Bearstate, wishing you a wonderful new life in SJO! Take a long nice warm bath to help with those aches from the move. I hope your bananas and other plants will love their new home.

Hi Steph, I'm now 24 years old and lost my grandmother when I was 14. Still to this day I think about her and miss her pretty often. It seems the older I get, the easier it gets. However, I don't think the feelings of missing her will ever go away. I guess when you love someone that much, you can never fully move on without ever missing them. I have created an online memorial for my grandma at never-gone.com. They give me a place I can go when I miss her to read other peoples memories of her, see pictures of her and all kinds of things. I recommend you give it a try. Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.never-gone.com

Adrienne, It's timely you should post this, because just this morning I was thinking, "Well, here comes the 'Anniversary Season' again." I lost my mother in May ... 19 years ago. A very close friend in July ... 13 years ago. My father in July ... 36 years ago. So, even though it's been so very many years, these dates still and always will mean a great deal. I think of these loved ones all day long on these anniversaries .... and while I think of the loss and all that they have missed, I always end up spending more time thinking about how blessed I am to have had them in my life at all, even if just for a little while. The days are bittersweet, but much more sweet than bitter. Some years I mention to others what day it is for me, other years I don't. But I carry my loved ones very close to me on those days. Best to you as you work your way through your journey. Mary

I'm so happy to find this thread! Last weekend my DH was cleaning off his workbench, and I just started casually going through some of the bins of clothes I have saved down in the basement. I was saving them for many reasons: they might fit me again someday; I spent a lot of money on them; my two daughters (10 & 7) might want them someday.....etc. I had about 12 large Rubbermaid-type bins down there--20 years of clothes. I just kept moving and by the end I got them down to 2 bins-mostly vintage and dressy clothes that my two girls might really want. I also got rid of all the 80's shoes that I was saving, and a bunch of my DH's pants that will never fit again. All together, I brought 14 large garbage bags of stuff to the Salvation Army!!! It felt good to clean up the basement, but I have to admit, I almost threw my body across those bags as the man unloaded them! It's so hard! Some of it was really fine quality stuff and much of it was very trendy 80's and 90's stuff. It was hard for me because when I was in high school I shopped thrift stores for vintage clothes, and often when I'd bring home a find, my mom would say "I had one like that! I threw it away!" (40's and 50's stuff). I found it so frustrating! So I was hanging on to my stuff for my two girls. But ya'know what? I can't hang on to that much stuff for the next 5-10 years on the off chance that my kids will think some of it is cool when they are in high school. So I let it go. And it really does feel good. In that formerly crowded area, We are now putting our treadmill, some weights, and a TV! And we are now both inspired to continue cleaning up that basement and pitching stuff we don't need or use. I told DH if he is willing to part with all his darkroom equipment, then I can certainly go through my stuff and see what else can go. It's hard, but it's freeing too.