single again

I'm single again.

After five years, my SO decided to head back to Florida.   It was a mutual decision based on many reasons.  At least for me, it was based on many reasons.  I can't speak for him.

(I admit to being a bit peeved that he moved back to the land of warm and sunshine and I'm still stuck in the land of cold and snow.)

I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting when I got home and found he had finally packed up most of his things and moved on.  You notice I said, "most" not "all" of his things.

I mean seriously, did he really need to leave that ugly blanket nailed, yes, nailed, over the windows in the room formerly known as the mancave?! 

a curtain this is NOT

I wondered if this was his way of thumbing his nose at me; although, that kind of behavior doesn't seem to really fit his personality.  He knew I thought that sort of thing was the ultimate in tacky.  Blankets and aluminum foil are not appropriate window dressing.  This is the sort of blanket I carry around in the back of my car to throw on the ground for a picnic or as a table cloth on one of those disgustingly dirty picnic tables in national parks.  Never ever in my wildest dreams would I have considered it for a curtain.

Along with the above mentioned blanket, I am now the proud owner of a veritable smörgåsbord of screws, nails, nuts, and bolts. 

I also have oodles of bottles of car "stuff."  I say "stuff" because to be honest I have no clue what half of it is.  I do know that I probably won't ever use any of it and now I need to find a way to dispose of it in an ecologically friendly (re. legal) manner. 

He also left a set of shelves he fashioned himself, that while they "fit" into the mancave decor, do not fit in with my style of decorating.  I know he was very proud of those shelves, and it probably pained him a great deal that he couldn't make them fit and take with him.  My daughter and I managed to get them un-wedged (yes, I know that's not a real word) from the floor and ceiling.  They have been dismantled and are now in the garage with disposition TBD.

To his credit he did leave some things that I will find useful.  The kitchen table for instance.  It's nice to have a place to sit and eat.  The bookcase in the kitchen that holds my extensive cookbook collection.  The pegboard and pins to hold tools.  I can now put my tools out where they are handy and useful.  The sleeping bags and large coolers.  Since camping was a "him" thing, I don't see me doing it much anymore.  If I do, it will probably be in a travel trailer, not a tent, but the sleeping bags might come in handy somewhere down the road.  The coolers will be used for my many forays to visit national parks.  It's a lot more cost effective to take some of your own food for meals than to eat in the park.

He also left some pretty good memories.  And I'm thankful and will always cherish those.

Unlike the blanket.