Ready to Depart

To everyone's relief, we are finally on the brink of actually leaving for our new life in Mexico. We have had a wonderful couple of weeks with almost every day busy with some "send-off" activity of some sort. We are a bit overwhelmed with the love and support expressed by all our dear friends and family, and we carry all of you in our hearts as we take this new step. Thank you all!

Our colleagues from the Humanities Department, Lucy, Ethel and John, feted us with a trip to New York City for the day on April 28. We enjoyed a beautiful spring day taking in the Frick Collection (my special request), wandering around Central Park, and seeing the John Lennon memorial in Strawberry Fields across from the Dakota, and finishing up our day with a gourmet meal at an outdoor Brazilian Restaurant.

On April 29, Claire and Mary Kay hosted a dinner for us at their house with other members of our small fellowship group.

On May 4th, our dear friends from the UU church in Auburn gathered at John and Paulette Brooks' house, decked out with numerous fiesta decorations, to enjoy an evening together. About thirty of our closest church friends attended, and we ended the evening with a rather raucous music jam, singing and making music together in our UU tradition.

This last week or so, we've enjoyed dinners and breakfasts with many other friends who want to say a special goodbye to us.

We said a final goodbye to all our friends at CMCC at the commencement on May 11. We are now officially retired, although that part has not sunk in yet...but I am sure it will in the coming months!

Today our daughters, Wendy and Cassie, and Wendy's boyfriend Troy, are hosting one last goodbye/Mother's Day celebration. This will be a very special day as we prepare to head out tomorrow!

THANK YOU EVERYONE...OUR FAMILY, OUR WORK COLLEAGUES, OUR UU FRIENDS, MY YMCA FRIENDS....EVERYONE WHO HAS MADE US FEEL SPECIAL AND LOVED! After all, we have a good life here. We are moving on to a new life but plan to stay very much connected with the old.

We've just about got the car packed with all our remaining possessions. It's amazing what you can fit into every nook and cranny of a vehicle when you need to. We have a "rain bag" packed on top, and even a little pillow for our little dog Maggie to sleep on during the long ride south. I feel a bit like the Joads in Grapes of Wrath!

We'll try to post a bit on the way down, as we have access to the Internet. Hopefully everything will go smoothly. And we're leaving with the Red Sox in first place with a comfortable lead over the Yankees! Enjoy that while we can!