Retirement isn't about stopping living; for me it was about choosing how I wanted to live my life, and where I wanted to live it.
moving
Falling for Portland
I didn't fall in love with Portland right away. I wasn't all that impressed during our many visits early on. It felt more like a blind date, a set-up by our daughter. Portland was an occasional fling, not marriage material. Landing at the airport on the northeast end of town, we drove through the grittiest … Continue reading Falling for Portland
What I Saw in Mexico
First impressions can be superficial. I arrive in Mexico forgetting that it takes time to appreciate and understand something foreign and complex. What I first see: homes and businesses in stages of stalled construction or general disrepair, lots of trash on the streets, and dozens of scruffy dogs and ragged chickens and roosters pacing or … Continue reading What I Saw in Mexico
Changing For Good
I set out alone from Santa Barbara on a hot July day, my little sedan packed to the brim, and cruised north along Highway 101. The only key I owned was to my car. I had just finished packaging up my life to leave the place I'd lived for 32 years. I was alternately thrilled … Continue reading Changing For Good
How I Got Here
I retired in June 2014 to my great joy and relief. At the same time, we sold our house, packed up a life, and I left my husband behind for the next six months while he continued working. I left the town I'd lived in for 32 years and the state I'd lived in for … Continue reading How I Got Here