Signing the Lease Again

 It has been four years since we met with Eboni and signed the lease on our apartment at Barclay Square.  Jeff was kind enough to go along with us on that occasion and we all got a glimpse of another second floor apartment. Ours was still occupied.  The day had a bad omen in that we hit a deer on the road leading up to the complex and we felt terrible about that.  Eboni was very nonchalant about it however.

So here we are four years later and commiting to another year.  If we signed the lease month by month it would add $500 to the monthly rent. Who knows at our age what the year will bring? But we have been very pleased with our spacious apartment, with the office and the maintenance crew, and with our quiet location.

Last night we drove ten minutes to Jeff and Susan's house where we joined Katie and Eli for the first cookout of the year.  Jeff and Susan have been so gracious and welcoming to us and we are grateful to be a part of their lives.  They were happy that Katie spent Easter with us and we are pleased to be watching her dance at Princeton again in a week or two.  Our other children and their families are farther away but visiting them is a day trip or an overnight trip--not a 700 mile trip as it used to be.  

Yesterday we joined our former church via a video service because I was not feeling well enough to worship in person at our Princeton church.  When Andrea prayed for members of our South Bend congregation, we were aware of how much we were a part of that fellowship in a way that will probably not happen here in a large church and at our age.  I guess we feel as if we are members of two churches and that is a blessing too.

One load of laundry is in the dryer and I am thankful to have a washer and dryer in our apartment. On Wednesday maintenance is coming to do a brief semi-annual inspection, turn off the gas pilot in the fireplace, and replace the filter in the air conditioner.  How nice to have someone else take care of us in that way.  I miss having a yard and a charcoal grill and our lovely three season room where we ate dinner almost every night once it got warm enough.  I hope our buyers are enjoying seeing the daffodils pop up in the back yard.  I miss the ease of attending events at Notre Dame--inexpensive tickets to performances and easy parking. I miss friends although it is good to still be in touch by email.

Signing the lease again is a time for reflection and although there have been some medical difficulties and of course Covid issues, we are content with our move. We have found good doctors and we are familiar with stores and libraries.  And we will not have to purge belongings to the same extent and sell a house again.