Mrs. Blather has done, and is doing, an extraordinary job of restoring a sense of normality to our lives and making this strange new house feel like our home. I have tried–mostly in vain–to keep projects moving forward through short bursts of work in between heavy lifting-fests.

Throughout this process, some dear people have gone far above and beyond call of Christian brotherhood/sisterhood. They have packed, cleaned, cooked, painted, hauled, carried, loaded, lifted, stacked and much more.

In a season in which it became absurdly obvious that we have way, way too much stuff, it turns out the more important revelation is that our real wealth lies in something else we’ve accumulated over the last 20 years. True friends. We’re no longer in Bedford. But like George Bailey in Bedford Falls, it seems we’re the richest folks in town.

Thank you.