I can't believe how far I am on the September Packlist and the first barrel is only half full!

This trip seems to have a subtext of candles-- a pair of small wall sconces and their candles; a candle-stick lamp, shade, and bulb; two electric window-type candles (those tiny bulbs on electrified candlesticks)-- all to sprinkle around the Ohio house to soften the hard look left over from the first several loads/trips, which focused on furniture to sit on and sleep on.

My pitch-or-wash cleaning cloths are heavenly. I decided that I'd rather do aromatherapy than clean per se, so I added leftover cinnamon and nutmeg oils. I have begun using them and it is SO NICE (and so nice on the hands, too).

Also de-junked a few LR/DR areas by snatching up dusty linens to cover the pretty Ohio tables (it's an almost dust-free house). With each item I pack, I am de-knick-knacking its room of origin. It's a delicate balance-- the Ohio house is so open and uncluttered that I don't want to take too much there. But until we retire and move out of this house entirely, we will be able to enjoy both homes relatively uncluttered and easily cleaned.

Once we retire, the whole PA-houseful will go to Ohio and we can decide there what to Yard Sale or Goodwill away-- it's not until then that Hardi will really know which items he wants to keep forever. Oh, I can see that for my own items, but he's working fulltime with no time to dwell on hard decisions. And we do have a lot of stuff-- we blended two complete households when we married, and then when we moved into this big 3-family house 20 years ago, we were glad we had kept as much as we did, to furnish it for the kids and for MudGathers.

Our pension plan includes a huge moving allowance the year he retires from active, fulltime parish ministry. So we will move a lot then, and Hardi will take great photos to frame memories of keepsakes he decides to let go of, when the Big Van dumps it all into the Ohio garage!

My Ohio habits came home with me-- my PA kitchen has stayed sparklingly clean since we got back. Must be time to mess it up with a Meat Sale (bulk cooking) party with MIL!

~Susan