The last time neighbor Joyce was with all the neighbors was at the Fourth of July celebration. We all hugged her, knowing we wouldn’t see her regularly again. We lived on this street together for about 10 years.

Joyce’s final moving day was spent steadily cleaning and getting the last of her things into her car. Lise and I were hours away, visiting with grandson (and nephew) Nathaniel. Joyce sat in my house for an hour or so, I think, while the last POD storage container was moved. She texted me a very amusing note, as if she were Goldilocks, looking around my house to choose which bed she wanted. I replied that she could choose any bed and we would make it work. She will be in this area of the state for several weeks, staying with friends and waiting to finalize the deal to buy a house far away, near one of her daughters. I will see her again during this time, but she vanished as my neighbor.

I had two final photos. She graciously agreed to let me take her picture with Lise after we had walked to the stop sign together for the last time. She would have been much more glamorous if she had been dressed for church.

She and Lise agreed to pose with one of the PODs, which lacked only the final items at this point.