Town Personalities

Something about moving to different states opens your eyes to the personalities of different places. It seems that Santa Fe has more personalities than most of the places I have lived in.

There is the town of the locals...with their confidence that the police are owned and rarely care about careless drivers; knowing the hot spots and how to avoid the tourists; with people who grew up here and have a unique accent that isn't quite Mexican and isn't quite Gringo; a place that is safe and not safe, full of drugs, booze, drunk driving and still a lovely place to be and drivers that defy description (I've heard that Japanese drive worse, but I haven't experienced that yet).

Then there is the town of the bi-state crowd...either from Texas or New York. Both come here to escape snow or escape worse snow; love to return to town especially for Indian Market and the nationally famous opera; the Texans throw lavish parties thick with Texas drawls, strong drinks, lots of laughter and generous tips to the local waitstaff and whose over-the-top way of dressing makes them clearly stand out (they really do wear every piece of turquoise jewelry at once to go along with their cowboy boots and hat and "Southwestern" clothing). The New Yorkers are less obvious visually but still dress like New Yorkers, so they stand out a bit still. This is not to say these people are great folk - if they weren't, they would never fit in here.

There is also the town of the earth babies - all about organics, permaculture, hemp clothing, legalized pot, yoga, spiritual workshops and sacred Indian land and recycling. They are a peaceful lot but definitely a big part of this community.

And then there is the artistic crowd. Filling the galleries - and there are lots of them - with either their own art or their presence to buy art. Some are snobs trying to show their culture but most are genuine lovers of art. you could easily go into overdose with art here (and what a way to go!)and you can find people painting and sketching at any time.

There is also the Santa Fe of the outdoors genre. More hiking trails than you can count; great mountains to hike; good skiing, I hear; places to bike and, if nothing else, fabulous mountains and skies to just stare at in awe. The weather changes frequently and the most amazing cloud formations are available daily. And then there are the mountains that change personality as the shadows shift and the sunlight makes new areas glow in gold or turn a glorious pink-purple for just a few moments as the sun finishes for the day. Add to that the lush greens and brilliant colors of spring; the dry heat and afternoon thunderstorms (brilliant and literally, at times, earth-shaking) of summer; the deep gold and burgundy tones of autumn (not to mention the indescribable and mouth-watering smells of chilies roasting!!) and the crisp blue-white of the snow in winter...it is breath-taking. You can describe it all in incredible detail and it still can't do justice to the beauty of it all...

I have only touched the surface of this town's picturesque self. I am still getting to know it...and the more I do, the more I understand how so many people - like myself - come here for a visit and can't bring themselves to leave. it's not perfect - there is quite a bit of corruption in the government and amongst certain industries, etc. and there is a meth problem - but there seems to be a balance. That could all be accredited to choices, and that suites me fine.

It is a good place to get to know yourself, to retreat peacefully, to release your inner artist or healer or hiking nerd or novelist or...whatever part of you you want to embrace. This town welcomes all.

I look forward to finding out who I am here...and maybe I'll figure out what I want to be when I grow up. IF I grow up...

MIA

I never thought that doing temp work would or could exhaust me as much as it has! I just finished an almost 3 month assignment at an insurance agency and the ending is bittersweet.

I have gone through 2 sets of employees...helped train the second set...became friends with all of them...learned a lot about insurance...and about the kind of employer I don't want. It's actually a plus to temp first to really get a good feel for the politics and personalities of a business before joining. But in this economy, it's kind of a draw-back as well. I could have easily stepped into the job full-time (I was asked on several occasions), but how could I work for someone who I feel is less than honorable? So, being who I am, I chose to continue my search for a happy work place.

I did have the good fortune to have an interview with the general manager of two of the local hotels here and he and the other managers I met were enthusiastic to have me on board...providing a position appears for me. Yep, I am seriously considering returning to the hotel industry. My hope is that things have changed a bit since the 80's and that working for a small corporation (vs the mammoth Marriott I slaved for all those years ago) would suit me better. And I hate to admit it, but I am getting older and I have less energy than I did when I was in my 20's. Go figure.

Santa Fe is still appealing although I cannot commit to saying that I will stay here for a long time...whatever "long" means. It is very hard to be so far away from water (Santa Barbara), lush green (Ashland) and especially my daughter (back to SB, at the moment). But the afternoon thunderstorms are truly amazing. I sit on my portal (or porch in the rest of the US) and watch it all like a play: bright, loud and magnificent on a regular basis. Although she doesn't really like it, Buttercup is adjusting to the noise of it all. The cat, Taz, could care less either way!

It is a curious thing to downsize so much at my age and I have flashbacks to being in my 20's (perhaps that's why I expect to have that same energy level) and feel like I am truly starting all over again in just about every way. New town, new people, new job, no boyfriend,mediocre apartment, few belongings (OK, fewER) and not really knowing what I am going to do when I grow up. So that can make for days that feel scary, lonely, confusing and a bit desperate. But I keep on hanging on. In the end, it is better than staying stagnant in the same place wondering "what if?". I am exploring "what if" and I know it will take me to interesting places.

And I guess that bring me back to sitting here, in front of my computer, wondering what else I can contribute here...which doesn't feel like much. But if nothing else, I'm just letting you know that I am not missing in action.

Snowy Easter & Hedgehogs

Yep, we had snow for Easter. Really pretty but very confusing...even for Santa Feans!

So, as I waited for the temp agency to get me some work and wondered about getting it all together so I can pay bills...I got a call from a new friend who asked if I wanted to take over her house-sitting job for a bi-coastal couple. Sure, that sounded good to me. And as I talked to the homeowners, I started thinking about what else I could offer them. They were receptive and happy that I offered extra services. Then in talking to the friend who set this all up, I realized that there are a lot of bi-coastal people here who are very willing to pay for specialized services to make the constant transitions easier. Then almost immediately I got another call asking me to hedgehog-sit. I'm not making this up! And I love saying that I'm hedgehog-sitting!! This is all ties into the idea: personal concierge service. Taking care of homes, plants, pets, groceries, errands, waiting for service people so the homeowners can go to work, etc. Plus, I recently got a connection that might even let me provide services to the film industry (lots of movies are shot here). How cool is that? I'll do lots of interesting (OK, and some not so interesting) work for different people with a flexible schedule and so on. Still have to come up with a business name and all but I think this is something I can do and not have to deal with age discrimination. Oh sure, "they" all say that they don't, but I know that they do.

Maybe concierge service with hotels may still happen, but this sure works for me at the moment. It feels kinda crazy that I am constantly coming up with all kinds of ideas and sometimes I don't feel like there is enough time to get them all off the ground...but then again, maybe one of them will be the glue that holds them all together to take flight. Time will tell.

In the meantime, Buttercup and I carry on carrying on. Keep on truckin'. One day at a time. One foot in front of the other...don't know exactly know where we are going from one moment to the next, but what the heck. it doesn't stay boring in our lives for very long.

Hope you all didn't eat too many Easter bunny ears (the chocolate kind!!!!) Now I gotta go work on my business plans...CIAO baby!

Weather, anyone?

If you are at all enamoured with weather, you should really check out Santa Fe!! We had a forecast of light rain for today but it was anything but!
8 am: I'm out walking the dog and notice that there had been some light rain during the night (not that I would have noticed cuz the wind was blowing so hard, it felt like someone was pounding on my window, trying to get in). So, I thought, hmmmm, maybe that was it. But the air still smelled of rain and there were a few clouds so I knew we could get a bit more...
8:30 am: it gets so dark outside that I have to turn on all the lights in my little room. I look out my window and actually say, out loud: wait! When did it snow on the mountains?!
9 am: The wild winds start to really blow again and then suddenly, the rain begins to dump! (so much for going to the dog park for a mellow Saturday morning)
9:30 am: sitting down to a late breakfast and I glance out the window at...snow?!?! The wind really picks up and there is a wall of white! (isn't this supposed to be April? You know, SPRING?)
10 am: full stop. Ummm, did any of this really happen? OK, as the clouds recede, I see the mountains are even whiter, so I guess it did...
3 pm: it seems the weather has done it's business for the day, so I go off to run an errand. But as I pull into my parking lot, it begins to...hail! Hard! And a bit of thunder to finish it off. So Buttercup and I stick it out in the car till it subsides enough to get across the lot and up the stairs.

(and last month I was freaking out about dealing with the heat we were already having).

OK, for some of you this could very well be a perfectly normal spring experience...but for an ex-California girl, this is pretty crazy. Of course, I love it. The earth is so alive when weather happens. A great day to snuggle down with your guy, watch old movies and just marvel at the show outside. All I need now is the guy...

Ms Tabler's Wild Ride

I am happy to report that I do have more to say today!

I had a very full week...not that I actually "did" all that much, but having a few epiphanies seems pretty rewarding to me. So here are some of the bits and pieces...

First, I am amazed at the sense of community I have come to know here in less than 3 months! I already am on a very friendly basis with over 20 people just here in the complex I live in. I give a lot of credit to Buttercup for being such a friendly dog, but I am the one actually doing the talking. People in stores, etc. are just as friendly and it is easy to fall into a natural rhythm here. And the more I allow myself to feel a part of the community, the easier things start to fall into place. Which leads to ...

Secondly, I have decided that I want to have my reverendship expanded to New Mexico. (you do know that I am a reverend, right?) I feel driven to perform weddings and house blessings and the like here. And with that decision, I already had someone ask if I could do their wedding when the time comes. And establishing myself with that will help segue into doing the workshop for women and perhaps even help lead into life coaching down the road. (or Dream Coaching, as I recently heard someone describe their version of the job.) Which leads to...

Thirdly, I have decided to actually go back into the hotel industry! (don't fall off of your seats, I won't go back into the insane department of catering again). The position of concierge in a nice hotel would be perfect. I will get to know the town faster, meet lots of interesting people, and do what I love doing ~ helping others. Plus, if someone decides that they want to get married here, I can offer my services as officiant! How convenient is that?! Which leads to...

Fourthly, [is that a word?] yes, I believe I will be staying here. Just seems like I should be here... For a while...until the wind changes direction...

I guess I could say Fifthly, but that just sounds dirty (get it? fifthly, filthy? Oh, never mind...) Mom loaned me this book "God on a Harley". OMG, what a book! I read it in just a couple of hours, but I was struck by the lessons in it. I mean, it's a fun book too, but there are messages. It was a little eerie though... the author's writing style is almost identical to mine (when I write that kind of story) and the messages seemed tailor-made for me. I even wondered if the book was writing itself as I was reading it...and it just helped me really listen to that little voice that was telling me to take care of me, do what brings me joy and stop trying to accommodate everyone else, at my own expense. So, go me! (but really, a good read).

This all tied into some work I did about a past life in which I had taken the blame for the suffering of a lot of people when, in fact, I had nothing to do with what happened to them. I had been their guide and teacher and therefore, felt responsible for them. And once I realized that I had carried that over into this life and could forgive myself, I felt things start to shift, as in: all the stuff I just posted. yeah, I'm sure some of you are scratching your heads, saying "past life??"...but you always knew I was a little "out there", so just roll with it.

Also, Buttercup made it clear that she needs work, too. She loves people so much and just thrives on making someone smile. So I will be setting up visits to nursing homes, senior citizen centers and the like and take Buttercup to do her work. There is even a little pug neighbor named Fig who wants to go with us. That should be fun.

So that, my friends, was my wild ride. This week I have interviews and will be working on making connections for the hotel biz. I am truly excited to see what developes. Stay tuned!

Santa Fe?

Yes, I'm still here.

I've been asked a few times if I am in California yet, but no, I plan on being here till August. Maybe longer! Things tend to change day to day...even Tenaya is looking at moving to Santa Barbara to attend culinary school (which would be way cool!). I imagine a lot of you are feeling the crazy spin in the world right now. I've just decided to ride it out, day to day.

Work on the book is slow...I thought I'd thrive on the iscolation, but instead, I find myself feel cabin-feverish. So, lots of dog walks. Of course, today, we are watching for snow, so it's pretty cold outside (yet as I write this Buttercup is looking longingly out the window). I have also decided to go back to doing some temp work. I think getting out amongst the living will help inspire me more creatively as well as being able to have conversations with humans. Buttercup is a good listener, but not much on giving feedback other than the "my-human-is-crazy" look.

I'm getting used to the air mattress. My room is still pink. My aunts are crazy. My neighbors are chatty. The sky is up... It's pathetic, but that's all I have to say!

But I am Here and still alive and kicking...and maybe my next post will be more interesting!!

Humans and Guns just don't mix

Really. and I'll explain why, but first, let me paint the picture.

I am living in a good sized apartment complex (that sports at least 7 different floor plans. I kid you not - and I have yet to speak to anyone hear who knows for sure just how many there really are!) The bulk of the apartments are in a large, 2 story u-shaped building. Behind the U-shape is a smaller L-shape which houses, in the deepest corner, my little efficiency.

I happen to have a killer panoramic view of the mountains from my large picture window. However, directly beneath said window is the parking lot to a popular hotel. which is why you will see in the photo of my room a curtain rod half way up, covered in fabric to block that particular view. Which is just fine. the window ledge is low, so Buttercup can rest her chin on it while she stares at people walking around the lot or around the hillside to our left.

So...Friday night. I am happily ensconced in my new bean bag chair (in pink, of course) reading and contemplating when I should take the dog out for her last pee break for the evening...and I hear what sounds like 2 dogs fighting in the parking lot. It was hard to get a clear picture of what was going on because Buttercup was set off by the commotion and was barking her thoughts on the situation. But I could very clearly hear a woman screaming hysterically and a very angry man shouting as well. I believe there was at least one more man, but it was hard to tell what was going on as they were mostly just out of eyesight. The next thing I know is that the dog noise is over but Hysterical Woman is still screaming and Angry Man is now shouting "I'm gonna kill him! I'm gonna kill him!".

Then there was a gunshot. I don't believe anyone was actually shot because Hysterical Woman was now only shouting "you're gonna get arrested! You're gonna get arrested!" Angry Man is a little calmer now when he says "I won't kill him..." but there is still a lot of shouting. (I'm hoping the dogs were hiding in the trucks, cuz these guys were crazy). In less than 5 minutes 2 cop cars pull into the hotel entrance, killing their lights and sirens. As they wrestle with Angry Man and shout "drop the gun!Drop the gun!", SEVEN more cars drive up and attend to the situation. I gotta give them credit, they take gunfire seriously here and they acted fast. Of course, now Angry Man is Scaredy Man cuz he's yelling "don't hurt me! Don't hurt me!"

What is the point of having a gun? To scare a dog, piss off the neighbors and get arrested? Sure seems to confirm once again that humans are not evolved enough to take on the responsibility of owning firearms.

I wonder if I can get bullet-proof glass installed in my window?

***
On the bright side, weather has been an amazing experience. We haven't had the snowfall that Ashland, OR has had (darn it) but what we have had has been fascinating. Big fat flakes one moment, sunshine the next. Same days as the Hysterical Woman and Angry Man story, the snow would vary from gentle flakes to a full-on flurry, obliterating the mountains. The ground was coated and I thought, well, looks like it will be white for a while...but 45 minutes later, the snow has stopped and the ground snow is almost completely melted. Then beautiful swirly clouds lay amongst the mountain bases with thunderheads above and an hour later, there is sun breaking through.

I remember Mom describing how fast the weather changes here, but I guess I thought she was exaggerating because this has been a real surprise to me. And the light! Man o man! The light is impressive. Just before sunset, trees seem to glow. Guess my words aren't going to really paint the picture well, so I'll just leave it that I am obsessing with what my window has to offer me on a daily basis. And don't get me started on that magnificent moon that hugged the mountains last Tuesday! *sigh* It's pretty pretty. Can't wait to experience spring now since I am told that it is really beautiful and I am beginning to see that the locals aren't exaggerating.

Bed Wishes

I was going to title this "Bedded Bliss" but I thought you would think that I got lucky...

Mom was gone for a week (in Miami for school) so I got to sleep in her bed. Ahhhh! A real bed! she even has one of those temperpetic mattresses - very comfy. But now I am back to my air mattress. I'm telling you friends, hug your mattress!(if that is possible) - you have no idea how lucky you are!!! One of my aunts loaned me the mattress from her trundle bed to put under my mattress and that certainly helps make it easier to get out of bed in the morning (I'm not 18 anymore...) but it still isn't a real bed. Think I'm obsessing?? Try sleeping on a twin-sized air mattress for a couple of months and get back to me.
***
I have been gone from Oregon a month and a half now (and I still miss it) and it has been interesting to be un-everything! first, it was just weird to be living with my mom and not have a home of my own. Oh, Mom and I get along great and we are even going through some withdrawals being apart now (but we both need the space - we will talk, eat and shop forever if not forced to separate!). But it is a strange sensation to be - ahem - 51 and living with mommy. Then I was facing renting a room from a young mom and her little girl. that seemed like a fine idea until the time got closer, then the reality began to set in that I would be living under someone else's terms, on their turf. No biggy if you are a college student, but a major adjustment when you have been the Boss of Your Own Space for many years. Good thing it all fell through...

There was a point in my spiritual journey that I seriously sat with the question"what are you willing to sacrifice for God?". Once I got clear with what I was really being asked, I offered myself up and said "if you ask me to live in just a room with a bed, dresser and a chair I will do it as long as I can also have a vase of flowers". Well, I look around my room and realize that I am not far from that! I don't have a dresser but there is a desk (on it's way) and a small table and chairs...and a vase of flowers. So, be careful what you offer!!!!! But truthfully, I find the simplicity of living like this liberating. Sure, it would be nice to have a sofa to chill on, but there is such lightness and clarity in this space.

And it is a very pink space! I decided that I needed an environment that would support a lot of creativity and the color pink kept showing up. So I have pink fabric draped over my bed and windows and it's pretty cool! It's my first truly girly room. Pretty funny when the maintenance crew comes over to fix things though...they just stand there and say 'this is really pink!" (even though I forewarned them).

Then there are the questions that I have trouble answering. People will ask me where I am from...do I say Oregon, even though I wasn't even there 2 years or do I say California, which I have detached from? And when you answer that question, and add that you are only staying in the current state for a limited time, it is often with the understanding that you will go back "home". But where is home for me? I know I will spend several months in California to be with Tenaya (God, I miss that girl!) but after that...??? I am not particularly attached to California anymore...I like New Mexico all right, but I am not feeling any love for it...Oregon is pretty wonderful, but if there is no work, that doesn't bode well...so where am I going? It is weird to realize that I can't answer the question "where is home?".I don't know and that is an odd feeling. Yet, at the same time, it's kinda exciting! I'm living a mystery!

So this journey is a lot about faith, trust, patience, curiosity, creativity and reinvention.

...and bed wishes.

What's the Big Adventure?

I've been asked a few times what the "Big Adventure" is and I guess I should back-track a bit.

A couple of years ago, as I watched Tenaya prepare to finish a particularly intense and difficult program and enter the "real world", I knew that my life as a full-time mom was coming to a close. Perhaps that is not the best way to describe it - I will always be her mother, always a part of her life, but it was time for me to step aside as she began to experience being an independent young woman. It made me start thinking about what my life was about at that point. Up until then, I was dedicated to being there for her (even if I made a bunch of mistakes, like most parents, I still did the best I could) and the jobs I did quite frankly, were incidental to being Mom (no offense, Evelynn! I loved working for Angels Bearing Gifts!) I had no romantic life, no real career, a very small circle of friends (who all have their own lives, of course) and Santa Barbara had begun to lose it's luster. No offense, fellow Santa Barbarians, but that town has become too LA for my taste. And being one of those oddballs who actually likes colder weather, I had often dreamt about venturing north. So, I decided:why not?

That is why a year and half ago I sold my condo and moved to Ashland, OR. I mean, really, why not? We get one shot at this life and when you are alone and have no real ties, why not explore what the world has to offer? OK, it's not like the book "Eat, Love, Pray", but it was the form of adventure I could afford. However, all adventures have to be financially subsidised and there was very little work in Ashland. Add that to another itch to explore a bit more and the next thing I know, I was getting the message to move to Santa Fe for a few months...then spend a few months in San Luis Obispo, Ca with Tenaya...and then see where I get called to next. I see this as an extended retreat. A retreat to go even further within to understand what my purpose is...to work more on my book (gasp! dare I suggest that I even finish it?!) and work on a couple of other projects I have been tossing around. My feeling is that if I limit the distractions of life, I will be able to be more productive. And as a true Pisces, I do get easily distracted!

(wait, what was I talking about?)

(tee hee)

Now, I am going to anticipate that someone is going to ask about the infamous book. I apologize to those of you who have heard this before...in fact, you can skip ahead if you want! The book sprang from an event around Tenaya's second horse, Crystal. The day she was to go to her new owner, we were saying goodbye and a big fat tear rolled down the side of her face. Just about did me in! In fact, I told Tenaya that I was done with saying goodbye to horses...and it is fortunate that she and Missy are bonded for life! Anyway, it occurred to me that horses in the English riding world are a lot like foster children: they are often moved to a new home every couple of years. so I got in contact with a local foster care program and got a lot of information from them. They were happy with my idea to write a book about a couple of horse as if they were foster children. What really surprised me was that there are plenty of books about foster children and none (that they knew of, anyway) for them. So that is my plan.

So, I hope this clears up some things for you. Now, I just have to clear some things up for me...

Do You Know the Way to Santa Fe?

OK ~ we did know the way to Santa Fe, I just like the title!

Actually, the trip was pretty easy - Mom is great navigator and the weather was clear. And I really appreciated having someone else to help out with the driving so that the 8 hour days weren't all that bad. Still, I am not particularly keen on any long road trips for a while. After all I had gone through since January 19th, it felt like I had been driving for a solid week.

The funny bit was about our stops. The first morning I needed a pee break and we decided to stop at Denney's since we knew the bathrooms would be cleaner than a gas station's. As we entered, I said "I could really go for a cup of coffee". Mom countered with "I could go for a pastry!" and before we knew it, we were sitting down to pancakes and coffee. Now, considering that this was one of Dad's favorite places but one Mom resisted because, well, let's face it: Denney's is not known for health food, this was a big deal for us. So we knew Dad was having a good laugh at us. But what the heck? We are on the road and it worked out. And as my brother Rick has stated: "at least it is consistent". He didn't say consistently what, but we'll leave it at that.

Our plan had been to stop later in Flagstaff, AZ for a late lunch/early dinner and then just eat some cheese and crackers once we reached our hotel that evening. However, we managed to miss Flagstaff (in that we drove around rather than through it). So we drove on to a small town that we thought might work out. After all,it seemed sizable and they have a car dealership and auto parts store, etc. so we figured there had to be restaurants. But as we drove up and down the main drag, we couldn't find any! We stopped at the auto parts store for suggestions and the fellow there was embarrassed to tell us that the town was struggling and almost all but one restaurant had gone out of business. That restaurant was a deli and closed after lunch. The only option that he felt safe recommending was...

Denney's.

So guess where we ate?? We figured that it would be late by the time we got to Kingman, AZ and should eat now while we were already stopped. Mom rolled her eyes and I just laughed. I hate to admit it, if you are careful about what you chose, you can have a decent meal there. It was pretty funny.

We had a great hotel room that evening - very spacious, had been pre-heated for us and it included a full breakfast. So we collapsed that night with a bag of truffles (gotta try the Harry & David dark chocolate truffles! To die for!) and a small bottle of red wine. A nice way to recover from a day of driving...and I was VERY aware that it would be the last time I would sleep in a real bed for a very long time. (I am currently spending my nights on an air mattress. We'll see how long I last).

And can you believe it? The next time we stopped for lunch we cruised the town's main drag and ended up at Denney's again!!!! Seriously! We debated it for a while and finally agreed that there was something to say about consistency when you are in an unfamiliar town and want a decent meal and get on your way, so we gave in. I will say that we are both really, really over Denney's as a point of destination!

Happily, when we arrived at Mom's house that evening, her sister Fern had left a home made dinner for us on the front porch. It was a welcome break from you-know-who.

And I put down my car keys and didn't drive again for almost 2 weeks!!!!!
***

It's weird to me that I have only been here 2 1/2 weeks - it feels so much longer. perhaps that's from sleeping on an air mattress...or from just trying to figure out where all the streets go (Santa Fe is soooooo much bigger than Ashland, OR!!)...or from worrying about Tenaya...or worrying about Taz...or from wondering from time to time: what the hell did I just do?!...or, to quote a friend of mine who likes to say "C: All the above!". But things are beginning to settle in a bit now. I am not so afraid to find my way around town and I finally found a place to live and Taz was assisted as was Tenaya.

Taz had a chat with our good friend Nancy, an animal communicator, and he told her that he was PISSED that I didn't ask him if he wanted to make the trip all the way to Santa Fe or if he would be OK staying with Tenaya for a time, etc. He was a very grumpy boy and was leaving all kinds of...err, "gifts" for Tenaya around her apartment to show his displeasure. But having been heard out, he has settled down and is loving to Tenaya and playing with her kitten, Selene. And once he gets his own litter box back, he will probably behave a bit more. Seriously, he said he felt insulted to have to share a litter box. He's a ticked off cat, what would you expect?

As for a place to stay...at first, it looked like I had found a perfect place. All I wanted was a room with my own bathroom. Sure, I haven't had roommates in many, many....many years, but I felt I could do this. After all, my focus being here is working on my projects, not maintaining a home. The place I found was very close to Mom and I would be sharing the place with a young mom, her little girl, 3 cats, a rabbit and a Husky dog. they have a yard and Buttercup would be a happy camper. But 4 days ago, she called me saying that the landlord was raising the rent and she had to see what she could work out and she would let me know. 2 days later, I see she has posted her ad again and with a new rent and move in date. Hmmmm. She didn't return my call and I took this as a sign that something was off. At first I was confused, hurt and then angry (and a bit freaked out - Mom needs her space back and I want to get going on my projects). But then I backed off and decided that it was time to trust. No kidding! Yesterday, I happened to catch the property manager (of the complex Mom lives in) in the laundry room and she told me that an efficiency apartment had opened up and that I could have it. Apparently, they go fast so it was a miracle that I got it the way that I did. What is an "efficiency"? Well, it is smaller than a studio apartment. In fact, the only difference from an efficiency being nothing more than a large bedroom is that there is a tiny stove/oven, sink and tiny fridge in one corner. But you know what? I don't really need much more! I have a big window, the rent is cheap, I can walk to Mom's or Fern's apartments and I don't have to deal with a roommate. Problem solved. and I love that I have access to - and can start moving stuff into - the apartment now even though my lease doesn't start till March 1.

So, with that in mind, I am off to scrounge up bits of furniture and other items I will need for my efficient Efficiency.

The Journey Begins

Aren't you all so proud of me?? I figured out how to start a blog all by myself! Will wonders never cease?!

So, the journey here...first of all, I have to give really big props to my big bro, Chad, for actually volunteering to fly up to help me pack, load the truck and drive that mother all the way to San Luis Obispo! Both Chad and my friend "Tall Paul" keep assuring me everthing would fit in my 17ft truck. Ha Ha! I had already sold a ton of furniture (ok, a ton for me!) and given away just as much, but I was having to leave item after item behind. in the end, Paul promised to store what few garden items I had left, a fish statue (don't ask) and my bike until I could return to Ashland to retrieve them. Even then, the truck was filled side to side, top to bottom, end to end! But it was done (and so was everyone involved). I am eterenally grateful to Paul for all the boxes ("you need more, don't you??") and to Laura (who provided so much help, wine and beer, laughter and finally, a cot for me to sleep on that last night) for also volunteering to help out. It was a big lesson for me - to accept help and realize that people would actually be willing to help because they actually like me!

January 19th...we got a bit of a late start so we had to drive in the dark getting into Walnut Creek, CA...but happily, there was no snow on the pass leaving Oregon, so it wasn't too bad. Ok, we were dead exhausted. OH! And the cat, Taz, managed to get outside earlier that morning and it was an odessy to catch and cage him. I almost thought that I was going to have to leave him behind! But we got him and he did pretty well during the drive. Buttercup? that dog is just happy to be involved in anything I do!

At the hotel, we were to exhausted to go out and eat, so we scrounged up whatever we had with us. Taz was freaked out and kept trying to go under the beds (which, thankfully, were on frames that went to the floor, so he couldn't get under them). Finally, he crawled under my sheets and felt safe enough to pass the night peacefully. The next morning we watched the inaugaration over breakfast (so happy we could do that...what a great moment that was, huh kids?) And we were off to San Jose to pick up our mom who was visiting friends. I hadn't seen her in a year, so it was great to give her a hug (and squeeze her into my very full car).

The next few days were spent in San Luis Obispo, CA with my daughter, Tenaya. She is without wheels at the moment, so we spent a bit of time driving around for her. We had lots of laughs, good meals and a little drama about a rental car for Chad (there was a mishap with the company I used and they didn't have a one-way vehicle available. But it got worked out, I didn't make him stay in SLO). Reluctantly, I left Tenaya and Taz (he wasn't going with me to New Mexico)on Saturday and Mom and I drove to Santa Barbara, CA to stay with our buddy, Evelynn. Sunday, our other partner in crime, Meg, met up with us to have a great day of Chinese food, walking labarynths, cruising the Pacifica Institute, meditating at the Vedanta Temple and ending the day with red wine, chocolate truffles and a sunset. Can you beat that?!?!

Mom and I had one day of shopping before taking off for the last leg of the journey to New Mexico.

And THAT is another story, so more on that later!