East Coast, Meet West

Many, many thoughts to share.  In the past 18-20 days we have seen our home in CT packed up and loaded on a truck, unloaded in CA and everything in between.

So many goodbyes, see you laters and keep in touches...  it's hard to comprehend.
Strange as it may seem, I was not very sad to leave our families.  I think the security of knowing they will still be family, still be there and will always be a part of our lives takes the worry out of the distance.
It was really sad to leave our friends.  Distance takes more of a toll on friendships because you now have to work at it.  It's not as easy as a carpool or a last minute glass of wine or a quick text.  It requires effort.  So, realistically, as I was leaving I knew there were friends I would never see again.  Sounds harsh, but it's realistic and closing that chapter of our lives was tough.  But I take heart in that we have years of wonderful memories - with photos to prove it - and that will never disappear.

I have been stressing over "Thank You Notes" but there is truly no way to thank your friends and family for sending you across the country with their love, well wishes, sadness, joy, celebration and a bunch of gifts!  We are so blessed with so many good friends and so much love in our lives.  We left CT with more wine than we started with, this is certain.  Handmade scented candles, local syrup and honey, townie mementos and a handmade jug of New England memories...  There are no words or individual notes than can express my appreciation.  We built a beautiful life in Hebron.  We were surrounded by love and support.  We made friends that were an extension of family.
My friend Wendy said to me once, "in this town your kids are never anywhere that you don't know at least one person they are with".  And that is a beautiful thing.  the safety and security of that happy little bubble.  We will never try to recreate that, we will always treasure it.

Our dogs & cat were shipped with a very nice man in a temperature-controlled van with many other beloved pets.  It was an easy "Incredible Journey" remake but thankfully, they did not plot to escape and find us on their own.  Instead, they stuck with Ronnie and arrived safe and sound - if a little skinny and exhausted.  Should you ever find yourself in a position of moving and needing to get your pets there, too, I highly recommend these guys.  They were great.
They have adjusted well and continue to sleep, eat and do a lot of nothing as if nothing has changed.

Pete absorbing some California sunshine by the loquat tree.

We have been surrounded by boxes, paper and our stuff for almost two weeks now.  We are finally almost done.  I see a few boxes that I need to sort and put away but at least I know what is in them and where I have to go with them.

before

after...  but still not done!

I have Salvation Army coming tomorrow to take a few things we shouldn't have bothered packing and I hope to make the garage livable for my car this week.

But we have come a long way and my anxiety has settled quite a bit.

There is no Stop & Shop here so I have been shopping here and there trying to find my grocery groove.  I loved the Farmer's Market but, of course, bought more produce than we can eat and threw half of it out.  I need to temper that excitement a bit next time.

Only 4 people live here!

I am sure I have more to share about the move, the movers, the packing and unpacking and the adventures as we settle.  The fact is, I have been putting off sending an email or posting a blog because there is SO much to think about and share that it is intimidating to sit down and try to do.

Bottom line is this - the four of us embarked on this adventure to gain a better sense of ourselves.  We wanted to take away the safety net of family and community and learn new ways in new places, on our own.  We want to see how life on the west coast is, we want to see the west coast!

We were ready for a clean slate and this is exactly what we had hoped it would be - so far.

We do not take lightly the luck and blessings that we have received.  We also do not take lightly the hard work and team work that we put forward to make things work.  All in all, life is quite good and we are a very happy little clan.

More to come as more thoughts and stories occupy my brain.  I thank you so much for reading, it helps me to put it out there.  

Here are a few pics to fill in some gaps..

Scootering home from school.

After school, Friday afternoon beach day.  Manhattan Beach.

Manhattan Beach Pier about an hour before high tide.

We spent a week+ at the Residence Inn while we waited for our "Household Goods" (& pets) to arrive.

King Harbor, Redondo Beach  (about 3 miles away)

The kids sleeping on our last night at the RI.

First Day at their new school!  975 kids in K-5.  Big change!

Here, let me leave you with my deep thought from the other day:
It is so refreshing to live in a place so large that there are too many people to keep score with.  No one cares what you're wearing or where you bought it.  The street you live on does not affect your social standing in the community nor does the car you drive.  And no one here is the majority.  Indian, Japanese, Cuban, Mexican with a sprinkle or black & white - no one group dominates.  This is truly a place where you are judged on the person that you are - if you are judged at all.  This is city living.  So refreshing and so much easier to be able to do what you love and be who you are.  You are completely anonymous but never alone.
I know you can do that anywhere - and we all should - but for those of us from tiny towns still living in tiny towns, we know how hard that is.