Doggie Downsizing
Here we go again! Mom has those people in my house with boxes, paper, and that loud tape thing. Guess we must be moving.
It all started three years ago; I was living the dream dog life (BTW, I am a handsome 95-pound Chesapeake Bay Retriever) when one day my Mom invited these people into our house. They took things out of our cabinets and closets, wrapped them in paper, and put them in boxes. Why?! Me and Mom were perfectly happy in our great big house with the great big yard and my swimming pool. Mom sat me down and told me the nice people were here to help us. They worked for a Senior Move Manager® and would take all of our stuff to our new home. Again, why? This place is just fine! Mom explained that because my name was Chester, we would be moving to the town of Chester near the Chester River into a condo with a floor plan named Chester. It’s okay, I thought, it is all about me!
After the move manager people packed everything up, men with big, loud moving trucks came and loaded all the furniture and boxes into the trucks. Mom and I got into the car with my favorite toy and my car blanket and went to Chester. We visited some friends for the day, and I got time at the beach. Then we went to our new home, and all our stuff was there. The things Mom likes, but even better, my toys, both of my dog beds, my food and water bowls. I found my outdoor water bowl on the balcony. I was good, but how about Mom? Boy, was she ever happy! The furniture was where she wanted it, the beds were made, and even the wine bottles were in those tall cabinets. The boxes and the paper were gone.
Mom told me that after we moved out, the move manager people went back to our house and had an estate sale for the things we didn’t take with us. After the sale, our house was quickly bought by new people and Mom was happy! Mom said the help the move manager people gave us meant she was able to spend more time with me!
Today, it started again. Why aren’t humans ever happy to just stay? They work so hard to teach us to stay, why can’t they do it? This time I knew the signs—the nice move people, boxes, and that tape thing—but not where we were going. Mom told me everything would be fine, the move manager people were helping us again and taking good care of our things. The best part, she said, was that we were moving to be closer to my sister (Mom’s daughter). Yipee! Sister is so good at playing with me, and I miss seeing her. Mom is happy too! Like last time, our stuff got packed up and set up in our new house. This one has a fenced yard just for me! I no longer live in Chester, but I am still the best doggy ever, says Mom and the move manager people who keep packing us up!
AUTHOR: Marilyn Leek, a Certified Senior Move Manager® and owner of Chesapeake Transitions, has provided guidance and support for Maryland seniors and their families for over 15 years.