New lives aren’t hard to come by. They’re just scary to start.
I’ve been here six weeks now, and things are beginning to take shape. The first two of weeks were disorienting, because I only knew one couple. The geography, territory, culture, and routines were all foreign. Uprooting myself and propelling my worldly belongings to an entirely new place more than a thousand miles away was harrowing, but in a personal choice, ‘I asked for this’ kind of way.
But by now I’ve picked up two part time jobs. One of them is helping a published author. She is working on a new book so it is very exciting for me to see the New York publishing world from the inside. The rest of my free time I’m devoting to my art and my own writing, so I’m happy about that.
My social calendar is filling. Thursday I ended up at Huddle House for dinner with half a dozen people, Saturday, attend an art show and had dinner with friends, and Sunday, movies with other friends. We ran into a neighbor farmer and got an invitation to come over during lambing season. I cannot wait to see the baby lambs!
I’ve signed up for the Rec. Department’s calligraphy class. I developed my artist pages online with the Altered Book Society, of which I have become a member. I’m writing a regular column in the newspaper, and having my photos published too.
After six weeks, public things are starting to get familiar. The tellers say hello by name. I know about the hairdresser’s son the football player, who is in the playoffs this weekend. The bookstore lady and I chat over coffee. Private things are getting familiar too, my cat is relaxed enough to take naps on top of the bed instead of under the covers, the pony recognizes me and trots next to my car when I come up the driveway.
I love sayings, quips, proverbs. I think about them a lot when I read them or see them on a sign or billboard. There’s one that I particularly love. When facing something big, or deciding about a life change, remember, “Leap, and the net will appear.”
It really does.
7 comments:
Post some links...we'd enjoy reading more of your work!
Thanks...if you mean links to the the newspaper I contribute to (?) then, ...the paper only puts three stories, a couple of sports, obits and letters online. That's it. Sorry!
Most cats have 9 lives -meow
"Congratulations", Elizabeth, for "Leaping Joyfully"!! I'm sooo happy that The Quiet Life is bringing with it such Joy for You! Good things happen to Good People! "Keep Leaping"!
You've told so many good stories to me, I think you should write a story about your archaeological dig experience.... I love that story..... and now that you're not here I can't hear them on demand anymore, LOL.
I'll get you started...
"I was looking for a darn good reason to go to Italy...."
Speaking of new beginnings, we took our first trip on the new bypass! What a long journey that has been for so many people in our small town. At the grand opening celebration I talked to a couple of people who had been on the traffic committee in 1994. They had really given up hope of having this ever come to pass, and were genuinely happy. Dick Wood, the last living member of the original 1965 bypass committee was in the first car up the bypass and with Governor Baldacci at his side, cut the ribbon. 31 years between proposal and completion. The next thing is going to probably be trying to get DOT to get rid of the turnpike toll at New Gloucester to keep the big trucks on the pike and out of our small village. See you at that celebration.... in 2037?
I hope the Bypass is Not 'too little, too late', as construction is about to begin on a Hannaford's Store directly across from the Fire Station, School, and Landfill. Since the Bypass was designed to alleviate Traffic, I question how effective the bypass will be with this New Store generating a sizeable amount of traffic. I see total Havoc! I have no problem with Hannaford's coming to Gray, BUT the location is questionable?...as well as Zoning!
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