As the gold rush continued, the store was kept busy everyday. It wasn’t a crazy, tough, had to sell type busy, but a steady stream of eager customers ready to cash in on their treasures. Sales were declining, as predicted, but the profits from the refining made up for it. Even the repair business was taking a hit. Customers would rather sell their broken jewelry at this point rather than pay to fix it. Unless it was sentimental, of course.
Joey was finally castless now and raring to go. It had been five months since he was able to play in a game for the Little Flyers. It was killing him. The time had finally come for him to hit the ice and get back in the game. It was February now and the season was winding down. For the first time in three years the team was making a run for the playoffs. This presented a huge issue for Joe’s coach. Inserting Joey into the lineup at this point became a real problem. Not for the coach. Not for most of his teammates. But definitely for a group of parents who couldn’t imagine him coming back at a time like this and actually being a part of the team. It would be so awful if he let up a goal or made a mistake that ends up single handedly causing the team to end their playoff run. Really? Tough shit kid. Not our fault you broke your arm. Doesn’t matter that you have been a productive teammate for three years now. Disgusting and disheartening. Coach Gregg handled it just right. He suited him up and played Joe the rest of the season. Sure, he wasn’t one hundred percent but he eased back in slowly and gutted it out the best he could. As far as the playoffs… the season ended early and it was a team loss. The whole team. It would be Joe’s last with that team. I wasn’t going to deal with that BS anymore.
While the drama was playing out in the stands and we were going through the motions at the store, we finally sold our house in UM. Lori and I had put an agreement of sale into effect on our new home in Doylestown but needed to sell our current house quickly. It was coming into crunch time and getting really close to where it would be a real problem if it didn’t move soon. Well, BAM! A great offer came in and we were on our way! Settlement would be in April and the preparations were ramped up for the move. The new home in Doylestown was in need of some real alterations and repair though. We could move in and try to go room to room while we lived there or find a place to stay and remodel first. We chose the latter. Luckily, we had a place to stay for as long as we needed on the beautiful Emlen House estate in Fort Washington, Pa. where my father worked for many years. It was a huge home, one of three, on a 150 acre private enclave where President George Washington once camped with his troops during the Revolutionary war. It was beautiful.
Our family held the traditional “Moving” yard sale and packed the remainder of our furniture and belongings into storage. Moving is a real job! Settlement went well, although the owners of our new home were divorcing and the tension in the room was quite noticeable, if not comical. Especially when the wife forgot to bring any ID for the notary. After a long delay, the proceedings finally ended with a handshake on our part and a parting of ways on the other. Lori and I made our way to our new home and talked about what a great new beginning was about to unfold but the conversation would take a different turn and tone. Reminiscing and feeling sad about leaving and locking the door that morning on the home that we made for the last fourteen years. A mountain of memories that could never be washed away with the turn of a key and the signing of some papers. It was a great home. A loving home. We watched the boys grow up from babies and become young men. We beat cancer…twice! We celebrated birthdays, milestones, holidays and more! This house will surely be missed. As Lor and I pulled up to Country Club drive, great name eh, we would be embarking on a new adventure. A four month renovation that would make this place our own. Time to get to work. There were new memories to be made. We were ready.
Next up: Finally!!