Spectacular sendoff

Gorman/ LeBec: Studio 6

Orah came up to help us with our third truckload of household/ garage goods on Friday. We loaded what we had packed into a 17 foot truck that night, and Orah took us to Frito Misto in Hermosa Beach, where we have had a number of good meals before.  We filled it about 2/3 of packed to the gills.  Saturday we drove it to the storage place, and Orah did well consolidation what we had stored so that more could be added.  She parted with us there in Industry and drove MM’s car home. Angelica came to clean the last time, and we set out packing the rest of our stuff. 

Sunday morning we stopped for some self-care, going to Saint Cross for the last time. We thought the Summer Breakfasts would have started but I was wrong by a week, and so we went to The Kettle, our favorite café, in Manhattan Beach, to get fed and revisit another touchstone.  The PIC Greg Brown gave us a blessing and appreciation with a laying on of hands with the rest of the congregation.  A good way to channel the grief at parting to turn toward the future.  I did not find time to visit the community garden, though, and offer what feedback I could; that was disappointing.  Judy Soper offered us her guest room when we came for a visit, though, and now I think we will take her up on her offer when we travel through next month.  We went to Floyd’s and got badly-needed haircuts and then back to work.  Mary worked on the office and her personal clothes; I worked on the garage, and packed up the useful tools and materials I thought worthwhile saving.  We had Ramen noodles for lunch and some fruit. That left a lot of junk, and the trash bins were again filled to the top just two days after pickup, so we called Jose Peña and his truck to haul out the rest on Monday morning. More Ramen for dinner, along with some frozen spinach, and the spare eggs. 

Where it went.

 

Where it came from

Monday Morning July 4 started with a blitz to bring all the remaining trash to the garage before Jose arrived at 8:30. His was a small flat bed truck, and this was the third time he had visited us to pick up stuff for the dump- once with remodeling debris, and twice with trash of various descriptions.  I was amazed to think of how much we had accumulated over the years, but it was finally gone.

We used our coffee pot for the last time before packing it away, fried up the last eggs and two slices of toast in the frying pan which got packed. That left us with leftovers to get rid of, and from the freezer we gave three packages of chicken, frozen herbs like Oregano and Mint, and ahi.

Then the last load to Industry.  With the help of more casual labor  we got it done and cleaned up the house, and by 8:45PM we were rolling, departing under skies filled with fireworks.


Gorman: burgers. As we left town all the people were setting off fireworks, presumably in our honor, to give us a gala send off. A prayer before we left helped set the tone, but some mother's tears were shed in remembrance of the children we raised in the home we were leaving.