Past

I did something last week that I had not envisioned ever doing again, I returned to Findlay, OH.

I received an email from an ex-fellow employee of Diamond Savings & Loan Company where Irene and I worked.  The company had been sold to Bank One on October 28, 1992, twenty years ago.  The email stated that a "family" reunion was being planned for September 8 and wondered if I was interested in attending.  As we were indeed a family, a most unusual bond of employees as I have ever seen, I could not resist.

Irene was featured in a slide show of other employees who had departed as well as old candid photos of company parties, etc.  It was obvious from the conversations I had with everyone that she is still sorely missed by many.

Thoughts

Today is one of those days when the sun, moon & stars came into alignment.  It was a serendipitous occasion.

Why? Today is Irene's birthday.  (Happy birthday Renee!).  It is also the day my general contractor broke ground on my new house.  I believe the coincidence of these two events on the same day bodes well for building a new home! 

Reflections on Change

I decided to list our house for sale less than three months after Irene died.  Several friends suggested that I should not consider such a major change so soon after her death.  Rather, they  suggested that I follow the old one year rule - no major decisions for one year.


I took their suggestions to heart but decided to go forward with the listing.  My reasons were twofold.  First, I knew it would take at least a year to find a buyer.  And if I felt that this was a bad move, I could always cancel the listing and take the house off the market.


The months wore on as I went through the marketing process, open houses, viewings, feedback from people that felt it was not "their" house, and suggestions by my Realtor for price reductions, which I made.  As time passed, I realized how much the house had become a boat anchor in my life.  Irene was the "dirt babe", and I was not the dirt guy.  I was doing the bare essentials to keep things manageable and under control so the property showed well.  As time passed, I was more and more comfortable with the idea of moving out and moving on.


Now, the house is under contract and final conditions required for the buyer have been met.  Documents should be drawn Friday, and I should have cash in the bank by next week.


As I come to the end of my responsibilities to the house my heart is becoming lighter, and I am looking forward to breaking ground on my new home.  It will be exciting to watch it go up.  I am confident in my decisions.  The house was a wonderful home for Irene and me, but it is time to pass it along to a new, younger family that can make their own memories there.  I have mine.

Haiku #38

I look back at what

was and think of the "could haves"

as I move forward.