Fresh View of "Our Front Porch"

We have been living in our "cozy" apartment in Northern California for just over eight years. It sounds like a long time and in some ways it has been, especially in the beginning. We had moved all the way across the United States in ten days in a crowded U-Haul truck: me, my wife and two terrified pet cats (growing old, set in their ways, best of friends) not having a clue what was going on, sharing a cramped pet carrier, which sat between the two seats in the cab. We also were on edge most days, probably I carried much of the stress, being the only driver in the biggest vehicle I had ever driven. I kept my worries to myself or tried, because this was my third trip across country, but the first in over twenty-five years. I had just turned fifty-six in the first half of the trip and I was having all kinds of premonitions about what could possibly happen at any given time. (Flat tire, engine trouble, bad weather: which we did encounter, motel room mishaps: which we also encountered, the cats getting loose, etc.) The worst part by far was crossing the Rocky Mountains; enough said about that experience! When we realized that the trip was almost over, we were both very relieved. After we finally arrived, I realized that the trip was over, but not that there were going to be continuing challenges as we became accustomed to our new life in way-Northern California.

NOTE: Please continue to enjoy 'Our Front Porch' by clicking on List of Post for the year 2009 :)