I didn’t write anything here in October, but I did take photos throughout the month, so I am able to see what I might have written about then if I’d managed it. The house decluttering and sprucing up that’s been an ongoing theme since retirement continued; we had contractors in to strip wallpaper and paint and replace some carpet and install a new dishwasher that wasn’t in the plan until the old one died unexpectedly. We did some other painting ourselves and sorted through more stuff, taking some to storage and donating some and putting some out on the curb with the trash (I always feel good when the pickers come and deem some of our stuff worthy of taking before the trash guys get it).

I took in as much fall color as I could, thinking this is quite possibly the last autumn I’ll spend in the midwest. Northern Idaho is pretty, but it doesn’t have the same mix of trees that make fall in Michigan so gorgeous. I took lots of photos and often came home from my walks with a leaf or two I’d found especially pretty.

At one point during the month, I had an emotional meltdown over moving. To cheer up, Mr. Karen and I decided to take a break and go out for dinner and a movie. It did not occur to me until afterward what a poor choice Inside Out was for someone in my mental state. Sure it worked out okay for that little girl, but what hope is there for a fifty-something woman to make new friends and create a new social structure for herself in a small town where her interests and politics are at different than most of the folks around? Since I’ve retired, I have made a few new friends here in metro Detroit, so I know it’s possible, but I don’t know where I’ll find my people in northern Idaho. I feel like I really didn’t think through this moving out west idea the way I should have. Sure, it’s great to vacation there, but I’m worried about living there. Too late now; we’re doing it. When we’re doing it is still unclear. Soon, probably.

The highlight of the month was taking a quick solo road trip to Madison for the launch of Jen Larsen’s new book, Future Perfect. In my working days, taking the time off to get over to Wisconsin for an event early on a Friday evening would have been a hassle, but in retirement, I was able to make a leisurely long weekend out of it and see both my mom and Mr. Karen’s mom on the way back home. I do regret that I didn’t manage to coordinate with the other folks who hit the farmers’ market at the Capitol the day after the book launch, but all in all it was a fun trip and a nice break from working on the house and worrying about the move.

On this date in 2014: Music, Family, and a Furry Kitten
2013: Thanksgiving Recap
2012: Me, My Stuff, and I
2007 to 2011: No entries
2006: Surprise
2004 & 2005: No entries
2003: Boomer? Moi?
2002: Goal Check-In #5