This is a hard day (week) for me.
Two years ago today my life was turning upside down. I had handed in my notice to the only job I've ever loved so that we could start a new life in Florida after two years of hell difficulties. It seemed like a fair trade - my one piece of happiness for security for my family.
But as I was getting ready to move, I realized that my beloved Shifu wasn't himself and on March 27, 2015 it became obvious that he wouldn't be making the move to Florida with us.
We spent a last day with him, drove to the beach, fed him McDonalds hamburgers and fries (the only food he'd eaten in days) and told him how much we loved him. It was a special, very hard, memorable day and I'll always be grateful that we were given the chance to make those memories before we had to say that final goodbye the next day.
For my sanity's sake I don't spend a lot of time looking back to those days but I can't help but think of my little Shifu Peanut this week.
It was a bad day at work (and I have a feeling it will be the first of many) so I don't have the energy or inclination to write something.
Instead I'm posting a picture of some of my favorite Florida things. They make me smile.
I recently returned to Florida for the first time after moving back to California in May and it was definitely bittersweet. I still love it there and often wish things had turned out differently so being back in the area brings up a lot of feelings.
Luckily my mother lives in a beautiful spot with an amazing view of the lake. I wouldn't mind being able to watch the water every day, I find it very soothing.
It's especially fun to bird watch. Florida has a unique variety of winged creatures. I love it when they pause long enough for me to get a few pictures.
Florida is also the home of one of my favorite casual restaurants - Steak N Shake. I try to make a visit each time I'm in Florida. I wish we were going to be there for Thanksgiving, I'd definitely go!
Of course I'd make sure to leave room for a full turkey dinner later, of course.
Leaving Florida is never easy, lots of tears, but memories help ease the transition.
Every once in a while, magic happens and your life is never the same.
Way back in the dark ages of the Internet, I joined a listserv called Kindred Spirits for fans of the LM Montgomery series. And I do mean dark ages because this was 1995 - 20 years ago.
We were all new to the Internet and it was amazing to have found a group of adults who shared my love of a red-haired, talkative orphan girl.
This initial group formed fast friendships that are still going strong to this day. We're spread out all over the world but we've been lucky enough to meet up in person here or there and now, even though we rarely spend any time posting on the list anymore, we are still the best of friends. I honestly can't imagine my life without these friendships...I wouldn't want to imagine it.
By a happy circumstance, 2 of these friends spend the winter in the very same Florida town that I sometimes call home so we've been able to meet up at least once or twice each year even though normally we live thousands of miles apart.
Recently I made a very short visit to FL to spend some time with my mother and I managed to sneak away for lunch with my kindred friends.
Normally we follow a very strict schedule when we get together - swimming in the morning followed by lunch at Sweet Tomatoes. But this time I wasn't available for a full day and the pool was just a little too chilly anyway. We decided to ditch healthy food for a steakhouse that has amazing dinner rolls. Here we were fighting over the rolls.
We had a little too much fun with the following selfies...and it's clear I need practice taking them.
What a fun day...can't wait to do it again! Maybe one day we'll all be able to meet up on PEI, the home of our beloved Anne.
Some things are just never meant to be, no matter how much we wish they were.
This is a hard post to write. It isn't going to be filled with pretty pictures or craft projects. I won't be pretending that life is all cupcakes and sunshine.
A few months ago we set forth on a grand adventure, a real dream come true for me. We were finally going to be able to live in Florida while my husband pursued his career. I had dreamed about this possibility for years and now it was happening. It should have been the happiest time of my life.
In the weeks after I arrived in Florida it became increasingly clear that things weren't going to work out the way we had hoped and that we were going to have to move back to California. The fact that this happened sooner rather than later is a little distressing but that's the way this particular cookie crumbled.
Luckily I love California and I have learned that Florida is probably best left as a vacation destination. What does bother me is that although we were able to return to our house (thank goodness we couldn't move right away so although everything is still in boxes, we hadn't given up our house - Jasper's Cottage) I am not able to return to the life I left. I mourn the fact that I gave up a job I loved for nothing, that's definitely the part I'm having the most trouble with.
Right now the future is a little dark and unclear but I trust that things have happened for a reason and that good things will happen in the future. As Sheryl Sandberg (COO of Facebook who recently lost her husband) wrote on Facebook "option A is not available and I mourn for option A...but I promise to do all I can to kick the sh*t out of option B."
So here's to finding option B...California style.
p.s. One really good thing has happened since we got back home...Charlie's story starts tomorrow.
May was my first full month in Florida and I feel like I packed a lot in there. In addition to my painting projects during the week I also spent time adding a few fun decorative touches to the house and Mr. T and I had a lot of fun on the weekends.
Sometimes it felt like we tried to experience a whole Florida lifetime in just one month. We were on the go from early Saturday morning until late Sunday night traveling all over our area discovering new parks, flea markets, shops and towns. We even found a church we love and made a new Sunday morning routine.
So. Much. Fun.
May, you were quite a month. I am never going to forget you.
In the midst of packing and loading (Jasper's Cottage is moving across country!) I find myself missing my boy an awful lot so I thought some pictures would cheer me up. I hope they make you smile too!
The last two pictures were taken in Florida, the new home of Jasper's Cottage. Read all about it later this week!
