CHRISTMAS 2008

I don't know why but one of my favorite movies is "Love Actually". It seems to have a bit of everything Life has to offer tied up in a neat little bow with a happy ending and great music to boot. I woke up this Christmas morning to the above view with "Billy Mack's" "Christmas is all Around" playing in my head. This is what it looked like looking out from my gate as I was heading literally "Over the river and through the woods..." to get to Mom's for Christmas. I hope I never get used to the beauty of this place. After 35 years in Southern California I moved here October 31 and everyday has brought new adventures of some kind. I wanted to shake up my safe, boring, life and have an adventure and so far this move hasn't disappointed. Good grief, just going to the grocery store (20 miles through the woods on the coast) can be an event here!
The best thing for me has been being near my family. After being gone 35 years they have moved on without me but I sure have missed them. They seem to be happy I'm here now and it just feels so right. Nothing seems the same though and in the beginning that was disturbing. I don't know what I was thinking, somehow that time had stopped and I could just pick up where I left off? I've not seen anyone I used to know, they must have also all moved away as I did. So other than my family, it's like starting in a new place with kind of similar surroundings but different. I moved to Gasquet as I had spent some the happiest times I remembered in the summer up here but I'm finding winter to be quite different and not at all familiar. But at the same time stunningly beautiful.
My nieces and nephews all little toddlers when I left are now smart, funny, volatile, and interesting adults. It's fun reconnecting with them and learning how to be with them. Should I just be a friend and listen? But then I want so much to help and not have them make the same mistakes I did. One day at a time...We'll see.
Finally home....December 25, 2008