[Magdalen] My move

[Marion Thompson]

My wee hoose in Port Hope closes on July 30.  The financials have been a 
nightmare.  I now have a firm mortgage -- yesterday) but the bridging 
loan is still in the works!  When the house is settled, I will be left 
with less than nothing from its sale -- except for the down payment on 
Port Hope and thank God for that!

The storage pod returns on Monday and I will extract all that I really 
really need and dumpster the rest.  My new reality:  the house is that 
small and with no basement, garage or even shed.  Like a modest 
two-bedroom condo with a garden (yet to be created).  I'll adjust 
quickly to its delicious totally rebuilt-ness and new appliances :-D , 
but the disposal stage is painful, very painful, and far from over.  And 
let's not forget the 40 or so boxes in Jim's shed -- lots of books 
beyond those I've already donated.  The collection of horse books from 
my youth are going to Whitevale's horsey people and young riders (who 
knew?!).  Yesterday three sofas and my mother's big bureau left.  The 
chimney sweep took a chair and will come back to look at further 
cast-offs.  Also yesterday I gave musical friends a turntable and free 
pick of four boxes stuffed with records, averting my eyes as they 
scooped up so many of my old favourites across many categories.  And of 
course the trips to Value Village continue ....

The truck comes Aug 4 and the cats and I go to Port Hope then.  I have 
to be there on the 5th to receive appliances and stuff.  Then I must 
leave them there  Aug 6 and 7  while I go back and forth to meet with 
Jim and lawyer for closing on the 7th, and for the final sweep through 
all buildings and  departure of the dumpster.

Virtue is its own reward, but  I may well cry for a month when the dust 
settles on this last three-year period of my life!  'A little I'm hurt, 
but not yet slain; I'll lie me down and bleed awhile, And then I'll rise 
and fight again.'

Marion, a pilgrim