So much happening!
Feb. 10th, 2022 08:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sereneI have fallen into the habit of posting my updates on Twitter/Facebook even though I prefer this place to those, in theory. Not sure what that's about, especially since there are enough family members and co-workers on Facebook that it keeps me from posting anything with any depth most of the time. And on the gripping hand (h/t Aahz, may his memory be a blessing), I don't get deep all that often these days.
Anyway, lots and lots has happened since I was here last. Still miss my mom so hard that it's sometimes hard to move past it, but there are real patches of joy now, and that wasn't really the case at first.
In September, we sold our (inherited) house in California, moved to New Mexico, and found a new house. We visited it with our realtor on a Tuesday, put in an offer that day, and it was accepted the next day, on the one-year anniversary of my mom's death. We had scoped out some houses the previous July, but this was the only place we looked at once we moved here, and within about 3 weeks, it was ours.
I honestly had never planned to own a house. I have called myself a renter, and didn't see the benefit for a person like me in owning property. It was my mom's desire for me, and as it turns out, it's exciting now that it's really happened.
The house is not perfect: we were kind of hoping for a second bathroom; there's no dedicated guest room; and all the tile in the kitchen and bathroom need to be replaced, but it's comfortable and cute and is on a lot with trees and a creek, as well as being within a few blocks' walk of almost anyplace we ever need to go. And the food co-op that I wanted to be within a mile's walk of? Is currently four blocks away, but is moving ACROSS THE STREET from us.
I LOVE New Mexico. It's cold-but-sunny; we're in a very small town with lots of our needed amenities; it snows, but not a ton; there's fast internet and a smattering of international groceries; people are friendly but not intrusive, as a rule; and we could afford to buy a house outright without spending our last dollar.
Work. Hm. Work is challenging. I put in my retirement papers to retire last month, but between still being in the process for PSLF and being able to stay remote, I rescinded my retirement notice and plan to put it back in for the end of this semester (so, May or June). We have been severely understaffed for years and it has worn me down so much that I can barely stand it. Between that and the truly toxic office politics, it's all I can do every day to make it to the end of the day. This, too, shall pass.
Not really writing these days, but starting to feel the rumblings of the desire to do so again. I don't force these things.
The kids are both unemployed and looking for work. This is an enormous stress on me; I am helping as I can, but there's only so much I can do, and I have very little emotional energy for fixing other people's problems at the moment, anyway.
Anyhow, there's a lot happening, and I want to share that with you, and to return to keeping an online journal if I can manage to find the follow-through to do that.
Anyway, lots and lots has happened since I was here last. Still miss my mom so hard that it's sometimes hard to move past it, but there are real patches of joy now, and that wasn't really the case at first.
In September, we sold our (inherited) house in California, moved to New Mexico, and found a new house. We visited it with our realtor on a Tuesday, put in an offer that day, and it was accepted the next day, on the one-year anniversary of my mom's death. We had scoped out some houses the previous July, but this was the only place we looked at once we moved here, and within about 3 weeks, it was ours.
I honestly had never planned to own a house. I have called myself a renter, and didn't see the benefit for a person like me in owning property. It was my mom's desire for me, and as it turns out, it's exciting now that it's really happened.
The house is not perfect: we were kind of hoping for a second bathroom; there's no dedicated guest room; and all the tile in the kitchen and bathroom need to be replaced, but it's comfortable and cute and is on a lot with trees and a creek, as well as being within a few blocks' walk of almost anyplace we ever need to go. And the food co-op that I wanted to be within a mile's walk of? Is currently four blocks away, but is moving ACROSS THE STREET from us.
I LOVE New Mexico. It's cold-but-sunny; we're in a very small town with lots of our needed amenities; it snows, but not a ton; there's fast internet and a smattering of international groceries; people are friendly but not intrusive, as a rule; and we could afford to buy a house outright without spending our last dollar.
Work. Hm. Work is challenging. I put in my retirement papers to retire last month, but between still being in the process for PSLF and being able to stay remote, I rescinded my retirement notice and plan to put it back in for the end of this semester (so, May or June). We have been severely understaffed for years and it has worn me down so much that I can barely stand it. Between that and the truly toxic office politics, it's all I can do every day to make it to the end of the day. This, too, shall pass.
Not really writing these days, but starting to feel the rumblings of the desire to do so again. I don't force these things.
The kids are both unemployed and looking for work. This is an enormous stress on me; I am helping as I can, but there's only so much I can do, and I have very little emotional energy for fixing other people's problems at the moment, anyway.
Anyhow, there's a lot happening, and I want to share that with you, and to return to keeping an online journal if I can manage to find the follow-through to do that.
no subject
Date: 2022-02-11 11:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-02-12 07:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-02-12 06:42 am (UTC)I have a good friend who is looking to retire to New Mexico, and he and his wife have gone to look at places.
no subject
Date: 2022-02-12 07:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-02-12 03:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-02-12 07:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-02-13 06:51 am (UTC)It's from the Mote Series by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. Aliens in the series have two regular hands and one stronger but less dexterous one, called the gripping hand.
I've been following your updates elsenet but it's good to see a summary. Glad you like your new location and being a homeowner. *&*