Five years at Holly Tree Manor

Today marks the fifth anniversary of Holly Tree Manor. So much has happened in those years. The big life changing events that happened in those years are that I retired and my beloved Ron passed. I have more questions than ever about my life and the choices I've made. 

I'm not alone in wondering where I'd be today if I'd made different choices. What if I hadn't retired? Would I be happier at work than here alone all day? I don't think so. I was able to be with Ron and my only worry was Deuce. Thankfully, my closest cousin lives next door and was able to visit Deuce during the times I was at the hospital with Ron. 

Ron's passing aside, the last five years have been good ones. I started working when I was just sixteen years old. I wanted to save up to buy my own car, which I did even though it was against my parent's wishes. My mother always tried to hold me back. My father was more aware but he didn't know what to do with a teenage daughter. Dad was the one who said I could buy my first car - a 1969 Camaro. 

I worked all those years so I could have my own money, buy my own things, and save for the day when I could step into all I ever wanted to be - The Lady of the Manor. Truly, it was my fondest dream, and here I am. The reality looks a bit different than the dream since Ron passed, but he knew this was my dream. 

Yesterday, we marked the winter solstice. Starting today, we begin to have more daylight minutes every day until we reach the summer solstice. It's a cold (29F), clear and sunny day here. There is little work that needs to be done outside in the cold. I've completed a few indoor chores, perused a few seed sellers like Burpees and Totally Tomatoes, and now I'm blogging. Later this afternoon, I need to decide on my canning/preserving projects for the year, which will influence what I plant in the 2025 garden. 

My computer room/sunroom is flooded with sunlight. Outside the windows, the trees stand as watchful sentinels. My world is at peace. 

Thanks for coming along for the last five years. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

_*_*_

On a side note, I've got a new book out called Once in October. Click on the link to the book page located at my writing blog, Between the Keys. You will probably get a message that the link takes you off this blog. If that worries you, copy and paste in:

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/once-in-october-by-kc-kendricks.html

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, rural living, country lifestyle, fifth anniversary, a writer's life, winter solstice, 1969 Camaro, KC Kendricks, blogging, women's work, loss of spouse, dreams

When you least expect it

Just yesterday I posted about retiring. By the end of the workday, I'd had enough and I submitted my letter of resignation, effective July 31, 2021. 

Talk about something feeling anticlimactic, yes, it did. It felt like nothing at all.

There's no panic, no second thoughts, only relief that the letter is in and I can now actively wind things down. After twenty-one years, I have a bit of stuff to haul home. 

I'm not sure how I thought I would feel, but this "nothing" isn't it. For the first time in probably my adult life, I don't have a sense of urgency over all the things I want to get accomplished this weekend, or even this summer. I've entered a sort of waiting limbo. 

The Lord of the Manor has yet to question me. I think he's digesting the fact he's going to lose his private kingdom a bit sooner than anticipated. I'm sure we'll work it out. I do expect to spend a certain amount of time each day at my computer with my writer's hat on. That should give him sufficient time to do whatever it is he does all day. 

I don't want to get overly excited, but I can feel the excitement building in me. I've realized so few dreams in my life, well, only one if the truth be told. I was and am recognized for my writing. But the biggest dream I have for myself, the one that is most important, is to truly BE the Lady of the Manor. To be here, on the land my grandfather gave to me and that I love as much as he did. 

Perhaps Neil Young said it best: We've been through some things together, with trunks of memories still to come. We found things to do in stormy weather, long may you run. Long may you run, long may you run, although these changes have come with your chrome heart shining in the sun, long may you run.

Now a new Saturday beckons, one that I hope retains the peace I feel this morning. Long may I run.

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor