Christmas in Swarthmore

We had a lovely Christmas at Mom and Gene's this year in Swarthmore, PA. We drove up on Christmas Eve to avoid the forecasted freezing rain and really lucked out with the traffic...the lightest we've ever seen!

Julie, Ray and the boys, and Larry and Stephanie joined us on Christmas day. The house looked beautiful...all Christmas-y, presents were exchanged and then we ate a delicious meal! It is so nice sharing the holidays with those we love.

The following day, we drove to the Chmelowitz's house in Mays Landing, NJ and what a surprise we had when we arrived--the basement was flooding from rapid snow melt and inches of rain! It took a few hours to get it under control but luckily nothing was damaged. It didn't bother us in the least bit to help out but I know my sister and brother-in-law were annoyed. Not to worry!

We ended up having a very nice visit with them and especially enjoyed playing their new Wii system with our nephews, Alex and Zachary! Hmmm...could be a new Wii system in our future?

A Wedding Announcement!!!

On a day of sadness (my father's death) came extreme happiness in the form of a telephone call from our youngest daughter, Sara. She surprised us with the announcement of her engagement to Zachary Goldberg! She said, "Mom, you know when you and Dad come out here in February? Well, I think that would be a great time for you to come with me to shop for a bridal gown"! In the short time it took me to register what she had said, my emotions did a complete 180 degree swing! What a blessing in a time of sadness!

Mark and I couldn't be happier for Sara and Zach! We welcome Zach with open arms into our family! They are perfect for each other!

Now the planning is underway for a fall 2010 wedding. It looks like they may settle on the Lionscrest Manor in Lyons, Colorado for their wedding and reception on October 9, 2010. They would love to have the ceremony outdoors, but at that time of year, the weather could be quite cold; luckily, it can be moved indoors. So, once the contract is signed, I'll confirm the date with our family and friends. How exciting!

The Eulogy That Never Was...for Dad

Dad passed away on December 11, 2009 after a 10 month battle with lung cancer. He knew it was hopeless but kept a brave face throughout his ordeal. He spent his last three months with an ungrateful wife (not my mother) who cared only about what money she would get after he died. She was not kind to him and withheld my phone calls on several occasions.

The last time I talked to Dad was on November 12th and he sounded fairly good. That phone call will remain in my memory as I never heard his voice again.

His wife denied his family and friends the opportunity to say "farewell" and honor his life and instead chose to behave in a selfish, arrogant manner. There was no wake, no funeral, no burial. So, the only way I could show that his life was important to others, despite the behavior problems he had in his younger years, was to write and get his obituary published. The following appeared in the Quincy Patriot Ledger on December 15, 2009:

Obituary
Lawrence Vincent Solimini

"On Friday, December 11, 2009, Quincy, MA resident Lawrence Vincent Solimini, age 78, passed away.

Mr. Solimini, the 1st generation son of an Italian immigrant, was a US Army veteran who, in his younger years, loved fishing with his many brothers and playing pinochle and poker. After his stint in the Army, Mr. Solimini's employers included Old Colony Construction and General Dynamics at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy. For the past 20 years and until a few months prior to his death, he worked at C&L Autobody in Quincy, a place where many fond memories and wonderful friendships were forged.

He is survived by 4 children, Linda Johnson (Virginia), Tom Solimini (California), Julie Chmelowitz (New Jersey) and Larry Solimini (Delaware); 6 grandchildren (Holly Schaffer, Sara Johnson, Dustin Edwards, Joleen Mills and Alex and Zachary Chmelowitz; and three great-grandchildren, Zoe and Ezra Schaffer and Maelee Mills. His living sisters and brothers include: Joseph and Nofri Solimini (Quincy), Fred Solimini (Hanover), Vincent Solimini (Weymouth), Carmen Solimini (Florida), Catherine Gill (Middleboro), Lena Svizzero and Rita Brand (Bridgewater), Ann Hawker (Rockland), and Phyllis Salvaggi (Weymouth).

His children want to thank all those who gave their father support and comfort during his final months and a special thanks to Marie DiCroce for her help and kindness during his long illness."

Dad had many behavioral issues when he was younger, many surfacing with his abuse of alcohol but he was my father. I will always love him.

Rest in peace, Dad.

Thanksgiving--before it's too late!

I have yet to talk about the fantastic get-together with everyone on Thanksgiving and want to do so before Christmas is here! We were blessed with 16 people at our Thanksgiving table and are so happy everyone was able to make it! The travelers came from one end of the country to the other:
Holly, Erich, Zoe and Ezra from California, Sara and Zach from Colorado, Julie, Ray, Alex and Zachary from New Jersey, Larry and Stephanie from Delaware, and Mom and Gen from Pennsylvania!

This may be the last year we host in our current house in Virginia as we will definitely be looking for a new home in Colorado in 2010. Hopefully, some or all will be able to visit with us in Colorado!

Larry and Stephanie's Wedding in Antigua

We had an awesome time in Antigua at the Sandals Resort in November! We're soooo glad we were able to share in Larry and Stephanie's wedding! It was so memorable!

It had been a very long time since Mark and I went away on our own to just "vacation" and it was long overdue; it was such a relaxing time...no work computers to worry about, no cellphones, nothing! Only thing we had to think about was what activity we wanted to do that day and where we wanted to eat dinner each night. And Larry and Stephanie helped make the latter decision! Lots of fun!

Two Trips Scheduled!!!

We just bought our airline tickets for two upcoming trips...the first will be to Colorado to visit Sara and Zach in February and the other is in April to visit Holly, Erich, Zoe, and Ezra!!! It's great having known dates and then being able to look forward to them!

We'll look at houses while we are in Colorado. We wanted to check out the housing areas during the harshest season...winter. And, we selected April to go back to California since that is normally one of the prettiest times of the year, when it's actually green and the wildflowers are all in bloom!

I Need a Change

Well, I don't think Delaware is it. It doesn't make any sense to continue to live so far away from Holly or Sara. We really tried getting closer to the grandkids in California but the housing market is still very rediculous there, particularly in Southern California. As a matter of fact, the housing prices there are already on the rise!!! They never came down to a reasonable level! And, with two strikes on our offers in Merced, there must be a reason why those deals fell through.

I very much want to live close to her and her family, but just don't see it happening--I just don't see her moving out of Southern California. Erich is definitely cemented there and is afraid to live in snow country. Holly has a lot of extended family in California and many close friends. She will be fine. I'll just have to accept the fact that we won't be seeing Zoe and Ezra very often, which breaks my heart! :(

Sara, on the other hand, has no one but Zach in Colorado. And, after having visited the Denver area twice, we can see us living there--so peaceful and beautiful! And, much less of a rat race than here. We're going to try and visit again in late February and will look at some homes then. If we see something we really like, we'll put in a contingent offer.

Mark and I need to get on with the final chapter in our lives. I don't want to wait much longer. We need to develop new friends, volunteer, take classes, work on our hobbies, etc. and it's not going to happen here. Most importantly, we so much want to live closer to at least one of our daughters. (We'd be so blessed if we could all live in the same state!)

I'm nervous to jump into the "unknown" but the longer we wait, the harder it will be. I just need to "do it"! I'm sure we won't regret it...we've always liked all the places we've lived. We like it here in Northern Virginia, too (for the most part), but it doesn't make sense to be hundreds and thousands of miles away from my immediate family.

So, this is the year...

Another "Plan B"

As we suspected, the bank didn't approve the sellers for the short sale. Is it kharma or what telling us the time isn't right to buy in Merced? So, we've suspended our search out there for now.

After checking what states are best for retirees (as far as tax purposes are concerned) Delaware is the place to look next. So, we started looking in the Dover area and will also check out Middletown and the beach community of Lewes.

We can't decide on anything yet until we've had an opportunity to stop working and travel some more to the places we love. We wish we could be closer to Holly, Erich and the grandkids, but the real estate market in California really is rediculous! The housing prices are not in alignment with the rest of the country! And, we still love Colorado, too!

I think we'll just keep looking and not say anything to anyone...I hate getting everyone's hopes up and then changing our mind. One thing I know is that we haven't found that "special" place yet. I'm convinced we'll know it when we see it.

Made an Offer

We had a really nice two week vacation in California. Spent half the time with Holly, Erich, and the grandkids and about 5 days with Tom and Mona! We did a lot of house hunting in Ojai but were very disappointed with what you can get for $500K--a fixer upper that needed at least $100K put into it! We looked in Ventura, too, but you can't touch anything decent under $700K (unless you want to live in a 1 or 2 bedroom with no lot).

So, we ended up looking in Merced and actually put an offer on two houses. The first one was rejected but the second one was accepted. Unfortunately, the Bear Creek house is a "short sale" so the sellers' bank may or may not accept it. And, it could take several months before we find out anything. It's probably best if we keep looking and come up with some other options, just in case.

We don't plan on putting the house on the market yet until we know for sure whether or not we'll get the Bear Creek house. If we don't get it, we don't want to be stuck without a house if this one sells right away. I don't think the prices have gone up yet here in Sully Station so it wouldn't hurt to wait until the spring to list. We'll just have to see what happens in California.

Best of Both Worlds

Okay, after sleeping on it, I woke up thinking, "How can we have the best of both worlds?" How can we enjoy the grandkids yet live in a place we really like? So, I thought about downsizing A LOT for a while...say a few years and see if we can find a cute home in Ojai, CA reasonably priced. (It has the artsy things we're looking for. We'd get to see Ezra and Zoe more frequently. And, it's a location with good re-sale and we think it always will be.)

Then, we would move (or buy a second home in Colorado). We still love snow and the mountains and would be able to see Sara and Zach more often, too! This is definitely doable!

Indecision

Too much angst! We want to be close to the grandkids but worry about location and what you get for the price. Wish Holly and Erich would move in a couple of years. Would love to live by Tom and Mona, too, but Merced isn't exactly a garden spot. It's one of the highest places in the U.S. for crime! And, it lacks a lot of the things we like to do: festivals, fairs, theater, symphony, UU church, etc. It does have Yosemite and camping all around which is a plus!

When I think of when I've been the most happiest recently, it's been when we've been in Colorado! Not to say I haven't been very happy being with Holly, Erich, Zoe, and Ezra. I absolutely adore them and have so much fun with Zoe and Ezra! But, the housing situation out there depresses me. Colorado is simply awesome! Breathtaking views! I could see us living there even if Sara wasn't there. It's that refreshing to me!

So, indecision wracks my brain! I just can't make a decision right now. Until we can sort this out, we'll have to wait to take any action.

Gettin' Antsy!

It's been a few months since I made an update here. Our house was just about ready to go on the market in April when our realtor sent us some more "comps" in the neighborhood. It looked like the prices dropped another $50K! We aren't willing to sell this house for that much less so we'll hold onto it until the market swings back.

We keep modifying Plan B and the latest change is this: We'll probably buy something real cheap ($150K or less) in California and hang onto this house for a while. When it sells, we can bank the money until we're ready to have a final home in California and hopefully, one on the East Coast by Julie, Ray, and the boys. (If Sara stays in Colorado, then we may consider something there.)

We would love to have something in Ventura County for the California house so we're close to Holly, Erich, and the kids, but it's not affordable for what we want to do. So, we're possibly thinking of Merced as an interim California home. (We don't want to be too far away from the grandkids--5 hours is better than 3000 miles away.) It certainly would be great to spend more time with Tom and Mona and the rest of their family, too! (Just wish we could ALL be together!) Then once we have more time to check out the Sacramento (Rocklin, Granite Bay, Roseville) and Placerville areas (Grass Valley, Auburn, Nevada City) we'll decide on a permanent California home.

We are more than ready to do something different! We will have a significant reduction in income when we make the move to Plan B so we'll have to manage our budget much more closely. But we're looking forward to living each day more fully and enriching our lives in ways that aren't possible today.

So, we're trying to decide on the timing for all of this to happen. More to come...

Making Progress

     We're making lots of progress in the basement now!  Mark repainted Sara's room and fixed the closet door.  He took out one of the wall switches and plans to make another a double light switch.  The closet is just about cleaned out, too.  Most of the boxes are up in the garage now.

     We'll tackle Holly's closet next weekend.  Will probably need to repaint it.  We're still waiting on an estimate from the floor guy--he took measurements a week ago but he hasn't called us back yet. We want the stairs, entry way, kitchen, and family room floors refinished.  Then, the upstairs carpeting needs to be replaced.

     We'll see what we can get done this next month.  We're shooting on a 1 Apr date to get the house on the market.

     

De-cluttering

     We've been de-cluttering like crazy!  Upstairs is fairly well organized and so is the main floor.  The basement is the challenge.  Mark's re-painting Sara's room and boxing up the rest of her things.  Then, we'll tackle Holly's closet and do the same.  After that, it's the basement family room and under the stairwell, then that should do it!  Just waiting on an upstairs carpet and hardwood floor refinishing quote.  Only 6 more weekends left to get everything done...the sooner the better though.

     We are so looking forward to a lifestyle change.  There is so much more to life than what we are currently doing every day.  We want to live life to the fullest and focus on our family and our health.  We need to de-stress in a big way.

Love Colorado but Love California, Too

     Well, we've decided the place for us to retire is California.  We really do love Colorado with all the beauty of the mountains and the fact that Sara lives there.  But, we also love California, a magical state where Mark and I first fell in love.  And, we think it's important to be in our grandchildren's lives as soon as we can.

Time on my Side

     I had a chance to work on my creative writing skills today, something I've been wanting to do for some time now.   I managed to get a few writing exercises in and it actually felt good to use my right side brain again!  

    I get so frustrated working full time in Alexandria, VA because it means long hours and a rediculous commute; there is no time before or after work to just sit with no distractions and write or just read!  The alarm goes off at 4:10 a.m. and I usually drag myself out of bed by 4:20ish.  Then, I'm out the door by 5:30 a.m. and start work at 6:30 a.m.  I don't take lunch breaks so that I can try to be out the door by 3:30 p.m. but lately it's been between 4 and 5 p.m. before I leave!  Tack on an hour + driving each way and that makes for one long day!  Too pooped to think of anything when I get home, let alone try to concentrate and be creative!

     I'm really determined to make a drastic change in the near future.  Can't say when exactly but I'm preparing for it.  Mark is doing likewise.  He's been traveling overseas lately and does NOT like it!  Plus, several people have left the company he works for and it appears more work is piling on him to make up for those losses.  

     So, we are planning on how to have all the time in the world to do the things we want to...before we get too old and too fat!  It's going to take a lifestyle change and we're at the point where we are willing to do just that.  Money isn't everything...it can't bring the kind of happiness we're looking for.  The question is just "when" to make the change.

Great Time in Colorado

Can't believe Christmas 2008 has come and gone!  We have one more day to enjoy here in Colorado with Sara and Zach and it happens to be on Sara's birthday (tomorrow)!  Mark and I have had a wonderful time here...definitely enjoyed just relaxing, getting some reading done, sight-seeing, shopping, and spending time with Sara.   Sara and Zach were gracious hosts and the chicken cacciatore was outstanding!  We really enjoyed playing Rock Band 2 with Zach and Sara, too!  Sure wish we all didn't live so far away.

We're still exploring options of where to retire.  We know exactly what we want (in terms of type of house and location) if we retire to Colorado, but we're not sure if this is our retirement place yet. It's gorgeous out here and it certainly has a better pace of life than the East Coast, but California keeps tugging at our sleeves, too, so we need to explore that a bit more too...specifically the Sacramento area.  

Check out some of the Christmas in Colorado pics!