| Making the Journey Forward |
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 "You can't take it with you." In the case of our move how true. We are selling off our wares. Take a look at the Online Moving tab for more items added to the sale. The next garage sale is coming up in December. I will keep you posted. However, check out the tab for some of the items covered.
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 One of my husband's and daughter's bucket list items was Six Flags Magic Mountain. I no longer ride the roller coasters. I've learned my limit is the warning "remove earrings and hearing aid". Once I noticed that, I realized I would have to have a chiropractic appointment set the Monday after. They had fun, I had my back in tact and stayed home and packed... it was a win, win!
 A few weeks back, Lana and I went to Malibu with a friend as Charles repaired some bar stools we are selling. Going to the beach as much as possible is on our California bucket List. A bucket list is usually things you want to do or see before you die or "kick the bucket." For us, we are leaving the warm and sunny State of California, thus "kicking the California bucket."
As I have been here for thirty years there are few "touristy" things that I have not experienced. Charles was born and raised here. There are, however, things that I love that drew me to California in the first place. One thing that drew me here is the ocean and the view of the California coastline, what a beauty to experience. Since Lana is still young, we feel her last months should include things she hasn't experienced or haven't experienced in quite awhile. Although we can technically knock this one off the list... I'm sure we will be back as Dad was working at the time and going to the beach is still on his bucket list. Included on our bucket list is Disneyland, whale watching...(not necessarily going to Sea World after viewing the documentary, Black Fish), Yosemite and going to the Los Angeles Observatory. Over the years, we have encountered some Hollywood celebrities meeting Supremes, Jacksons, and a Fifth Dimension. I saw Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson at store in Santa Monica. We met Terrance Howard long before I had Lana and before he had an Oscar. I met Tommy Davidson at a store in Woodland Hills. Charles met Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith at the bowling supply store we previously owned. I saw Kevin Costner and a lady friend at the now defunct restaurant, Georgia, on Melrose Avenue. There were more encounters of the celebrity kind ... after all we live in the Los Angeles that is to be expected. None of us are really celebrity stalkers, but there are some celebrities we would like to meet before we leave such as Halle Berry, Morgan Freeman, Don Cheadle and Robert Downey, Jr.. Let's see what other encounters we will have before we kick the CA bucket. Follow us here on "Making the Journey Forward" as we kick the California Bucket.  Garage sales are a lot of work. A few weeks ago we had the first of the garage sales. We started on a Thursday and ended it early Saturday afternoon. Surprisingly, Thursday take was the best of the three days. We sold quite of bit of the larger items like our dining room table and chairs, filing cabinet and an older model TV (not a flat screen). We almost sold Lana's bed frame. I sold things for a bit cheaper than in past garage sales because I have the I can not take with me mentality.
We did encounter a few thieves. One woman wanted a silver plated tray for $1.00. As it was not mine we adamantly stuck to our guns and sold it for $3.00. Mysteriously, two other items disappeared. It is amazing that people feel it necessary to steal at a garage sale to compensate for the price they didn't get on a item. In the long run, we are not the ones she will have to answer to. As the old saying goes, "God don't like ugly." The next garage sale is set up for December 12 as we are still pulling items out from the crevices of our attic, cupboards and closets. See you then. I will update the Moving Sale tab for some of the unsold items.  Lana learns new vocabulary words each week. Her homework includes writing the definition, write the dictionary sentence, write her own sentence and draw a picture. I showed her the online dictionary and she loves it.
The week we told her about the move, she had the vocabulary word "protest". Her homework sentence was "I almost protested moving to Illinois." Needless to say the news about the move did not set well with her. She doesn't want to leave her friends. She is very resilient and has the ability to make friends easily. She will adjust. However, in the meantime, let's see how she uses her new vocabulary. I'll post her photo when her homework comes back.  I pondered what to entitle this blog; Making the Journey Back, The Road Back, The Road Forward. Some titles were already taken, some didn't aptly describe the events or emotions involved in leaving what has been my home for 30 years. I didn't want to imply that moving back to my hometown after living in Southern California for 30 years to indicate a lack of success. It is interesting that is what a well meaning person implied. At this time in life, my biological family needs me and I need them. My husband and I have made the decision to more forward in our lives in this way.
For me, it was interesting that with packing up and selling off our belongings that 30 years of memories and experiences flashed before me. I moved here November 1983 with a high school friend, Kathy. We were roommates, she was the maid of honor in my wedding and was in the delivery room during the birth of my daughter. In those early years, we kicked garbage cans at Marina Del Rey beach after a tough work week, had weekly Thursday night outings at the Marina Del Rey TGI Fridays (no it is not there anymore) with friends (we made family). We lived through fires, floods, riots and earthquakes. When we moved here our intent was not to be in Hollywood movies or on Soul Train (yes, Soul Train was still on the air). We needed a change from the small life where we were raised. There were hypothetical bets that we would be back. I don't know if someone can collect after 30 years. When we first arrived, besides seeking employment we did the tourist thing and were tour guides to many visitor friends and family. We went to Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Magic Mountain, Sea World and Universal Studio to name a few. Venice Beach amazed these small town girls...inundated with so much craziness in blocks of beachfront property. We discovered that there really wasn't anything especially located at the corner of Hollywood and Vine. Also in those early years, we hosted gatherings, met and made many friends; friends we now consider family. My born and bred husband and daughter also have many whom they consider mothers, brothers, sisters and fathers. There is quite a bit to leave behind to move forward...but forward we go. For the remaining months ahead, we made our California Bucket List. (See my Pinterest Page at Pinterest.com/scentfreesavvy. If you like, follow us on Making the Journey Forward. On this website we have a tab to our Online Moving Sale. Take a look and email if there is anything of interest. | Email me at: [email protected] to follow us along the way.
AuthorWife, mother of a drama princess, and Realtor® who loves real estate, food and creativity. Out of necessity lives a scent-free, soy and egg-free life. And after 30 years in Southern California finds herself moving forward to the beginning. LEARN MORE.... ArchivesCategories |
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