Lemondrop

I long for the days of college, when all my worldly belongings fit in the back of my car. Some clothes, a few pairs of shoes, my word processor (yes, this was pre-Mac) and my stereo system were all I needed. I didn't even require boxes. Just gimme a couple garbage bags, and I was set.

I'd never really been tied to any material possessions. And back then, I probably could have replaced everything for under a thousand dollars, (which frankly, I would have been more than happy to do, just for the new wardrobe).

That's not so much the case anymore. With actual "grown-up" furniture, lots of electronics, a metric ton of kitchen stuff and a few antiques sprinkled in for good measure, shoving everything in a hatchback clearly wasn't going to work.

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And although I entertained the thought of dousing everything with lighter fluid, I knew that replacing all of our stuff would cost an eensy bit more than a grand, and would likely involve an uncomfortable conversation with our insurance adjuster.

So, my husband and I did the only logical thing we could think of. We threw some money at the problem and hoped everything would work out. Although cash is a resource we're running slightly short of these days, with both of us now sans income, we believed it was a necessary investment to keep us sane ... and out of traction.

When you start to meticulously pack all your belongings into lots and lots of boxes, it quickly becomes apparent what you need and what you can do without. When was the last time I wore that? A month ago? Bah! Get rid of it! How many spatulas do we have? Three? Far too many! Lose two of them!

Material possessions aside, I really didn't believe I'd get emotional about leaving. We'd only been in the house for a little over four years, and although it was a nice place, I had never felt any strong connection to it. But looking around at our suddenly spacious house, all the memories of our life in San Francisco suddenly coalesced. The parties with our friends, bringing home our puppy and just chillin' with my hubby on Sunday nights ... It all came rushing back to me, and I suddenly got very sad. I won't miss the house, but it's a powerful symbol of our life in the Bay Area, which I will miss very, very much.