Widow's Voice

Home Matters

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Florida Florals

Last week I wrote about my home in Georgia, the one that Rich and I purchased in early 2020. I relayed that I’ve been moving out and away from that haven for about two-and-a-half years now when in the fall of 2023 I acquired on a whim a log home in rural Northeast Florida.

Not wanting to burn my bridges in the event this life-in-the-country wasn’t for me, I rented my Georgia home to a couple in transit that needed a short rental. After they left, I was ready to list that house for sale, but rented instead to a couple whose home had been damaged by fire and required a furnished rental nearby. After they left earlier this year, I decided to make some home improvements and then put it up for sale once again. 

Due to several factors, however, I considered renting again, and in very short order, due to the help of some really great realtors, I found another tenant who will be moving in next week for a year’s stay. For many reasons, this is just what I needed and the Universe always seems to guide me along a winding, but forward, path.

It seems almost counterintuitive that I’ve created so much restless movement in my life, both emotionally and physically during the last four-and-a-half years. But, I guess that movement has helped to keep me thinking and moving through. These days I find myself in the role of contractor hiring workers for repairing lanai screens, concrete pours, sheet rocking, general home repairs, irrigation issues, power washing and for other home-related matters. This week I’m also excited that we are finally screening in the front porch of the Florida log home that faces the water. I’m enjoying how this lovely place is taking on another layer of magic. 

To make life more interesting, I also purchased another small canal front home in a quirky waterfront community down here in Florida in late 2024. Home matters have become my “thing” as I find myself discussing the recasting of mortgages vs. refinancing, capital gains management, five year look back laws on depreciation and recapture taxes, insurance, the challenges and rewards of being a landlord and the like. For the first time, I’m using a property manager so I won’t be “hands on”. Always adjusting. In many ways houses and home matters have been a welcome distraction for me. 

I thank those who’ve checked on us with so many major fires happening in Southeast Georgia and my region of North Florida and farther south. Although fire activity is prevalent right now in the northern part of my county in Florida, so far we have been spared, similar to what is going on in Georgia where parts of the counties affected are seeing the destruction of many homes. It’s a very frightening situation. 

We are in an extreme drought situation and hope for rain soon here in North Florida. It’s just another reminder about the uncertainty of each day and things over which we have no control. To worsen the situation, it pains me to see so much greedy clear cutting for new development in so many areas of Georgia and Florida and now with these wildfires the effects can be devastating and life-changing. You can’t put the genie back in the bottle.

So, tomorrow, I’ll travel once again to Georgia to prepare for its new occupant. I hope they enjoy the beautiful spacious sun-filled space it offers and that their time spent there will be a happy and memorable step in their own life voyage and a haven during a time of change.

Peaceful end of day in Florida

On another note, congratulations to Soaring Spirits, International on their successful Camp Widow Seattle earlier this month! This past week, SSI also introduced their crucial Grief Literacy Training for Professionals with the goal to educate those in a variety of professions to help them meet the unique needs of their widowed clients. I’ll be sharing with the professionals in my life and I will share more of this pioneering initiative in future posts. To learn more about this certification program now visit: https://soaringspirits.org/grief-literacy-training/

Have a great week.

 

 

About Lisa Begin-Kruysman

Originally from New Jersey, artist/writer/blogger Lisa Begin-Kruysman now calls Southeast Georgia and Florida home. It was during a road trip in October 2021, when she and her husband Rich, who served militarily as a Navy Corpsman, were returning south after celebrating their 25th Wedding Anniversary, that he became ill, passing just three weeks later. The author of several books, including Dog's Best Friend (McFarland & Co. 2014) mostly inspired by the special human-canine bond, Lisa serves on the Board of Directors for the Dog Writers Association of America and now returns to blogging posting for Widow's Voice with the intention of sharing her personal experience of widowhood with those who know the struggles first-hand and to perhaps help those who struggle to understand the daily challenges facing those who've lost a spouse or significant other. She is currently writing a memoir about her Widowed Experience and the comfort she has derived from her relationship with dogs.