The episode that never will be…
Mr. Chiots here filling in for Susy. As I write this it is midnight, in six hours we are climbing in moving truck #2 and heading back to Maine. This past week has been intense. We celebrated two Thanksgivings and one Christmas. I harvested 3 deer which yielded around 130 lbs of meat. Susy picked up 50 chickens and a turkey for the freezer. We visited with friends and family. I picked up the worst cold I have had in years. To top it all off, we signed our end of the closing papers and had to have the place cleaned out as we will not be back in Ohio until long after the buyers give us the check (or someone gives us a check).
Today as we loaded the last piece of our lives on the big yellow truck, we had full intentions of recording a podcast from our empty house, sharing memories that had been made there over the past 10 years. It never happened, and therefore will never happen. Time was too tight and we were WAY too tired.
But Susy and I took a few minutes and walked around. We shared memories of each room. Of ding and dents. Of projects past. Of changing careers, and doing it again. Of building a successful business in the office. Memories of friends that dined with us and family that visited regularly around our table. Of the gardens and the transformation of them. As the memories folded over me I began to weep. Susy hugged me and asked “Are you sad?”. I shook my head but could not speak. After wiping my tears and catching my breath I replied, “I am not sad. I am happy we have these memories and I realize this house is not these memories nor are the things on that truck. Our memories are us.” I hugged her again and we both told each other, “I love you.”
One other thing that happened in the last ten years is this blog and all of you coming and reading about our simple life. So thank you. Thank you for sharing in our lives as we share them with you. You don’t know how much we appreciate the encouragement that you give. We are excited to continue this journey with you.
Here’s to the next memory!
Next week we will return to our previously scheduled program.
Filed under Around the House | Comments (30)
I raise my glass, (well actually it’s a mug of fresh coffee) and drink to wish you many more happy memories.
Hope you get rid of your stinker of a cold too.
to Mich's comment
I think that would be memorieS, plural, many, many of them. And here’s hoping they’re mostly happy ones.
to kristin @ going country's comment
We moved at lot! But where ever we were, winthin days of moving in, with familiar furniture and bedding and one’s own and familiar mug for tea our pets around, we found that we were home as soon as we sat down to our first meal cooked together. Our kids never found moving traumatic, always the start to a new adventure. We are like snails, what’s most important, we take with us!
Here my cuppa raised to your new adventures and memories!
PS: take a little rest abs a cup of lemon verbena for your cold.
to Marina C's comment
It’s been a bit of a weepy week for me too (for different reasons though). Thank you for sharing your life with us. I know when things are getting really crazy and you feel the world spinning out of control a bit, it’s nice to come here and visit with you guys. Here’s to happy memories.
to Lisa@The Cutting Edge of Ordinary's comment
Safe travels back to your new home in Liberty. I was in your general area yesterday, Unity, Thorndike and Belfast. You’ve picked a great area to live in. That would be my next choice if I were moving.
to jennifer fisk's comment
This is, I’m quite sure was the hardest post to do, Mr Chiots. Your home was a intergrated part of your lives, its a part of the whole. I am sensitive of things, and personally, feel that sharing this is for only you and Susy. It is so hard to let go, but like you said, happy tears, sometimes a fear of the unknown, and a leap of faith takes your lives into the next chapter, like a book. Your new home is the book, the pages are the days to come, and your lives are the words.
This will only make your marriage stronger, but wiser.
Congratulations on your move and stellar job.
to Denimflyz's comment
Moving is always hard! I completely understand and we too go from room to room and look at everything, even in the places we only lived for a year.
I hope the rest of the move back to Maine is smooth!
to Misti's comment
Very sweet. When I think back on the lovely memories I have I remember that we are exceedingly blessed…not everyone has beautiful memories. I can’t wait to read all about the new life in Maine!
to Songbirdtiff's comment
I understand what you’re both going through, although I would have never been able to articulate what you have so beautifully.
I’m happy you have had these experiences to share and hope that you have many, many more beautiful experiences as you proceed through life together.
Safe travels back home!
to Jaye's comment
Awwww. You gotta be sad. Good byes are rough.
to Maybelline's comment
This is so sweet! I hope you guys have save travels today. I’m looking forward to reading along as you two make many more new memories through the years!
to Beth K's comment
This made me teary. :-) Thanks for letting us peek into your lives. Safe travels!
to Rhonda's comment
My husband and I have moved many times over the last 32 years of marriage and before departing an apartment/house we have a ritual of walking through each room of the house and recalling some event or memory of the space. There is a bit of closure when we give thanks for the spaces in our lives where memories were created. Endings always mean new beginnings. Safe travels back to your new home. Looking forward to your podcast next week.
to Melanie's comment
You almost brought tears to me eyes, thank you for having shared so much with us all :)
to Estelle's comment
Ya’ know– you ought to write more often– that brought tears to my eyes. I hope your trip is going well, travel safely. Looking forward to next week’s episode!
to Melissa's comment
Oh gosh! You’re making me tear up too! >w<;;
I want to have those memories, but not in the house I'm currently living in. I will miss it when I move, but it's more bittersweet since it's not my 'dream home', but just the 'first' in many homes I believe I will live in.
Aside from that, sounds like you guys are all set and hunkered for the winter! I can feel many delicious dinners to come from your harvests! :D
to Donna B.'s comment
Great writing, Mr. Chiots.
My family moved a lot while I was growing up, so when hubs and I finally bought our first house, I was thrilled. A big yard for very young children and small garden, beautiful old tree for shade and a little tree house – loads of memories of hubs graduation for his masters, last of four children born while there, etc – had a wooded area on one side (rare in big cities) where we could sit on a stair landing looking into the woods watching squirrels and birds. When we finally bought our land in NE Ohio to build our new house, it was bittersweet. We finally had plans for our new home and an exciting future but sad to leave our first home. We’ve been here in NE Ohio now for 30 years now – 4 children raised in this house, graduation parties, church activities, bon fires, creating flower and edible gardens, growing fruit trees – such an abundant life – not without it’s “moments” naturally, but abundant nonetheless. Now, we are in another phase of our lives at this home. Trying to fulfill our dreams of an even more self-sustaining lifestyle than when children were home. So many plans and so many more memories to make with each other and grandchildren! What a life!
So excited for you two – a blessed future of new mermories for you both.
to judym's comment
I missed the podcast today! I listen via the podcast app on my iPhone, and when it wasn’t there, I rushed here to find out what had happened.
Memories of life and love – it doesn’t get any better than that.
to DebbieB's comment
What a beautiful post, I think things should not go according to plan more often
to Brenda's comment
Onward to new adventures and happy memories!!!
to Five Monkeys and a Chick's comment
Looking forward to the next podcast, whenever it is! Safe travels.
to daisy's comment
changes are hard until you make new memories….its gets so much harde the older you get…..unless people are gone…..plaves are just the background of our lives…just like summer is gone to winter…..I am sad about the deer.but they are not tomatoes…..they are living….so killed is a bit more realistic….
to sharon's comment
By using the word ‘harvested’, I am not trying to pad the hard fact that I killed the deer. I am trying to indicate that I utilized the resource rather than wasting it. It is common among meat hunters to use the term and is an actual dictionary definition.
to Mr. Chiots's comment
Awww… wishing you safe travels.. though you’re probably home by now.. Godspeed to you both, on all of your journeys..
to KimH's comment
Thank you for sharing your charming stories! This is my first comment, and it’s about time I acknowledge openly what an inspiration yor musing have been to me. Wishing you a safe journey, and I’m looking forward to being evermore inspired by your so called “simple life”.
to Mona Lisa Magal's comment
Well written, Brian. It was great seeing you two last night and I finally feel like you are truly living there since the house is all taken care of. Now when you come back to visit you can relax and truly visit, no worries about the house. Glad you had a safe trip home. We love you guys.
to Missy's comment
I know what you’re saying. We’ve been through several moves over our 15 years of marriage and it’s always the same… bittersweet… excitement about the future tempered with the pain of pulling up roots. Blessings to you both in this new chapter of your life!
to Melissa's comment
Had a bit of a bad something myself….thinking the flu….so a bit late reading this post…..Best wishes to you and Ms. Susy:) My husband and I have had that same mad dash overwhelming moving experience….It can be….well….a bit too much…Wishing you guys some much needed sweet restful winter days….in your new home! Blessings.
to amy's comment
…*goosebumps* This post gives us even more reason to love you two! Beautifully written Mr. Chiots! :o)
…Yes, something such as selling & purchasing a home is bittersweet for sure. We’re so happy to purchase our first home but dreams, people, circumstances change and before you know it, you’re longing for something different. Leaving your old home is like leaving an old friend but it will be a new source of joy, warmth and shelter for someone else now. Such is life, it continues to evolve. I’m certain this was hard for you both but I can’t help but feel that you both were a lil’ giddy when you pulled up that glorious new driveway of yours knowing that now you are finally, once and for all, home.
…Hope you’re feeling better! :o)
…Here’s wishing you both all the happiness in the world on your new farm! And a big ol’ “thank you” for sharing your life & knowledge with us and for all the hard work you two put into this blog – it is greatly appreciated!
…Many blessings to you both.
to tj's comment
Oh, my.
Now you’ve made ME weep as well.
I know exactly how you feel. And i did the same thing when we left austin. I stood in the empty house and looked around at all the nooks and crannies, dents and limitations, beautiful shades of paint…. many that i’d maligned over the years… and cried. But i never looked back. We think back to the happy memories of being together in our first house. Of getting married, travelling, raising hens and buying our new puppy…. and now we, too are moving on! It’s been a long journey, and it’s only the beginning!
to Miranda's comment