In 1997 we moved into our current house and we made it into our perfect home. I worked in the gardens; front, back and sides, and turned it all into a personal paradise shared with frogs, birds, insects and a host of mammals, not all of which are equally welcome. Now, deadlines are staring me in the face. By mid May this home will be put on the market and I expect (hope) by mid June we will be moving to our new and hopefully last home ever!

As winter finally made an appearance (at least it is colder now) I am going through closets in preparation for the move. Moving is something we have not done frequently, although when I compare my moves with those of Dutch relatives, I am way ahead of them. First, there was the move across the ocean. That was the biggest one of all. Unencumbered by many possessions, we (which included “first husband” – never EVER to be confused by The Spouse!) moved into an apartment in Hoboken. Months later we moved to Kew Gardens. When the building in Kew Gardens turned co-op and the monthly fees alone equaled our rent, we had to move again. This time to Long Island City, a hop, skip and jump from Manhattan and my job. There we stayed for many years and later, I stayed there for a few more years by myself. Then I met future Spouse in the hospital where I worked as a volunteer. A year later we bought our home in Dumont, New Jersey, and we married a few months after that. Then our parent company in Germany bought a company in Princeton and closed the office in Manhattan. I was one of the lucky ones to make it through the merger. That’s when we moved to our current home in Hillsborough, New Jersey. Fast forward five years and I was given the opportunity to interview for my current job. Now fast forward another 14 years and here we are: January 2016.

We bought our new home (still to be build) last August. But time flies and soon enough the moving van will be at our door. The thought of sifting through belongings accumulated during many years fills me with some dread. On the other hand, there is the excitement of discarding what is no longer needed or wanted and donating it to someone who can find a use for it. Meanwhile, before I tackle any more closets I find some time to walk through the garden. Guess what? December was so mild I find the first hellebores plants in bloom, and not with a few flowers, but in full bloom. The pot marigold, which did so well up to now, finally gave up when the temperatures nosedived, but the primroses are also still going strong. I can make it through this month knowing there is still some life in the garden AND the days are getting longer again too!