Jury duty is finished - Still sorting

Jury duty is over, and I have to say it was actually a good experience. VERY tiring. Listening to all the evidence and realizing that you are responsible for making decisions that will affect another person's future is a pretty awesome task. I was more tired each night than if I had worked a full day. We were not allowed to take notes, so the mental challenge of not only listening, but remembering can be very difficult. AND the judge admonished us not to talk about the case to each other or anyone else, so my mind was filled with all this information that I was unable to organize very well.

But it was interesting to see how we all worked together as we deliberated and how much we all remembered together. Glad I don't have to do this very often, but I would do my duty again if asked.

Have started a more methodical approach to sorting our "stuff". We previously moved everything from the office to the dining room so Dan could work on the plumbing issue, so that room has been empty for some time. And we've cleaned out the dining room, except for the table and chairs and the boxes for the kids, which are going to the storage facility. And the utility room is less cluttered and more organized.

I decided on Friday to start at the north end of the house and work my way to the south end. So the large bathroom has been throughly sorted, with just the necessary bathing items left in the room. Now on to our bedroom on Monday and the walk-in closet. I'm really going to adhere to the rule, "If you pick it up, make a decision about it before putting it down." In other words, "Don't just move it to another place".

Sarah and her fiance, Chad, will be here on Friday for a wedding dress fitting on Saturday. We've asked them to help carry things out of the basement and to help move some furniture to the storage facility. That will be a BIG help.

So, we are still in Rochester, but making progress. Thanks to those of you who keep checking the website for new info. We'll be going to Talladega about April 18 for the Nascar race and then to Ohio June 1 for Sarah's wedding. Then I'll start posting more often.

More later......

We're Still Here - (Rochester, IL)

Just letting everyone know we are still sorting, giving away and throwing away. Just can't believe the STUFF we collect. Sure is interesting going through boxes that haven't been opened for a few years. Makes for some sentimental moments. But progress is being made. Most of the books are off the shelves and some have been delivered to their new homes.

Took a trunk full of stuff to Goodwill today. Won't be doing much next week since I have jury duty beginning Monday. Maybe I'll get lucky and be sent home the first day. Kind of puts a glitch in my plans, but just have to deal with it.

It's just 2 1/2 months till Sarah and Chad's wedding in Ohio. They will be home the first of April for a wedding dress fitting. All of our kids and their families will be at the wedding. Will be great to see everyone together.

We'll be going to Branson, MO after the wedding for an RV rally and then head toward Seattle with plans to stop in Kansas and visit friends and then on to Denver to visit my sister Jean and her husband, Steve. Haven't made any definite plans for the route on to Seattle, but will probably just "play it by ear." Plan to stay about a month in and around Seattle. Then will start a slow southerly route toward Texas.

Enough for now. More later....... (after I finish some more sorting and I fulfill my jury duty obligations).

Hanging Out in Rochester

Just wanted to let everyone know we are still around. Just not traveling yet. But have been doing a lot of sorting and getting rid of things. Spent a large portion of today going through pictures. I'm taking them out of the frames to store them. Also started scanning some of them. I'm don't have the time to go through all the pictures we've taken over the years, but plan to work on that as we travel. I was very negligent and did not put pictures in albums, so have a lot of work ahead. If I sorted all of them now, we wouldn't get started on this fulltime journey until next year. :)

We had about 4 inches of snow yesterday, but the temperature was up to 38 today. Next week should be nice with temperatures around 48. Maybe the ground will start drying out. It's really wet from all the snow.

Will continue to post about once a week to document our progress.

Looking forward to warmer weather and longer days as daylight savings time starts next weekend.

More later....