June 6th, 2009: Today I took an important first step in dispersing my worldly goods. Mary Lawrence Hicks, who I met on the HIV Planning Council had asked me if I would donate some items to her fundraiser for the Sojourn Chaplaincy Program at San Francisco General Hospital. I immediately said yes, but it wasn’t until later that I realized that most of what I would donate should come from my home in Glen Ellen.

As I look around and start to plan how to divest, the property in Glen Ellen stands out as a place that is no longer a part of my shrinking life. It’s hard for me to drive up there, and once there, my home has been rented and is now happily occupied by someone else. Although my land partner Ann has expressed every welcome for me to stay, I don’t participate there anymore. I look at the grounds and see a beautiful piece of property. I can remember working on that land, but now there’s not a twinge of desire to get started with the gardening, wood splitting, koi pond cleaning or any of the other tasks that once bound me to the place. I look around my house and remember the plans I had to remodel the rooms. That won’t be happening; at least not by me. I am very glad that Francine, the mosaic artist who rents my house, is happy there. She’s settled in well.

After moving furniture down to Glen Ellen when my parents left their home last summer, I will now be moving that same furniture up to my sister’s home near Seattle. But hey, it’s easy to find a good person to move furniture.

But Glen Ellen is hardly the sum of my worldly goods. There are also the rugs, photographs, textiles, etc. that I’ve accumulated in San Francisco. It isn’t a large quantity of stuff because I’ve collected to fill a limited number of rooms. Still, it needs to be disbursed. I am not taking anything with me.

I have some thoughts about giving things away. But I would also appreciate it if you would let me know if you want something. I can’t promise that you’ll get it. I may have already told someone else that they may have it. However, if you have always wanted to live with my wonderful red leather chair that faces the park, please let me know that. I bought the chair so that my friend Betsy could look at the trees while we were visiting. Betsy, would you like the chair?

I am counting on you to speak up. I am not clairvoyant. Again, I can’t promise you will get what you ask for, but you have a much better chance if you say something. You will not be rude, premature or presumptuous. This blog posting gives you license to ask. Otherwise, I’ll just donate it. By the way, this dispersion is about giving. My things are not for sale. I would like you to have them if they give you some of the pleasure that they have given me. I don’t need to get rid of everything by the end of this week. I’ll keep you posted on when it’s a good time to get things. I’m guessing four to six months from now. I’ll keep a list of who asks for what, and it will help me feel better knowing that I have organized this part of getting lighter.