After the Whirlwind the Dust Begins to Settle in My Empty Nest

University of Utah

University of Utah

We were caught in a whirlwind of activities and travel, running away from our empty nest. We went to the beach, Mexico, Utah, Las Vegas, Santa Barbara and Utah in that order in the past two months. Wheew!!! It makes my head dizzy to think about it.

View from University of California Santa Barbara

View from University of California Santa Barbara

Now that we have stopped running, I’m anxious to start some big projects. Emptying out the guest room and redoing the bathroom and walls. The first part of this project means I have to go through boxes and closets and books and make decisions about what to toss and what to keep.

images-2We have an armoire with a BIG TV and VCR and drawers full of movies that entertained the kids for years. I feel somewhat sad about tossing out all the Disney classics, but they’re never going to be watched on a VCR again.

images-3I have shelves of books that have followed me from childhood. The complete set of Anne books and Narnia Chronicles I will keep. I still enjoy reading them.  I’m holding on to A Little Princess and The Secret Garden, too. I think my husband wants me to get rid of them all, but they are like dear friends that I cannot part with.

images-8images-7I keep avoiding this chore of going through the “guest room” which at one point in our 22 years here, was called the “computer room” because before kids in 1992 it was where my first Apple computer lived. Now I’m on about Apple number nine, wanting to return to work in my computer room. I’m coming full circle becoming the person that I was before. It’s a great feeling, but a little scary, too.

One of our earlier Apples.

One of our earlier Apples.

2 thoughts on “After the Whirlwind the Dust Begins to Settle in My Empty Nest

  1. Been there, done that re: all the Disney movie classics on VHS. Experienced a pang dropping them off at Goodwill. Have a large box of children’s classic books in the garage that I’m saving for the grandchildren (any myself!). Ponder decorating ideas and a change-up of Matthew’s bedroom into guest quarters each time I pass it on the way to my office (which after all is Katie’s re-purposed room ). It seems every time Matthew comes home, he strips his room barer!
    While you’ve been traveling in an attempt to outrun your empty nest, I’ve been burying myself in work. Still the sadness creeps in around the edges at odd moments. I know exactly what you’re saying about coming full circle to the person I was before…. only now there’s the sense time isn’t on my side!

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