Saturday, October 21, 2017

Comes the rain

The Washington rains usually start in October, after a wonderful long and dry summer. While the sun is shining then, I rejoice to live in the Pacific Northwest. Even though, for the last two years, I've spent much of the season elsewhere.

My husband Art and I have a small winter place in Tucson. The date we leave for Arizona each year isn't decided too long in advance. It depends upon when the rain arrives. This year it was Monday of this week - a wild and windy four days that included our first power outage of the season. On Tuesday I made our flight arrangements. Within two weeks we'll be gone.

I've made plans to have lunch or coffee with friends most days between now and November 1. I call these special women "sisters of my heart", and I miss them when we're gone. I'll look forward to the last two congregational services, this week and next, where I share time with like-minded others. I'll be running errands: taking old eyeglasses to an optometrist's office to be donated to the Lions Club; recycling a broken Kindle and a worn-out iPhone; picking up prescriptions and getting my flu shot. I've got reminders on my calendar to cancel the paper in Seattle and start it up in Tucson, change the car insurance to put the Washington car in storage and take the Arizona car out, change the address on our Blue Apron and Netflix accounts.

We've already got plans for Tucson: a friend waiting in the cell phone lot, dinner that night with friends, play rehearsals that begin the next day, hair appointment with my "dry climate" stylist, massages. High season - when many of the activities start - begins in January, but the slower autumn pace is relaxing too. And, after three days, neither of us feels any arthritis. It's all good.

The transition between summer and winter is familiar now, with its losses and its gains.

On a parallel note, I spent a lot of time and energy and passion this year volunteering for Do Your Part at the Oinofyta refugee camp in Greece. That project is coming to an end.  It feels bittersweet, like a loss, to know we've made our last trip there. Still, I know something new will come along. I wonder what it will be!




11 comments:

#1Nana said...

I'm so looking forward to hitting the road and visiting you in Arizona. It rained here today also and I turned on the fireplace. I'm ready to recapture summer.

Janette said...

May you have a safe journey!

DJan said...

I'm glad I'm one of those "sisters of the heart" and look forward to our Tuesday lunch. Since the rain started, I've been using all of my rain gear and was glad to see that the rain will abate during most of next week. Hard to believe that it's already almost Halloween! :-)

Silver in AZ said...

congratulations on having dual residences! We'll be moving to AZ full time soon after I retire in mid December 2018. But we'll be in the Mesa-Gilbert-Queen Creek area, (or at least, that's the plan this far out.) Gotta be close to the Cubs for spring training games. :)

Arkansas Patti said...

If for no other reason--"neither of us feels any arthritis" makes the trip so worth while. Enjoy your migration and pain free time.

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

You seem to have the transition under control! I understand your sadness about Oinofyta, but I’m pretty sure you will find an equally compelling next act!

Olga said...

I am visiting my Florida place for a month but then will return to VT for the holidays. It is always a tender kind of struggle having one's heart in two different places.

Tom said...

It seems as if you spent more time in Greece this summer than in Washington ... and good for you to be doing that. You deserve a little R&R!

Linda Reeder said...

We have used the rainy days to slow down. It was lovely. Now we are ready to get outside and work in the yard again. Autumn is so beautiful right now.
I always enjoy stories of your annual migrations. Sounds like you are getting your ducks in a row, as always.

b+ (Retire In Style Blog) said...

Your energy always amazes me Linda. We will see you soon hopefully. But even if not, I will know you are closely. That is wonderful.

b+

joared said...

Sounds like a good arrangement for the seasons between Washington and Ariz. You seem to be pretty well organized, so hope all goes well with your trip south.