Changes in Latitude...An Ode to Wishful Happenstance

I'm back, and so is the blog. (Consider yourself warned now.)

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I've finally finished the move to the new digs, which would have been a tad bit more enjoyable the last two days of the move had I not been marred by a heavy and a cold rain and also (in my stubborn and impatient manner) had I not sprained the lower side of my forearm and thumb. The latter has been problematic even until this weekend, as the numbing and then the throbbing comes and goes with some vehemence. The fact that this is also on the primary hand (and the hand, wrist and forearm which led me to give up dreams of being a guitar hero years ago) has just been icing on the cake. Literally, it's been all I can do lately to even hold a fork halfway correctly.

The new digs themselves are in a state of process, both in the unpacking and in the acclimation to its new tenant. The new place is the bottom part of a secondary farm house, built half into a hill and with energy savings in spades, surrounded on three sides by trees. It's taken a small act of Congress to get Internet connections set up (as only new customers can get dial-up right now), phone (which still is problematic with my existing cell phone carrier), and TV (had to get satellite as cable has not come out here as of yet). I went cheaper as far as rent, but I also apparently went back in time a bit, too, in exchange for the new space. I've felt I'm in slow-mo recently, and I'm not sure exactly why.

My new blessings:

I wanted quiet and a place to relax... I've got almost deafening quiet now, save a reading-inclined, and silence appreciative, professor as an upstairs neighbour.

I wanted birds to watch and enjoy outside...I have what seems like entire species come through still and forage for something outside my main windows.

I wanted an area to garden this spring and summer...I will soon be able to garden to my heart's content and have several 'wild' things already around, including some very pleasing 'wild' mint at the front door.

I wanted a screened in porch with a tin roof to enjoy the sounds of the rain...I have not only that but also a door to it (and the woods it overlooks for almost a half mile) straight from my bedroom.

I wanted wild animals to sometimes surprise me and come trot through the yard...I have so far met more than a half dozen persistent possums, a raccoon, and a couple of fearless deer all of which seem to like looking in on me as much as I do looking out at them. All of us are quite uncertain as to whom is exactly in charge.

I wanted to enjoy some country living where I could see the sunrise and sunset every day...and so far, I've missed almost all of them due to work, catch-up sleep from moving exhaustion, or pain from just moving the arm. (But I have come close, and there's hopefully always tomorrow.)

And it could go on and on. The home 'checklist', so to speak, is almost completely ticked off. It feels eerie, though, sorta like a dream.

I'll get adjusted, it's just taking me a bit as I've obviously went the complete opposite of what I had. I finally got what I've hoped for all these recent years...well, except I wanted all of the above in Australia, complete with a nearby beach and/or vineyard, overgrown dog, yapping kookaburras, and a loving and joking husband, all of which are still missing from this current picture...and I'm not really sure how to react to it all.

Be careful (and specific) in what you wish for, folks...you just may get it. Cheers and best wishes to you all on the beginning of this new year.