how it’s going

Six months ago we made our last dump run, filled our front lawn with the last of the give-away free-stuff, watched the movers load up a houseful and drive west, and then we shut the door on our Vermont home one last time. Late July can be an iffy time to drive across the stormy mid-west and most certainly the scorching west but without too much strain we arrived in our new SoCal condo unscathed. There was some lag time before the movers arrived while we “camped” in our empty place, but with makeshift “furniture” and one-skillet cooking, we did just fine. I always swore I would not move somewhere just because that’s where my children now lived, but life certainly changes when a grandchild arrives on the scene. After a year of flying back and forth, we decided he just might be reason enough to move to the Gold Coast, with the ocean biking-distance from our home and palm trees swaying under blue skies most every day. Six months in, yes, he’s worth it.

 young boy laughing on a swing

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Winter Obsessions

Most of my December was spent making our first west coast Christmas perfect. I sent out close to a 100 holiday cards with cheery notes which I wrote while listening to nothing but Christmas music. Santa’s were on display all over our new home, lights were strung and lit. We fully engaged ourselves in all the festivities, shopping and cooking and baking, while wearing silly hats. As you might have guessed from this idyllic opening the holiday could not live up to my hype. But it did not stop my push to make our New Year’s eve filled with all the garnishes I could throw at it. Yes, lesson not learned. Thankfully sense and sensibility did surface, eventually, to the realization that we were indeed somewhere new, and quite possibly, I could slow down, take a breath and notice all the possibilities in this here.

cactus in bloom

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How it Started…How it’s Going

Moving 3,000 miles East to West was quite an undertaking which took months to prep for and carry out, but our first visitor made the whole ordeal make sense. Jackie D, just passing the threshold of two is filled with excitement for adventure, and we consider ourselves beyond blessed to witness his discoveries. Within the shortest amount of time, he granted us new monikers, Amma and Nai Nai, and with ease delighted us with his chuckles and quirks. Being two, he is also on the ready to tell us what he doesn’t want too and that is fine with us because we are here to learn all he wants to become.

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