was the Medusa a pleasure cruise in comparison?

Following the advice of my fellow bloggers, I have started putting a plan together for my move. Unlike most of you, I do not have very good planning skills. I follow my dad's advice: "Don't do anything unless you want to do it." So, a lot of this is going to go against 58 years of training.

After giving The Plan a good deal of thought last night, I have come to the conclusion that I need to make decisions on three big issues. My answers to those questions are going to start the clock running on everything else. I looked through the house last night and discovered that even if I do not move in the near future, there are plenty of projects for me to accomplish right now. Several of you have commented on the amount of detritus we collect over the span of our lives. I gave away boxes of household items to the Salvation Army and filled up a dumpster when I moved to this house a mere 14 years ago. In that time, I have managed to fill up a three-bedroom house with -- stuff. I often use the fire test when I start cleaning and clearing. I ask myself: If my house caught fire, could I live without any given item? The answer is always "yes." The second question is: Would I replace it? The answer is almost always "no."

In the past, I would go through my clothes closet and divide the clothes I wore during the last year into one pile ("the keepers") and those I did not into another pile ("wearables seeking a new home at the Salvation Army"). I need to do that during the next two weeks. I could easily look around for household items that simply need a new home.

Having decided to do that, these are the three questions I will need to answer before too long:

1. When should I retire?


2. Should I keep or sell my house in Salem?


3. Where in Mexico should I start renting?

I will tackle each of those questions in separate posts this coming week. Smaller posts seem to be far more palatable to readers. And I should have time to do that. The weather between Salem and Bend will keep me from celebrating Christmas with my brother and his family. It will also give me time to start dividing up my "earthly treasures."