Phil and I moved into this house twenty-five years ago. It has been a good house for us -- our children have grown up in this place and there are many, many happy memories here.
About six years ago Phil and I decided to build an addition onto our home. I had always wanted a sun-room, so we contracted with a builder to do the work. He was a real artist, and we were absolutely thrilled with the result. This man also designed and built a deck for us, then designed a patio which would blend nicely with the sun-room and deck. Phil spent many weekends doing the manual labor to build the patio. Next we planted shrubs and put in numerous flower beds to surround the whole thing. It was a labor of love, and the results were more than gratifying.
Every morning for the past six years I have taken my cup of coffee and sat for half an hour in that sun-room with one, and sometimes two, cats snuggled in my lap. As each season has come and gone I have gazed through the windows and enjoyed the constant changes that nature has created. During that quiet time each day I have never failed to think about how lucky I am to have such a dear husband, how lucky I am to have two such terrific sons and, as a bonus, how lucky I am to be able to sit and enjoy such a lovely and tranquil environment. These reflections are my daily celebration of life, and I am immeasurably grateful for them.
The time has come for Phil and I to move on. Our boys have their own homes now. We realize that as we get older it will become difficult for us to maintain the beauty of our surroundings. The upkeep of the garden alone is onerous. We are building a new house which will be far easier to maintain. We are very excited about our new home, and the extra freedom it will give us -- but I am a little sad too. I am going to miss my beloved sun-room. I pray that the new one will bring me as much joy. And I hope the new family who move into this house will be as happy here as we have been these many years.
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