I arose early, before the sun peeked through the blinds. I got the coffee brewing and walked to every window in the den looking out at the barely visible skyline. It looked to be another beautiful day.

I went to the bathroom and washed my face with a good splash of very cold water. As I looked into the mirror in front of me I saw an old lady staring back. Her hair was more salt than pepper and the wrinkles ran deep. Her skin was marked by age spots and the bags under her eyes could have taken her on an extended trip.

As I continued to stare I wondered when I had gotten to this condition in my life. I looked so tired and with that realization I understood at that moment that I was tired.

The past eight years have been weighing on me heavily. Dear Don’s health was steadily declining and the current regimen of meds he was on was not working. I worried. A lot.

We had spent a great portion of the past 25years or so preparing ourselves financially for the day when he would perhaps no longer be able to work. We never prepared for the physical and emotional toll that would wash over us like a tidal wave.

And so here we are. We have come through this season still standing. A little worse for wear but not so much that we cannot make our way forward and upward.

So this is where I leave you. We want to travel when we can. Dear Don is not able to go for long distances for long periods. So this means we can take short trips to do things we have talked of doing.

We have volleyed about the idea of selling our home and moving, and have spent time looking for property around Pickwick Lake. Moving is a monumental task and like traveling is not really suited to folks who are not physically able to do as much as they would like.

We want to put more of our time into focusing on his health and our relationship. We want to ride like the wind, into the sunset, over the hills, along the oceanfront. We want to watch snowfall in the mountains while nestled in a cozy cabin. We want to stop along the way and have meals at every local diner we can find. We want to wear out the atlas that we keep in our old car. We just want to be.

I have spent a lot of time with you readers. You know much much more about me than I know about you.

I hope you will understand my need for freedom at this juncture. I want to spend long days listening to my sweet husband daydream. I want to be excited about the future and whatever it holds.

We have given way too much time to the stresses and worries of life.

We are looking forward to being free spirits.

Know that these years have been important to us both. Each time you approached us in public, wrote a letter, called or emailed it was valuable and meaningful to us both. We will always cherish this time that you made us feel loved and supported and encouraged.

We thank you for that from the bottom of our hearts.

So here’s to you readers and your own daydreams. May each one be peaceful and interesting,stress free and filled with God’s blessings.

Sherry