The End of an Era in Blawenburg

Today, I’m driving down to New Jersey with Mary for a ceremonial final look at the house I grew up in, which my family has lived in since 1960 in Blawenburg, NJ. The place that we called The Tavern was an Inn way back in the days of stagecoaches.

I wrote the sentences above a few weeks ago before my Macbook crashed, and I couldn’t upload any photos.  But now I feel the same way about the whole thing. I miss all of the phone calls, long text message threads, and how we all kept in touch during the long process of selling the house and the details of my parent’s estate.  It’s funny because I mentioned this to my sisters in a later text, and we all began setting out the dates for their next visit to Deerfield.  So it’s great that I brought it up.

Everyone goes through this, yet it’s hard not to consider our situations unique.  The passing of the older generation is the inevitable progress of life, as our little ones grow up to be big ones who take it all over for us. I’ve been thinking more and more about how my life will all be resolved, the end game, but damn, I think I’m getting ahead of myself….heck I’m only 65, not 90.  I plan on making a presentation in Puerto Rico next summer where I will discuss making plans for one’s demise, ways to feel better about and ways to ensure legacies remain.  I think this will resonate with the travel bloggers old enough to imagine retiring and passing their torch.

Tomorrow is my 65th birthday, and I’m pleased to host a festive lobster dinner with nine of my favorite friends tonight. We’ll be serving the lobsters cold, just like they do in New Brunswick, Canada, and I’ve also cooked up a fabulous seafood chowder to start.  I’ll join my granddaughter on my birthday and watch the Formula One race at the house on Sunday, a rare treat.

Life is good!