Downsizing

 So.  What has been going on during this blog blackout?  I am choosing to start with Downsizing.  But I will begin this narrative with how I grew up.  My parents wanted a bigger house when I was about 6 or 7.  The bought 31 and we moved around around the corner from Temple St.  Growing up in that house was fantastic.  While growing up, I experience my first brush with Downsizing.  

When my brother and I were in high school, our mother started talking to our grandparents about moving.  They lived in Wilmington, where they had settled down for a long time, after moving a lot during my grandfather's early years with his company.  They loved the house and town. They owned 4.5 acres with a 14 room house on it.  As they got older, my grandparents found it harder to maintain.  Honestly, I think my mother found it hard too.  She was their only child living in the same the state.  My mother never drives much.  Driving from Duxbury to Wilmington was left to my Dad.

I was not a part of the discussions between my grandparents and my mother.  I believe my grandparents looked favorably on downsizing.  But I do not rightly now.  Whatever transpired, they seems to handle the change well.  All of them seem to agree that their new home would be close to Duxbury.  My grandparents didn't want to live in Florida or New York, by my Aunt or Uncle.  My Dad was always doing things for them, along with my mother.  I feel my grandparents realized my folks were their best and constant support system.  After talks and visits to independent senior living complexes around the South Shore, my grandfather pulled off a huge surprise.  While all of us attended my brother's football game, my grandfather stayed behind.  When we got home, he announced that he had put an offer on the house next door, 41.  The rest, as they say, is history. 

41 became their home for a long time.  Eventually, it became home for Demi, the boys and me.  How about that?  My grandparents "smaller" home was our family home.  It was plenty big enough for all of us.  22 years in 41.  41 will always be "home" in the memories of Caz and Coco.  I experience the emotional attachments my grandparents possessed to both Wilmington and 41.  It shouldn't have surprised me that our family created similar bonds with 41.  If I am honest, and always try to be with you, I thought I would die while living in that house.  I always joked that I would be carted out of that house in a box.  Somewhere inside, a piece of me was not joking.  

We all had different reactions to leaving 41.  Caz likely took it most in stride.  He was comfortable at Auburn.  He loves it there.  I believe that helped him with the transition.  Demi was ready to start a new chapter.  She saw all the possibilities before us.  Coco was not pleased.  At all.  Of course, all this started before he even left for USC.  He hadn't made a connection there yet.  I think I was somewhere in between, although, again, if I am honest, I was closer to Coco's side of the see-saw.  Change is always hard.  But Change is inevitable.  Fighting change is pointless.  You can't win.  And it only makes it harder.  You can just go with it.  And it will be fine.  But if you embrace it, you can make it wonderful.