My mother left this earth at 11:00 last night, September 14th.

Today I have been trying to notify family, find pallbearers, and make other arrangements.

I have flights home to Saginaw leaving from Tampa Wednesday. The funeral will be Saturday (although the time hasn’t been determined). I’ll head back to Florida Sunday.

For the past three years, we have been staying in the condo my mother shared with her husband, Laurel Hoagland (Hoagie). She had a life-estate (meaning it was for her use until she died). We therefore need to find a new place to stay.

Today we looked for a condo. We found a nice one at a reasonable price that will fit our needs. I think we are ready to make an offer. I don’t know if they’ll accept, but we can try. We’d like to be ready to start the move-in with two weeks so we can get settled by October 30, when we head home.

It is 1,400+ sq. feet with two bedrooms, two baths, a large two car garage, a den (which we will use as music room or dining room), a screened lanai, a lovely pond/golf course view, high vaulted ceilings, a nice bar arrangement, and a living room that’s HUGE!! We like the layout. We’re concerned that we may not have enough furnishings, but we can get by. John would have a workshop in the garage. I have my choice of a couple locations for an office, and all and all it’s very nice and hopefully a good investment.

Our primary concern is the arrangements for my mother but the condo situation is also important since we want as much time as possible to move and settle in.

I need to pack (again) tomorrow. I had no idea I’d be headed back to Saginaw so soon.