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No longer on the river and, again, an empty nester. Back to living on Fleming Island and making some more friends!

Friday, March 13, 2015

Cultured and artistic you say?

A week or so ago at lunch with the church buddies, Michael was telling me how so far we have three kids coming from CO this summer, two boys and one girl. One girl, Noelle, was here last summer and will be joined by the brother of Jacob, who came two years in a row. I am not sure who the 3rd one is yet. I remarked that Noelle will once again have to sleep in the living room on the air bed and Michael assured me she was fine with that.

After we were home a bit, Justin came to my room and said, "It's possible that my room will be available for kids to sleep in...." What? What? Apparently Jesse's live-in is moving out and Justin is hoping to move in with Jesse. Not all the details have been worked out with Jesse and his step-dad, who owns the house, but Justin is once again psyched about moving out, and in, once more with Jesse. Those two have lived together almost since Justin started at UNF. He's always lived with St. Johns kids even at The District until Michael G. transferred to another college. 

I would be glad for Justin to be able to live with Jesse, basically on his own again, but sad that he is leaving me. The line from "My Big, Fat Greek Wedding" is often used by Justin and me---"Why you want to leeaavve me?" But I know why, and do understand. Somehow I will manage, as I have in the past. Certainly I wouldn't mind having my rooms back again, and clean. I am all about the clean! When I told my friend, Nancy W., this bit of news, she was sad for me, and for herself. She said, "Oh, you're going to miss him....I'M going to miss him!" He is most popular around here. 

Justin has been busy in his room---purging, sorting, re-organizing, putting stuff in bins, and getting rid of stuff. I will not stand in the way of that! He took three bags of discarded clothes to the collection bin, which is a great start. (I should do the same even though I am not planning on going anywhere.) He has attachment to the boxes and containers some of his electronics came in or his collectibles, and he is prepared to part with them. Not being sure of how much room he'll have at Jesse's makes it easier to decide. 
We are having a used book sale at church after Easter and Justin has gone through his collection, bringing them to my room to either read or pass along. One such book is an autographed copy of Andrew Breitbart's last book, which I got signed for Justin when Judy C. and I were at a tea party event downtown, with my dentist/friend, Peggy. Justin does not want that book to leave our custody but also doesn't want to take it with him. Justin and I were together when we heard Andrew had died in 2012, one of those "I know where I was when I heard..." moments. 

Justin was taking inventory of his electronics, counting the number of computing devices in his room. Yes, more than two and less than 10, in various stages of operation. On a whim, he opened up the big blue gas-powered Alienware which used to be in my room. Justin brought me something he found inside the housing of the computer. It was a fortune from a cookie, and he was sure it was mine, based upon the message. "You will attract cultured and artistic people to your home". I just love that guy, and, yes, my fortune has come true!