Changes and transitions

We are moving forward and working on renovating the kitchen and master bathroom in our house in Reston.  The theory (hope) is that updating those rooms will help sell the house.      I think it's a fine house already, but it was a new house when we bought it in 1983, so I still think of it as our new house.

Big difference!     I am sure it will be beautiful.  There will be all stainless steel appliances, which of course will be out of date one of these days.     It makes me a little sad to see my house being torn apart like this.  On the other hand, it makes it seem less and less like my house and home.     

I suppose that if we stayed in  that house we would have made some renovations.  But I am pretty sure they would not be like what's being done now.

We did consult with the contractor and of course signed off on the designs.   It;s a weird process, selling your home.  Selling the place that we have owned all of these years.  

Since I never had a place that felt like a real "home" to go to, it was really important to me that the kids have a home base.  That wherever in the world we were living, they knew where home was.   

Now that they have all moved out and are on their own, we are moving on.  I wonder how each of them feel about having the house they have always known leave the family.   I hope another family will live and love there.

The other day, I wrote on Facebook that I am feeling very mortal.  Some folks were concerned.   I just meant, I am feeling fallible and fragile.   I am recovering from my third bladder infection in a very short time.   I am on antibiotics, and when they are done I have to go back for more tests and perhaps visit a urologist.   

I am getting over a nasty cold.  My knees still hurt.  And I get hives pretty much every day.   I take Benedryl , which helps.  Otherwise I would be tearing my skin off.  I am scratched up anyway, from the itching.  I don't know why I get hives.  I think it could be a residual effect from the IV antibiotics I was on after my post brain surgery skull infection.

My sister's dog Mickey died last week.   he had been a lively, energetic dog,  I have heard the description "a small dog in a big body"  That's Mickey.   Of course Carol, my sister is devastated.  She says that the house feels empty without him there.  He was impossible to ignore for sure.

All of the Sherwood kids are together on the west coast right now.  Courtney, Morgan and Darcy live out there.  Austin and Chance flew out together on Saturday and return next week.    Austin is looming at various options that will allow him to move and live in Oregon.   I hope he finds something he likes. 

Meanwhile, we are cat sitting Austin's cat. 

I have five amazing, complicated, independent grown children.   I wish I had been more.  Done more.  Given more.   But whatever it is that we did, they are all amazing.

It drives me crazy when moms are told not to allow their babies to get too attached or they will never become independent.  All of my kids were attached to me for the first couple of years of their lives.   Well, at least I don't regret being an attachment parent.

Not much planned for the week aside from my usual LLL stuff.