I cried

Yesterday I was sad. Hubby kept trying to make me feel better. We went to the ocean. I looked at this view and I sat down and cried. Hubby felt so bad he took pictures for me.

I will have to come back for a visit, maybe a few weeks, in summer, next year.

Doing Our Homework

Much to do...resume', jobs available, city profiles, where and what kind of food, crime rates, blue skies, fresh air, on and on. I love Google Maps, Google Earth and City-Data. And packing...some how I can't get motivated with the packing.

Hubby has a doc appointment next Wednesday, with a Physician's Helper, they are called here. Definitely not as sharp as a Nurse Practitioner.

We seem to be zeroing in on southeast Wisconsin, for several reasons....family, food, and jobs are the main ones....but not in a big city.

That's What We Did

"Do not move on to 2016 without letting go of something significant from 2015" - Brendon Burhard

I read that a few days ago, and realized, that's what we did.

The last day of 2015 was not a good day for me. The night before, in a fit of frustration over his health, my hubby declared that he hated where we live and wanted to move to another state.

The problems started with the rainy season in 2014. He developed a severe sinus infection. He was put on a course of antibiotics. That helped a little. He went back, was put on antibiotics again. The doc said we needed to move out of the moldy house we were living in. We knew that, but it was several more months before a duplex became available. My hubby started getting better after we moved, but continues to have chronic sinus issues. He says he can smell mold outside. (Del Norte County is notorious for mold).

New Year's Eve day...hubby had to work. I was sad all day. We needed to talk, honestly, not just covering up our feelings to make the other person feel better. "It's ok, we're not moving because I want you to be happy" and "It's ok, we can move because I want you to be healthy" wasn't cutting it anymore. We needed real compromise. It was more than a sinus issue.

After much discussion, logic won. There are just some things about this area you can't fix.

1. Doctors and Specialists. With many of the residents under-employed or unemployed, welfare is rampant. Whatever the reasons, not enough doctors stay in this area, especially Specialists. If one of us needed a Specialist we would need to travel 111 miles to Medford, OR. We have been waiting 4 months to see the only good doctor in town.
2. Job Opportunities. Unless you are into Health Care, Rumiano is the best job in town. If that job were to end for some reason, you are back to Walmart. No way in hell, says hubby, and I don't blame him.
3. Travel. The airport currently only has prop-job flights to and from Portland, Oregon. Highway 101 heading south keeps breaking because of shifting ground at Last Chance Grade. Highway 199 suffers from occasional rock slides. This happens in winter because of substantial rains. We are one shake from total isolation.
4. Mold. A significant portion of the population here are chronically ill from mold. Even though our town home is free of mold, it apparently is in the air outside. For some reason I have been spared from this malady that residents call "The Crescent City Crud".

So...we don't know where or when, but at some point we will be leaving. "Letting go of something significant." It felt like I was breaking up with a flame. I was heartbroken. Then I felt better, realizing it will be better for both of us. I'll write more another time.

Happy New Year 2016!!!

Hubby and I celebrated together YAY! He has today off plus Rumiano gave everyone a year-end bonus. Yesterday we went out after he got off work, shopped and drank coffee together. Then we celebrated at home with some Risata and movies. Happy New Year everyone!

Changes

I left Walmart last Sunday. I was only scheduled for 3 more days. I guess the automated system gives you two weeks after you give notice, no matter what date you write, and then you have no more schedule. That's ok, because my neck and shoulder were hurting so much I didn't want to continue. Hubby said, "Why torture yourself, just quit." So I did.

I've had one week to recover and already I can see a difference in my body. I wasn't staying hydrated enough at work. The bathroom was too far away. I was eating wrong. I was stressed. Even though most of my (former) co-workers are really nice people, I was beginning to avoid certain other people. I was turning and walking away from sick people and heading down other isles when I saw people with dogs (I was sick and tired of getting flea bites, though only a few dogs came in with fleas). I refused to smile at old men. I could see them searching for a chance to smile at me. I was tired of it. One young co-worker teases all the women. He's quite the character, but I had enough of his relentless teasing, and one day I flat out told him to stop. After that he avoided me like the plague. I could have complained to management, but I wasn't planning on staying anyway. I got along well with the three department managers in my area, and the stockers. They were all sad to see me go. We always talked, laughed, and helped each other.

I do not regret leaving. I do not regret working there. It was my first retail job. It was hard but interesting. My enthusiasm lasted about 6 months. After that I started counting the time until I could leave. I am considered lucky by most people. My husband has a good job and I have social security. It's enough. I left many people behind who have no other choice in life but to toil at Walmart. Several ladies I know use a cane and are in a great deal of pain, but are in no way able to stop working. One lady is 77 with heart problems and COPD but she can't quit because of debt. Another lady can't quit because her car payment is bigger than her SS check. My complaints pale in comparison. Life is expensive here. Food is expensive, heck, everything is expensive. But it's beautiful here, darn beautiful.

So I had a little stress over leaving, because I was dropping a supplemental income that was trivial, but helpful nonetheless. My husband supported my decision 100%. We are both happier with this arrangement.

My two concerns are getting "soft" from not enough exercise and falling short money-wise. I've been cooking more. Hubby is coming home for lunch since I stopped working, so I spend some time every morning cooking his lunch....just part of my new "job" of staying home. At last I have time to finish unpacking and to fiddle with my plants. We spend most evenings watching movies together on Netflix.

Opposites Attract.
I'm happy here. My husband is restless. I was born in a city but raised in the desert. Aside form my teen years in Hollywood, I detest living in cities (visiting is great). He was born and raised in a city, so even though he loves nature and all the easily accessible nature here, he misses shopping, coffee bars everywhere, stores everywhere. I never knew a man who loves to shop more than most women. He wants to buy me everything. He wants a higher paying job. He wants to move to where he can make more money. I told him I don't care about money.

The thought of moving away from this area brings sharp, conflicted emotions in me. On the one hand I can say, "Yeah, it makes sense to live closer to good doctors and not have to drive 111 miles for an appointment to see a specialist (though I have not needed to do that)." But for me, it ends there. When I sat at the edge of the Smith River and watched crystal clear water sparkle over Serpentine stones, it was like a dream, some fairy tail land. When we walk by the beach, take in the ever abundant fresh air, view the sweeping horizons of blue sky and clouds, my soul soars. When I can open the windows and doors in summer and enjoy the fresh air and NEVER need an air conditioner, I know I am happier here than any place where it is too hot or too cold. The thought of leaving crushes my heart. But yet, I want my husband to be happy. He knows how I feel. He wants me to be happy, too.

I embrace change and new places, as long as I can keep my most cherished things. Sometimes those things can be packed, some are memories and sometimes they are rooted in places. Moving can be a good thing, but cutting ties can hurt. I will always have my daughters, and I wish my older daughter was closer. My husband and I love each other dearly and enjoy our life together. But will I always have the Ocean and the Smith River?

PNW or Not

I once joined a Pacific Northwest gardening group on facebook. I was accepted, but admonished about my location. They told me the north coast of California is NOT part of the Pacific Northwest. The PNW is Oregon, Washington state and British Columbia, however, I was welcome to stay in the group. I didn't feel welcome, so I left.

After living here over a year and watching weather patterns, I began to question that. I have also discovered that far northern California IS included in the PNW by some definitions. In fact, Crescent City is so close to Oregon that our phone book combines CC and Brookings, Oregon. So I rest my case...Purists say no, new thinking says Yes.

PNW as defined by the Old Farmer's Almanac:

I wish this was bigger so you could read it

It's been doing this on and off for days:

Rain, Wind, Rain and More Rain

Tonight I am thankful for candles. Hubby bought six of them, the tall skinny ones in glass jars, that can burn all night and not drip on anything. I have one in the bathroom upstairs and two downstairs. I will keep the upstairs one lit all night. The power didn't actually go out, it just browned out several times. I am saving my work often.

Apparently we are back on track regarding rain amounts. I'm surprised we are actually an inch behind normal. We've had 14 inches since October. And now it's too late to write. I'm getting up at 4 AM and it's already 11:33 PM, so I'm cutting it short right now.

I Did It!

I walked into Personnel and turned in my notice. They said if I put down the 25th then I will get the holiday pay. Christmas is the only day Walmart is closed, in fact, they close at 8 PM on Christmas Eve, so if I am scheduled to work that day, I'll be home no later than 8.

It's going to make a huge difference in our lives, in a good way. I can just feel the stress flee my system on my days off. No more living in "two time zones", as I describe it. He in the AM, me in the PM. We get up for each other, or stay up for each other, so we end up sleeping twice each day, if we are lucky, and we are not sleeping enough.

I'm so happy my hubby says what I worked is enough. We paid off our debts, which was my intention. Now he can take the car to work (unless I need it). No more trying to figure out if he can finish at the same time I take my lunch, or even before I start. Hubby told me, "Go to the flower club and photography meetings, make friends, enjoy life!" The meetings are usually on Saturdays, when they have them. I was only able to attend one.

December Already!

I wasn't thinking that I could do a "Ten on Tuesday" in December, I guess because I wasn't planning on posting so often. I only have a little time, before I must get ready for work. Let's see if I can hash this out in 10 minutes. I hear the subject is "The Ten Best Things I Did in November"

1. Blogged more...I didn't get every day in, but I did more.
2. Enjoyed Sundays with my hubby.
3. Bought succulents at Flora Pacifica.
4. Decided to quit Walmart for sure, this month.
5. Enjoyed an early Thanksgiving dinner with my daughter and her hubby.
6. Made a new friend.
7. Saw an "old" friend, well, she used to work at Walmart.
8. Made really good homemade pizza.
9. Crafted an easy-to-keep-track-of budget.
10. Followed the budget.

Six minutes to spare! The budget is the "biggie" because it allows us to pay bills with one account and shop, save or whatever with the other account. That way the bill-paying account is never overdrawn because it's not used for anything but bills, which are all predictable. The amount left over goes into savings. The biggest issue here is the cost of food. Meat is astronomical. A roast can easily cost $25 or $30. We can usually get better prices at Roy's in Brookings, Oregon. We sure do miss Aldi, but there are no Aldi stores out west....however, I hear they are expanding.

I'm not a big meat eater but hubby does like beef and chicken. He also likes fish, which I hate, but I can tolerate a few fish sticks. It's fine with me to cook two different things for dinner. I'm looking forward to not working evenings so I can do more of that.

My time is up.

Lucky or Loosers

Crescent City is a bit of an enigma. I'm not the first person to arrive here in awe of the trees, the ocean view and the crystal blue of the Smith River, nor am I the first to notice the community of homeless who live in the woods behind Walmart and panhandle on the corners or the rows of empty businesses downtown. When my hubby and I first arrived here, my daughter and her hubby drove us to Endert's Beach Lookout. I was overwhelmed. I cried. I hugged her. I asked if I can really live here or do I have to go "home", which was silly, because "home" was sold. Here is the lookout at Endert's Beach. That's Crescent City on the horizon.

I haven't lived here long enough to know Crescent City in its heyday, though I've learned it had one. It has a logging history. People remember logging trucks piled so high they would practically run you off the road. Downtown was the home to many thriving businesses. At some point the logging stopped (there are still busy mills in Brookings and Eureka), and then the Tsunami hit. It was 1964, and Alaska had an 8.8 earthquake. The residents were warned, but complacent because they said nothing ever happened in the past. It was a cruel lesson in not second-guessing nature. 11 people died.
LA Times 1964 video of Crescent City

There was another Tsunami on March 11, 2011 because of the earthquake in Japan. My daughter lived here by that time. Warning systems and wiser people saved lives. Only one person was swept away, some man who rushed down to the beach to take photos.
Time-lapse video by engineering group

Only the downtown business area is within the Tsunami Zone. A few residences and apartments are within the zone as well, but most residences are above the Zone and safe. (Scroll down when the map opens to view the city).
Tsunami Zone.PDF

Apparently the town leaders had settled into complacency....everything is fine just the way it is, don't change anything. Environmentalists had the loudest words when it came to changing anything, including bypassing Last Chance Grade..."leave it alone, if it falls into the ocean, so be it, just don't cut a single Redwood to bypass it". Last Chance Grade is about 10 miles south of town on 101 where the side of the mountain is trying to slide into the ocean. It did in 1945 (I believe) and took a family down with it.

By the power of social media, I am happy to say that thinking has been changed. Someone had an idea, and created a Facebook group. The group grew to nearly 2,000 Crescent City residents in two weeks. The group has become a voice for the city, and has lit a fire under our leader's asses. It was only a short time before Real Estate agents, City Planners and other Movers and Shakers got on board. The group urges residents to attend meetings, and they have.

We also support Caltrans regarding Last Chance Grade and told the state of California we want a Safe Bypass even though it means cutting out a swath of Redwoods. Without 101 there is no way to access Crescent City from the south. We would be cut off. A Bypass had been in the works for years, but nothing was moving forward...it just stopped, stagnate and squashed under the protests of the environmentalists.

Now don't get me wrong, I am an environmentalist, but I'm not stuck in Stupid Mode, either. There needs to be balance.

Some of the things the group has inspired, supported or helped push forward:

Beautifying the Beach Front park
A concert to raise money to build a Dog Park
Possible Band Shell in the Beach Front Park center
Reopening of Glenn's Bakery in 3 months
A new Pub
A new Cafe in the harbor
The re-opening of Tsunami Lanes bowling alley
Promoting The Lighthouse Repertory Theater
Promoting local business and shopping local

Homeless people and bums are a long-term issue we are trying to figure out how to address.

So, to date, this is my adventure, where I live with my dear hubby. He has a good job, one of the few in town. He would like more shopping nearby, maybe to live in a bigger city, but he doesn't really want to change jobs. There are few doctors here and no specialists. We have a small hospital. People drive 111 miles to Medford, Oregon to see a specialist. Our little airport currently only has prop-job flights to and from Portland, Oregon and Life Flight Air Ambulance to major hospitals. I don't know what the future will bring, but for now we are here, maybe permanently, maybe not. Right now I feel like one of the Lucky ones.

Once Again I have Skipped Days

My hubby and I both worked Saturday. Sunday we drove to Springfield Oregon, in the pouring rain, in the mountains, on curvy roads. I was hoping hubby's wanderlust wouldn't take him so far again in winter. It's too stressful. Thankfully he agreed, no more long distance driving in bad weather. For me, the highlight of the trip were the fall colors in Grants Pass.

We have native Maples here that turn golden. There are many along the Smith River. If we get a Sunny Sunday maybe we can go so I can get some pictures before all the leaves are gone.

Today is Tuesday, and for those who write during National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo---I have trouble wrapping my head around the abbreviation) it's "Ten on Tuesday". Ten what, I wonder?

1. Ten things I'm thankful for.

2. Ten things I miss from the Midwest.

3. Ten things I've gained.

4. Ten things I lost.

5. Ten things I'm afraid of.

6. Ten things I love about where I am.

7. Ten things things I would change if I could.

8. Ten Poems I've written

9. Ten pets I've had

10. Ten places I've lived. 

There's my ten. Maybe I will expand on some of them....later.

This morning was cold, 37 degrees at 7 am, with frost. That's a heavy frost on the roofs across the street. It melted as soon as the sun came up.

Not in the Mood

I am not in the mood to go to work today. I think the shorter days are getting to me. My neck and shoulder hurt (work related), although my knee is better.The vitamin D seems to help, I haven't been sick. Still waiting for Sundays off. They hired a new person, but she is waiting for her security clearance. When she starts, I will work Saturday and she will work Sunday, and split up the rest of the week however they decide. I'm hoping it will be soon. Well, off to work I go...

Really...?

I asked my supervisor (the pharmacist) for Sunday's off and also not to work so late on Friday (9pm). It was met with the normal "Walmart needs associates at the busiest times bla bla bla". I countered by telling her Sunday is my husband's only day off, and somewhere in the discussion I mentioned I didn't want to work late because I get up at 4 am. She asked why, and her jaw dropped when I said I get up to get my hubby off to work. It was like, "OMG can't he get up by himself?!?!?!" She made so many condescending remarks, in front of all the other pharmacy employees, it was just humiliating. Well, lady, I get up because it's MY CHOICE and plus that I DRIVE him to work so I can keep my car so I can come to work at the piddly ass job at Walmart. He rides his bike home, but at 4:30 am you CANNOT SEE YOUR HAND IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE on Inyo street because it's so dark. Yeah, he could get a light but really, he works hard and long, why should he ride his bike 2 miles BOTH ways? A couple more paychecks or so and I'm going to tell Walmart good bye. My hubby and my hubby's job are way more important. I can't wait, I really can't wait. Now...off to work.

Catching Up

Wednesday my hubby had the day off YAY so we went shopping in Eureka. That town is a madhouse, traffic is crazy. It's so much nicer up here, even though Eureka has way more places to shop. We found much cheaper groceries at a WinCo store. We might actually drive the 80 miles there once every couple months and stock up.

After I was sick in July, Walmart told me I can't get sick until after September 28th, but my body didn't listen. I caught ANOTHER head cold that went into my chest. I have not needed my asthma inhaler here, except when I get a chest cold, so I had not noticed that it was empty, and it was midnight.

I was going to tough it out but hubby insisted he take me to the ER. They wanted to give me a treatment but I can't take albuterol, and they didn't have Xopenex. So they kept me for awhile and sent me home with a script. Hubby called off work to stay with me. I had a doctor note saying I could return to work after two days.

This time I made an appointment with my doc in case Walmart called me in for another "coaching". Previously they had recommended I ask why I get sick all the time. My doc ordered a vitamin D test. I'm low, so I am to take 1000 IU of D3 per day and get checked in about 6 months. Apparently vitamin D is connected to one's immunity.

Anyway, I am finally done coughing up junk, however I am going against Walmart policy and avoiding the sickies. No, really, I'm supposed to approach them with a smile while they cough and sneeze all over and ask them if they need help finding anything. I'm also having problems with my neck and arm. It started when they had me zone the grocery isles, especially the heavy stuff. It involves bending and reaching in odd positions and pulling everything forward. My neck has hurt ever since and my right arm goes numb when I hold it up. I don't zone other parts of the store anymore, ever since the pharmacist found out they were pulling me out of my area, but every day that I work I'm not allowing my neck and arm to heal because, well, my job is mostly zoning.

So hubby and I have been talking, and looking at our budget. We are very close to paying off the last of the credit cards. My plan was to continue working until we built up our savings, at least through the winter, but it looks like that will change. The reasons....my health, the rainy season is coming and he will need the car, and we miss each other. Ok, maybe the last reason made you roll your eyes, but honestly, we need to be home at the same time and enjoy life together. It's been a long five months, ever since my hubby started work at Rumiano, no time together unless he took a day off to match mine. I only have time to cook from scratch on my days off, that means 5 days a week I'm eating junk. I'm exhausted.

It makes me very happy to think about quitting work.

Life is Getting Better

At times I have thought about the isolation here. But I would rather take my chances with the best doctors being 60 miles away than to die slowly in the city. The trucks rumbling down I-80/94 did not whisper to my soul.

I mark my days by the sunsets I've seen and the rocks I've gathered.

A typical view of the sunset from my back window where I lived in Indiana. I did have a better view at the park, but it was often too humid, too cold, had too many mosquitoes or bad air. I cried a lot in Indiana.

Now, a three minute drive takes me here. The sweeping views heal me. I breath, and I don't cry.

Rocks and flowers make me happy.

I think I will be done at Walmart in the foreseeable future. That is a good thing, for I did not come here to work at Walmart.

4 Years!

My hubby and I have been married 4 years, as of yesterday, August 17th. I bought this card, with words made of wood. I loved it the moment I saw it...it's so "us".

Arcata...looked like a hippy town to me

We visited the town square, which is truly a square around a park. It was a beautiful day for browsing artisan shops full of local arts and crafts and walking past many bars with a few seedy looking types hanging around. The park had an interesting mix of "Joe and Jane Regular" and "Happy People" in dreadlocks with really big dogs. Yeah, it was a mix of weird. There was a really cool store with all products made from hemp. >>>Hemp is NOT marijuana<<< The shop owner was a happy guy from Jamaica, wearing dreadlocks, but they looked natural on him. I found a hat I liked, but it was $40. I didn't want a $40 hat. I bought a cool "Rocker" garlic press in another store.

Here are a couple pics of Arcata, sans weird people. The fuzzy dark circle to the top right is a permanent fixture of my camera now, since it is a point and shoot and not a DSLR, which I could open and clean. The photography group I belong to says it's a speck of dust.

Later we drove to Eureka, first stop, Target. I bought earrings and a vacuum. I really needed a vacuum. We were going to continue to the mall but I told hubby I was tired of shopping, and it was a long drive home. Vita Cucina was still open, so we stopped in for more yummy honey bran muffins.

Tomorrow...Arcata and Eureka!

Hubby has tomorrow off, so we planned an outing, shopping in Arcata and Eureka, about 80 miles south of us here in Crescent City.

I didn't know we had a live cam here. I wish I could just embed the cam but I don't know how.
Crescent City Harbor

Beautiful Summer Weather Today

Today and tomorrow are my days off. The weather is glorious. I'm not sick. All the bills are paid for the month and we aren't broke. Life is good.

North Coast air conditioning:

North Coast heat:

The Second of My Two Days Off

I got more done today, including the laundry. The other day, when I had the car, I bought a laundry cart, so I don't put my back out trying to carry everything to the laundry room. I be stylin' now :)

It is a glorious day sunny, mild, blue sky and pretty clouds. This is from the upstairs window. I can never get enough of the natural beauty here.